Coronavirus: How French Ski Resorts Are Preparing
Posted on July 07, 2020
The Ski Company was involved in a Web-conference hosted by French Tourism Development Agency - Atout France - that brought together some of the industry’s leading voices and we found out how they are working to make your visit to the Alps safe, comfortable and as fun as ever!
Giving us their insights were speakers from Vinci Airport (which manages the airports of Chambery, Grenoble & Lyon), Compagnie des Alpes (which manages the ski lifts in France’s best resorts) and from Three Valleys (the world’s most popular ski area)
The first thing pointed out by every voice was a caveat that all the plans mentioned below have to remain fluid given the moving feast with which we are all faced … final measures will be determined closer to season 2020/ 21 start date and we shall of course keep you up to date.
Ok airports first … from arriving at your airport in the UK (or elsewhere) until exiting your arrival airport in France (or Switzerland), you will be expected (probably required) to wear a face mask. The airports in Chambery, Grenoble & Lyon will be adapted with information screens, floor markings to assist in distancing and hand sanitising stations. Additional cleaning teams have been brought in as the airports undertake “reinforced cleaning” – a term you are likely to hear a lot! Some airports (confirmed so far at Lyon) will also have a COVID-19 specific Medical Centre.
In resort, preparation is underway for a full winter season taking skiers & snowboarders on the lifts and in the gondolas. And the ideal testing ground is in play as the chairlifts in the Alps are running for the summer season right now – lessons are being learnt that can be applied for operations during the busier Winter season. There is not expected to be any ceiling on lift capacity but France’s Public Transport Laws adhere that riders must wear a face mask from the point of joining the lift queue. Snoods/ bandannas will likely be ok as long as they cover mouth and nose. Resorts are encouraging all skiers & snowboarders to purchase lift passes online through Tour Operators.
In The Three Valleys, the mission is clear; keep all guests safe whilst making sure that they have a wonderful holiday in the mountains. The buses will run as expected and there is mention of additional vehicles being brought in to minimize capacity. Face masks will be mandatory on the buses.
With snowsport lessons … the usual precautions are being taken by office staff and guests are being encouraged to book online. Unfortunately, it is not so easy with the physical delivery of lessons. No decisions have been taken on how this will pan out but it is being looked at on a national level and so we are expecting some guidance from Government experts in the coming months.
At The Ski Company, we have been liaising regularly and widely with the companies that operate our range of self-catered apartments. There is a specific focus on “reinforced cleaning” with regular disinfecting of high touch points in communal areas of the résidences. It is likely that you will be asked to check-in later/ check-out earlier to give cleaning teams more time between guests arrive. Hand gels will be partout!
Restaurants in The Three Valleys opened a number of weeks ago and the situation does not appear to be causing any particular difficulties thus far. Staff will regularly sanitise and wear masks but customers are not required to wear masks when seated – tables have been removed to allow for distancing and, in some restaurants, screens have been put up between tables.
The best news for many of our guests is that the bars in-resort are gearing up for a normal schedule of apres-ski events with bands & DJs being booked up in their droves. Outdoor terraces will be the safest place to be. We are waiting to find out how the bars will cope with colder, snowier afternoons when people try to move inside.
Although we appreciate that we have probably not offered you anything revolutionary, we hope this summary helps and we feel it is soothing to know that there are a lot of clever people looking at what is happening in the summer and planning for how we can make sure you holiday in safety & comfort but still have a great time in the mountains this winter!
We’ll bring you more as we find it out. For more information in the meantime, here are some interesting web pages:
https://www.les3vallees.com/en...
https://uk.ambafrance.org/COVI...
