If this year has taught us anything, it’s that we’ll never take a ski holiday for granted again! However, we are all becoming increasingly aware that if we want to continue enjoying the mountains, we also need to protect them. For many, this means trying to find a more sustainable way to take a ski holiday.
Keeping your trip as eco-friendly as possible can seem like a mammoth task, but with so many resorts in France currently implementing eco initiatives and schemes, skiing greener has never been easier.
From using hybrid piste groomers to producing renewable energy, French resorts are firmly staking their claim as destinations for climate conscious skiers. But that’s not all! Take a look at some of the awesome initiatives you can experience in the French Alps this winter.
France’s highly sought-after ‘Flocon Vert’ label is a key indicator of the work resorts are doing when it comes to innovative, sustainable development. It’s not easy to obtain though, with a rigorous selection process meaning only the most committed resorts can earn the label. These include Châtel, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Megève, Chamrousse, Les Rousses, Valberg and La Pierre Saint-Martin
At least 48 ski lift companies in French ski areas are committing to use exclusively renewable energy sources (including hydroelectricity, wind power and photovoltaics), even agreeing to pay more for them in order to reach sustainability goals.
The Green Globe is an internationally recognised label designed to reward tourism companies in their social, economic, cultural and environmental efforts. Green-Globe-certified ski areas in France include Le Grand Massif, Tignes and Val d’Isère.
French resorts are demonstrating impressive ingenuity to reduce the energy consumption of ski lifts. In Val Cenis, they have introduced IT platforms that track lifts’ activity in real time and advise drivers to reduce speed when demand is lower. Similar systems have been implemented in many French resorts, as reducing the speed of a lift has impressive expected electricity savings of 10-30% over the season.
Though we can’t always spot them in the winter (try as we might!) ski areas are home to a huge number of plants and animals. The French ‘Be part of the mountain’ scheme aims to educate the public about how their off-piste activity can impact these delicate ecosystems, as well as promote a more positive relationship between visitors and the local environment.
In France, even mountain cuisine is going green! Chefs and restaurants across the Alps are becoming ever-more committed to innovative, more sustainable ways of cooking, focusing on local, seasonal ingredients and responsible production methods.
Serious foodies can visit one of the six restaurants in the Alps that have been awarded a green macaron, given to those demonstrating an exceptional approach to sustainable cuisine.
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