 Poster: A snowHead
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| KenX wrote: |
Love the thread title change  |
Inspired by Nick's guess, probably as good as anyone's if they do indeed open any lifts. Coinnigh an creideamh
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 20-01-21 21:16; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Have the French increased their vaccination rate in the last week or so?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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This is hardly a surprise, but the news may be hard for professionals in the industry to accept. The ski lifts of the ski resorts "will not reopen on February 1" and the sector is moving towards "a white season", announced the Secretary of State in charge of tourism, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Wednesday January 20, a few hours after a defense council devoted to the health situation, which is not improving.
Indeed "a reopening in mid or late February seems highly improbable," he told the press, following a videoconference meeting with the mountain stakeholders, who hoped for this reopening "to ensure the survival of the mountain ecosystem ”and“ limit the social impact ”on a sector which represents between 250,000 and 400,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Prime Minister Jean Castex will receive mountain stakeholders in the coming days in order to "finalize the economic support measures" which will strengthen support for businesses affected by this prolonged closure, announced Mr. Lemoyne. “The snow cannons are not going to work, the compensation cannons have to be there,” the secretary of state for tourism said.
For lack of ski lifts, the occupancy rates of ski resorts have already collapsed to "20 or 30%" at most, "against 95% usually" during the Christmas holidays which were to mark the start of the season, underlined Mr. Lemoyne. "Unfortunately, we are moving towards a white season" now, because February represents the bulk of the season for this sector, he added.
Anger and resignation
On the side of the actors of the mountain, very mobilized in recent days to obtain a decision to reopen, anger mingled Wednesday evening with resignation.
The decision is "an absolute sadness," Alexandre Maulin, president of Domaines skiables de France, who does not believe in an opening at the end of the season, told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "We had placed our very last hopes in the fact of February" and "we just took a blow in the face," he said. "Now we will have to take the president’s word“ whatever the cost ”and save all the players in the sector ... all! We're going to have to stick together. "
Fabrice Boutet, the managing director of Sata Group, which manages the major resorts of Deux Alpes and Alpe d'Huez (Isère), immediately expressed his "anger". "It's terrible," he said, especially for seasonal workers. “There is a whole generation that does not work, that loses the meaning, the value of work. According to him, the government "does not dare to say that it is over" when "it would be a total abyss to open on March 15."
Due to the scale of the stakes for the mountain tourism industry, calls for reopening have increased in recent days. Henri Giscard d´Estaing, Chairman and CEO of Club Med, urged in the weekly Le Journal on Sunday January 17 to "save the mountain". On Monday, the new Mountain Business Collective called for the lifts to reopen for January 30 and to increase aid "to ensure the survival of the mountain ecosystem" and "limit the social impact".
According to professionals, the non-reopening would have long-term consequences: stopping investments, departure of large hosting providers, drop in income for communities, breakage of suppliers… and the disappearance of many jobs.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@davidof, Lol, don't blame me - I'm clinging to anything that suggests I'll get my family holiday in.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| sucette wrote: |
Oh and yes, rumour has it round here that the reason behind the slow french vaccination program is the authorities deliberately dragging their feet to give the Institut Pasteur more time to roll out their own vaccine... it would seem the french want a home-made jab !!!
Who knows... although through my experience with all things french, I wouldn't put it past them !!  |
Or that most are self professed anti vexers..
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Or maybe they are vexatious anti-vaxxers? 
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| bobski62 wrote: |
| Or maybe they are vexatious anti-vaxxers? |
Maybe they never got over the end of the PDP 11 line?
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@davidof, More likely PDP-10 people, some of them are still angry.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@davidof, The DEC PDP 11 takes me back a long time
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OMG! you guys have taken me right back. Forgive the thread drift but aside from my first taste of unix, at that time I was also doing EMAS and VME. Happy days...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Was the PDP 11 the sexiest computer ever?
No young lady you can't cook your pizza in that draw. That is a highly complex electronic tabulator, not a grill.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@davidof, didn't realise you were this old! I started my computing career on these. We've even still got one of those disks hanging around somewhere as memrobillia (sp). Mid 70's to early 80's era!
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Just reading this out to David - he said he started out on IBM 360 model 30, so old school.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| stevew wrote: |
| @davidof, didn't realise you were this old! |
British Nuclear Power stations still use them.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Listening to Radio Bleu Isère this morning. Obviously big news for the area, they're broadcasting live from Alpe D'huez tomorrow. They stated though that pressure on hospitals is the main reason. Whilst lifts, etc present risks they can be managed. However the 2 Grenoble hospitals get 1000 customers every month during the skiing season as a result of skiing injuries  Obviously not possible in today's climate.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Weathercam, when does the season usually end in Serre Chevallier?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Gordyjh wrote: |
| @Weathercam, when does the season usually end in Serre Chevallier? |
Was due to end on 17th April or thereabouts I think. Maybe a week later.
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@Hells Bells, so is there any chance, however slim, of rescheduling the SOPiB for early April?
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I'm sure it's in Admin's mind
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I have been told by several sources that extending a seasons is very difficult due to workers contracts, furthermore if the lifts do not open for 1/2 terms February holidays then its not economically viable to open them at all.
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Is the prime minister on TV tonight at 6pm?
Will any resorts open just for March and a couple of weeks in April?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Claude B wrote: |
Listening to Radio Bleu Isère this morning {...}
They stated though that pressure on hospitals is the main reason. Whilst lifts, etc present risks they can be managed. However the 2 Grenoble hospitals get 1000 customers every month during the skiing season as a result of skiing injuries Obviously not possible in today's climate. |
This for me is the main reason I'm assuming this season is lost to British-based snowheads, if not entirely.
I can't see it being terribly profitable opening the pistes for just a few weeks (especially after the French half-terms holidays of Feb / early March), but more importantly, I can't see how it makes sense to put the unnecessary strain on their health system.
Any respite that sector can get, they should be given.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Alpinebear wrote: |
Is the prime minister on TV tonight at 6pm?
Will any resorts open just for March and a couple of weeks in April? |
Based on nothing but opinion (and, given the way things have gone so far this "season") I reckon the thread should be re-titled (again) - to "French lifts to open start of winter 2021/22?"
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
extending a season is very difficult due to workers contracts
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This. Also, many seasonal workers go elsewhere for the summer season (maybe not such an issue this year )
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Poster: A snowHead
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Also factor in the French are about the most Vaccine sceptic nation, they'll be doing well to get the virus under control for the 21/22 season.
another reason to look beyond France for your skiing - possibly a controversial view as I know a lot of this MBoard and brits in general do ski in France
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If the French continue to be sceptical about the vaccine, and as a result, fail to control the virus, then they will have to stay in restrictions longer than other Countries, with the inevitable economic fallout. (Upcoming French elections?)
Inevitably, this would increase the chances of visitors still having to isolate on return (regardless of vaccine) for a much longer period. Maybe a requirement for French nationals to isolate on arrival?
The chances of disruption to the 21/22 winter season in France will be higher than that of their Neighbours. If this results in a boycott, or just a general reluctance for tourists to book holidays in France, then so be it. Their Neighbours will reap the benefits.
Hopefully this will not result in excessive demand, and higher prices in those other Countries.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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STGM in Tignes have wanted to extend the season for some years and ditch 'summer skiing but La Marie have pushed back, wanting to keep the marketing cachet of summer skiing'. Might be a good year to dust off the plans. With careful maintenance Double M could be kept open until the end of June. Especially if we have a good snow year.
But that would rely on the pandemic being under control in France, too many variables for a decision!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Bergmeister wrote: |
| Alpinebear wrote: |
Is the prime minister on TV tonight at 6pm?
Will any resorts open just for March and a couple of weeks in April? |
Based on nothing but opinion (and, given the way things have gone so far this "season") I reckon the thread should be re-titled (again) - to "French lifts to open start of winter 2021/22?"
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I've noted your comment
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Not sure if this is the right place for this, but received a mail today from SATA (ADH Lift Company) confirming the lifts will not open for French half term as well as this about season passes :-
Forfaits saison :
Dans le cas des forfaits saison au tarif public notre politique de remboursement est la suivante :
Afin d’être éligible à un remboursement ou à un avoir, le forfait doit être réglé dans son intégralité.
En cas de fermeture totale sans ouverture du domaine skiable sur la saison d’hiver nous proposons un remboursement ou un avoir au choix de 100%.
En cas de fermeture pendant la saison :
fermé 1 mois : remboursement ou avoir au choix de 15%
fermé 2 mois : remboursement ou avoir au choix de 30%
fermé 3 mois : remboursement ou avoir au choix de 45%
fermé 4 mois : remboursement ou avoir au choix de 60%
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Claude B wrote: |
| Listening to Radio Bleu Isère this morning. Obviously big news for the area, they're broadcasting live from Alpe D'huez tomorrow. They stated though that pressure on hospitals is the main reason. Whilst lifts, etc present risks they can be managed. However the 2 Grenoble hospitals get 1000 customers every month during the skiing season as a result of skiing injuries Obviously not possible in today's climate. |
Although evidently with skier numbers down, these numbers would be down as well
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| davidof wrote: |
| Bergmeister wrote: |
| Alpinebear wrote: |
Is the prime minister on TV tonight at 6pm?
Will any resorts open just for March and a couple of weeks in April? |
Based on nothing but opinion (and, given the way things have gone so far this "season") I reckon the thread should be re-titled (again) - to "French lifts to open start of winter 2021/22?"
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I've noted your comment |
I've noted your note.
I hope I'm wrong but I'm not optimistic. Any turns this season will be a bonus - even if it's a solitary day in Scotland. Here's hoping....
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| iainm wrote: |
| Claude B wrote: |
| Listening to Radio Bleu Isère this morning. Obviously big news for the area, they're broadcasting live from Alpe D'huez tomorrow. They stated though that pressure on hospitals is the main reason. Whilst lifts, etc present risks they can be managed. However the 2 Grenoble hospitals get 1000 customers every month during the skiing season as a result of skiing injuries Obviously not possible in today's climate. |
Although evidently with skier numbers down, these numbers would be down as well |
But if they opened up for the french holidays for instance I suspect numbers probably wouldn't be down that much.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| skitow wrote: |
Not sure if this is the right place for this, but received a mail today from SATA (ADH Lift Company) confirming the lifts will not open for French half term as well as this about season passes :-
Forfaits saison :
Dans le cas des forfaits saison au tarif public notre politique de remboursement est la suivante :
Afin d’être éligible à un remboursement ou à un avoir, le forfait doit être réglé dans son intégralité.
En cas de fermeture totale sans ouverture du domaine skiable sur la saison d’hiver nous proposons un remboursement ou un avoir au choix de 100%.
En cas de fermeture pendant la saison :
fermé 1 mois : remboursement ou avoir au choix de 15%
fermé 2 mois : remboursement ou avoir au choix de 30%
fermé 3 mois : remboursement ou avoir au choix de 45%
fermé 4 mois : remboursement ou avoir au choix de 60% |
The 3 and 4 month reimbursement seems a bit stingy! Glad I haven't bought my pass yet!
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FAQ
