Ski season off to a good start

Resorts are now open in the Alps and Pyrenees, with many more to come in the days ahead

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THANKS to recent heavy snowfall around 20 ski resorts are now open, mainly in the Alps and Pyrenees.

With many more set to open next weekend, the skiing season is off to an early start.

This weekend should see more southern Alps resorts open (Montgenèvre in the Hautes-Alpes has been open for a fortnight) including Mercantour resorts Isola 2000 and Auron in the Alpes-Maritimes.

The director of the tourist office in La Clusaz (Haute-Savoie), one of the resorts now open, told Le Parisien: “We saw a rise in bookings as soon as the snow was forecast. The season is looking very, very good.”

His view was echoed by his counterpart at Angles and Font-Romeu in the Pyrenees, Jérôme Meunier: “We aleady have 500-1,000 skiers; it’s great: this weekend will have set things in motion, word of mouth is going to start to work. The weather is good, it’s cold, the conditions are ideal.”

Last year the Pyrenees resorts only opened a few days before Christmas. The return to an early December start means they should benefit from Spanish tourists coming for a long weekend for the Immaculate Conception bank holiday.

In the Alps, resorts have opened in Isère, Savoie and Haute-Savoie.

Nice mayor Christian Estrosi anticipated the start in the Alpes-Maritimes by mocking up a ski scene with a snow machine outside the city’s prefecture for his announcement of this weekend’s planned opening.

To check on the expected opening dates of resorts see: Ski resorts

Photo: A. Benne

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