In the Spanish capital, a company offers 250 meters of ski slopes in a hangar at -3°C, in the middle of summer. An ecological incongruity that does not prevent more than 200,000 people from going there each year.
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Skiing in Madrid in the middle of summer is possible. It happens 30 minutes by car from the city center of the Spanish capital, in the Arroyomolinos shopping center. A 250-meter inclined track is installed in a hangar. A guaranteed change of scenery, while the outside temperature is 36 degrees and despite the question of the environmental consequences.
A chairlift, a ski lift, a temperature of -3°C: all this not in a ski resort but in a snow-covered hangar south of Madrid. The place is called SnoZone, wedged between two restaurants, opposite movie theaters. For Javier, a forty-something surf fan who has come with friends to hurtle down the 250-meter slope, it’s a good opportunity to indulge his passion: “We like it and, with the heat outside, it’s a way to spend some time in the cool. We also take advantage of it to do some sport and it’s good.”
“When you know that it’s 34°C outside, yes, it’s a bit weird…”
Javier, skier in Madridfranceinfo
Of course, the question of the carbon footprint and its consequences on the environment arises. The company that manages the place has installed solar panels and on its website, SnoZone claims to be associated with an NGO that plants trees around the world to offset its CO2 emissions. Jesus, 27, calls himself an environmentalist, but has no qualms about coming skiing during the summer. “I don’t think it has any impact coming here a few times throughout the summer, he assures. When I go to the mountains every week, I come back with a bin bag full of plastic from the mountain walks. So coming here is no problem for me.”
For his part, Juan Carlos, 32, is asking himself questions, but between going abroad without a guarantee of snow and this slope, the choice is quickly made for this ski enthusiast: “It’s the only way to stay in shape during the summer. Before, there were glaciers, but they are melting and no longer hold up like 10 years ago, when they were open all August with good quality snow.”
The company claims 200,000 customers a year. An oasis of freshness for some while temperatures have been exceeding 34°C for several weeks, an ecological disaster for others: this path does not leave anyone indifferent in any case.