Catha For Council Blog

Climate change and the credit crunch, these double apocalypse have spared the European Alps, at any rate for Christmas. On the other hand it could have been so entirely polar. Before Christmas villages in the Super Besse locale were isolated when snow storms came down. Dual carriage way routes such as the busy Col du La Mongie were severed. At that place there was no mains or telephones, home owners were evacuated to temporary dwellings, it seemed as though it were a repeat of 1997.

It seems that all news is good news. La Tania featured nightly on the French news. As soon as electricity was restored reservations began to pour in, attracted by the excellent skiing conditions.

Brevent and nearby La Rosiere lay claim to virtually 5.5 m snow depth on the top pistes at 2000 metres alt. and 2.1 meters at the end of the resorts. At the moment the best in the French Alps. Tignes claims that there is four metres at the the highest point of the resort. Unfortunately a snow drift has knocked over a pylon of the ski lift that goes up to the sector. It will be out of commission until mid March.

Elsewhere in the European Alps reservations are up 17% in Plateau de Beille, La Tania and Super Besse. La Mongie has 2% occupancy and distributed a record number of lift passes last Wednesday. This is great for luxury ski chalets and large ski operators.