when snow stocks are controversial

Tons of sawdust are spread on a snow hill. This 40 cm thick cover will allow the white gold to be preserved throughout the summer, until next winter. This is the principle of “snow-farming”, practiced for 20 years in the Scandinavian countries, and for four years by the Nordic ski resort of Bessans (Savoie). “It’s artificial snow, and we work it to form the pile as we go”explains Nicolas Grosset, snow groomer driver.

Environmental associations denounce “snow-farming”

16,000 m3 of snow are stored and then compacted. It will make it possible to cover 4 km of slopes with snow from November 2023. “Cis a whole village that will reconnect with the welcome of our tourists”, rejoices Laurent Vidal, from the direction of the station. The “snow-farming” is however denounced by environmental associations. Last December, to ensure the running of a competition, trucks multiplied the round trips between the storage places and the meadows. Bessans assumes, and explains that at his altitude, the layer of sawdust makes it possible to preserve 83% of the snow, against 70% on average.