Alpine skiing in question in the Diplo

In its April issue, Le Monde Diplomatique looks at the effects of the health crisis on the mountain economic model, and in particular on the development of the alpine ski industry.

In Philippe Descamps’ article Quand la montagne s’émancipe du ski alpin, Philippe Bourdeau, professor at the Institut d’urbanisme et de géographie alpine at Grenoble Alpes University and scientific coordinator of Labex ITTEM, makes the following observation: ” We’re seeing innovation through withdrawal, by removing the backbone (the ski lifts) and looking at what’s happening: demarketing, a stronger social mix (…) Alpine skiing, which used to take up all the space, is becoming impossible, and all the other practices are taking over”. He adds: ” Twenty years ago, the challenge was to get away from all-skiing. Ten years ago, it was to get out of the all-snow business. Today, it’s about getting out of the all-tourism business.

In particular, the article takes stock of the situation in the light of this very special winter: high numbers of visitors in the mid-mountain ranges, the success of cross-country skiing, highly contrasting situations depending on the altitude of the resorts. ” The author concludes: ” Public authorities can play a historic role by directing the expected massive support towards a mountain to live in, rather than a mountain to sell.