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Simply Savoie

Guided walking – snowshoeing – via ferrata in the French Alps with Mark Tennent

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France’s Woes

France is in the news ? for all the wrong reasons. Strikes, demonstrations, blockades, fuel shortages.

The current situation is a stand-off between the unions and the government. Blockades of oil refineries and fuel depots has led fuel shortages at the pumps. The usual suspects are also either threatening to strike or striking, the SNCF (French railways), and air traffic controllers. The French government have forced through a new law (the Loi El Khomri) to try reduce unemployment that stands at 10% (and over 20% for young people under 24). France’s unions and in particular the CGT run by a former card-carrying member of the French Communist Party, are doing their uttermost to get the government to capitulate to their demands. Only around 8% of the workforce are members of a union so their claims to represent workers is not born out by the facts. Despite all this life goes on.

200 Million Euros for Snow making in the French Alps

200 million euro is going to be spent over the next 6 years. This money is to equip ski resorts in the French Alps with additional snow making machines and infrastructure. This has been announced by the new president, Laurent Wauquiez, of the Region Auvergne Rhone-Alpes. Wauquiez is supported in this by Gilles Chabert a president of the ?Mountain Committee? of the council. Chabert is also president of the French ski instructor association (SNMSF) – surely a conflict of interest? The lack of snow in recent winters, due to warmer winters, threatens the viability of the ski resorts. The resorts at lower altitudes are struggling to remain viable. Currently the ski resorts are a mainstay of the economy in the French Alps. They provide thousands of seasonal jobs for winter between December and April depending on the resort. However they need to adapt to the reality of a changing climate. To function, snow making machines mix water and air under pressure. The fine water droplets crystalise in the air as they fall to the ground providing the temperature is 0 deg C or below. So, the increasingly warmer winters will mean that this equipment is useless. A white elephant, complete folly! In some cases an additive, called ?Snomax? is added to the water/air mix that allows snow to be made up to 4 deg. C. This additive has been banned in Southern Tyrol and Vorarlberg in Austria in order to protect water supplies. The exact situation regarding the usage of ?Snowmax? in France is not clear. The ski resort of Les Saisies has covered a huge mound of snow in saw dust! The resort is going to uncover it when the Tour de France passes the Col des Saisies.

Cycling Races in the Alps this Summer

France and cycling are synonymous with the Tour de France attracting worldwide coverage. Fans come from all over France and the world to watch.

It’s worth being aware when planning your day. Roads are usually shut to traffic several hours before the race is due to pass. It may also be some time after the first riders pass before the roads re-open.

The Tour de France

This summer the Tour is spending just 3 days in the Alps before the final stage 21 in Paris. As a cyclist myself, I raced in my late teens alongside Sean Yates and Tony Doyle (showing my age!), I enjoy watching this great event.

Stage 18 – 17 km – Sallanches / Meg?ve ? there’s not too much detail of this stage on the Tour’s site but it looks like a time-trial.

Stage 19 – 146 km – Albertville / Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc. This looks like a great stage for some attacking climbers. The Col de Tamie above Albertville before a descent to the shores of Lac d’Annecy. The race then goes up the Col de la Forclaz (a paragliders mecca), a steep climb followed by a steep technical descent. The route then follows the valley bottom to Ugine where another short, steep climb to another Col de la Forclaz and the subsequent descent to Villard-sur-Doron and the heart of the Beaufortain. The riders will then go back over the Col des Saisies before heading through Megeve to finish in St Gervais.

Stage 20 – 146 km – Meg?ve / Morzine-Avoriaz ? a mountain stage with a final chance to change the overall standings before the final day in Paris.

Other races this summer

Criterium du Dauphine 5 ? 12 June 2016

Saturday, 11 June ? La Rochette ? Meribel via the Col de la Madeleine.

Tour de l’Avenir 20 ? 27 August ? this race was created in 1961 by Jacques Marchand, editor of the french sport newspaper L??quipe. The competition has been entirely dedicated to young riders between 19 and 22 years old. The Tour de l’Avenir is part of the UCI Europe Tour and the U23 Nations Cup. Therefore, it brings together international teams with riders aged less than 23

My Perspective on BREXIT in France

I’m committed to my life in France not to mention my French partner. I had already considered applying for French nationality and the referendum has brought this to the fore. I have printed out the application and am now amassing the various documents required.

My thoughts on some of the consquences is that in the short-term Sterling (GBP) falls relative to the Euro although this may be limited by the uncertainty that BREXIT has caused for the EU as a whole. I will endeavour to absorb the cost.

Longer term consequences

Travel to France took place prior to the EU so there should not be issues for you travelling here. Working in France and moving to France may well become more complicated, but clearly not impossible. A ?carte de sejour? (residence permit) or a working visa may be required.

As a ?mountain professional? I’ve been assured that my qualifications are still valid for working in France and that this should not change. I have very good relations with the local French Sports ministry officials and had already posed this question.

For those of you who take skiing holidays you may find that UK tour and chalet operators face difficulties. Their business model is based on employing seasonal staff on short-term contracts under the EU’s ?Posted Workers? Directive. This has allowed them to employ staff on British employment contracts and associated terms and conditions. I would imagine that France would require that they were now employed on French contracts. These would make employing staff substantially more expensive for the employer.

To give a rough example: the French minimum wage is c. Euro 1340 per month however the employer pays c. Euro 2300 due to the very high social security contributions. The amount that can be deducted for things such as food and accommodation, ski pass, etc is very strictly limited.

The Tour du Mont Blanc – Sustainable?

I’ve guided walking groups on the Tour du Mont Blanc on several occasions this summer. A question keeps coming up in my head, ?Is this sustainable??

The number of individuals and groups walking the Tour du Mont Blanc is enormous. I have heard the figure of 10,000 over a summer season. It is difficult, perhaps almost impossible, to find solitude.

The Tour du Mont Blanc is a great walk, deservedly so, taking in three countries, France, Italy and Switzerland as it makes its way around the Mont Blanc massif (mountain range). However there are a great many other walks in the Alps both in France, Switzerland and Italy. In my view the Tour du Mont Blanc has become a ?bucket list? item. An item to ?tick off?, to be bragged about at the dinner table.

The pressure on the Tour du Mont Blanc has been added to by the increasing popularity of mountain bikes or VTT to the mix. The Tour du Mont Blanc started life as a long-distance walking route. The erosion of so many people is clear to see. However, in my view, mountain bikes erode fragile ground at a vastly increased rate. Why, mountain bike tyres create linear ?grooves? particularly in damp ground or mud. Ground water or rain then naturally follows the resulting groove carrying away soil and other material. I’ve seen the grooves cut into the ground by just one or two mountain bikes to see the effect. Mountain bikes tend to want to ride in straightlines downhill frequently taking short-cuts rather than zig-zagging. This also exacerbates erosion. I always educate my clients to avoid taking short-cuts for this reason. The co-existence of mountain bikers and walkers is another matter. I’ve come across very considerate riders; often with a mountain bike guide and those who feel ?might is right? and expect walkers to jump out of the way. What happened to the old etiquette in the mountains of giving way to those walking up?

Trail running is now big business. The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) has become enormous and trail running itself highly fashionable. In 2016 there are 2300 participants on just the UTMB. It is interesting to see how the big brands have latched on to this event. I’ve run in the mountains in my younger days for pleasure and enjoy the liberating feeling of moving fast in the mountains. However I feel that the mountains are demeaned by becoming a ?running track?. Mountains, for me, are to be savoured and not to become a competitive arena.

Over 100 People Stuck in Cable Car at 3500m above Chamonix

It made national headlines. I happened to be in Chamonix at the time and the sound of the rescue helicopters let me know that something major was afoot.

The drama unfolded in the afternoon when the two cables supporting the cabins became twisted with each other.

The drama wasn’t on the cable car from Chamonix to the Aiguille du Midi (3842m) but the ?Panoramique? telecabine. These smaller cabins go from the Aiguille du Midi to the Pointe crossing over the huge Glacier du Geant to reach Helbronner, a distance of about 5 km that takes about 50 minutes. There’s another cable car from here that descends into Italy close to Courmayeur.

The rescue services swung into action. The most dramatic rescues were of those suspended high over the glacier. Rescuers descended by winch from helicopters to reach the cabins. You can see one of the rescues below! However increasing cloud and nightfall necessitated rescue operations to cease for the night.

Early the following morning continued efforts to free the cables were successful and the remaining people, about 30 in all, re-gained either Helbronner or the Aiguille du Midi in the telecabines.

Naturally there’s a major enquiry underway to look at the causes of the drama, the rescue response and to avoid a future occurrence.