Adapting Ski Tourism to tomorrow’s climate conditions in France

Key Learnings

• Participative and inclusive approach: Involving citizens from the very beginning in the transition process of a ski resort fosters transparency and takes different stakeholder visions and perceptions into account. It means organising this participatory process with clear leadership.
• Sharing strengths and vulnerabilities: Assessing strengths and vulnerabilities of the ski resort in the given context and dynamics, together with sharing the outcomes with all stakeholders and citizens, enables gathering the essential knowledge for informed decision-making for adapting to future requirements.
• Building a specific transition pathway relies on repeated evaluations and re-examinations within a structured sustainability framework. 

Summary

The Saint Pierre de Chartreuse/Le Planolet ski resort in the Chartreuse Massif in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region illustrates the difficulties climate change causes for mid-mountain ski resorts. Reduced economic profitability and snowfall are challenging ski resort managers and local authorities. Since 2020, a stakeholder engagement process, reflecting on the given situation, has led to a transition, leading to sustainable and sustainable economic activities. The participative approach has enabled mobilising various stakeholders to identify key factors of change and create a new vision for the region.

Contact

Emmanuelle GEORGE

Organisation: INRAE, Research Unit LESSEM

Email: Emmanuelle [dot] georgeinrae [dot] fr (Emmanuelle[dot]george[at]inrae[dot]fr)