Published
Updated
Reading time: 2min – video: 2min
Several ski resorts in the Savoie region of France shuttered their slopes Thursday, driven by a significant avalanche risk. The village of Tignes experienced a full overnight confinement, a decision made by local authorities, as nearly a meter of snow accumulated within 24 hours.
Avalanche Control and Gradual Reopening
This text corresponds to part of the transcription of the report above. Click on the video to watch it in full.
Even moments before opening, mountain trackers were actively triggering controlled avalanches to secure the ski areas. This work, described as colossal, was undertaken in exceptional conditions. “We take time, there is a lot of snow, there are routes for ski patrollers where you have to walk, with skis on your back or skis on your feet. And in 1m30, 1m50 of snow, the conditions can be difficult,” explained Jérémy Schweizer, a ski patroller-rescuer in Tignes.
As of Friday, February 13, the avalanche index remained high at 4 out of 5. Tignes is gradually reopening, but certain slopes, particularly those at higher elevations, will remain closed to the public. The heavy snowfall was described as rare by vacationers. “It’s rare to have so much snow anyway. We come to Tignes regularly, to have so much snowfall in such a short time, it’s still quite exceptional.” One young skier added, “We said to ourselves that today we really aren’t doing any off-piste and we’re trying to respect that, because it looks quite dangerous, but we’re seeing a lot of snow on the slopes, personally I’ve never seen that.”
A Return to the Slopes After Confinement
Crowds gathered at the base of chairlifts, eager to ski after a night of confinement and two days of severe weather. “Because we remained compartmentalized, locked up. We remembered the Covid two years ago. Fortunately, it only lasted two days. So there, it’s royal, there is the sun,” said one skier, relieved to be back on the mountain. Another expressed gratitude for a day of rest: “It was a little day of rest, board games and a good meal in the evening with friends.”
The extreme weather left its mark on the resort. The terrace of one restaurant was closed for 48 hours, requiring a full morning of snow removal and defrosting. “The snow is very heavy, it almost makes ice everywhere, so we use hot water to thaw the tables,” the manager commented. Savoie has been placed on red avalanche alert only three times in the past 25 years. Currently, the alert level is orange, mirroring conditions across the entire Alpine massif.
