Letters: Ski resorts disfigure France's breathtaking mountains

To the Editor,

I could not agree more with Nick Inman’s argument that the potential disappearance of French ski resorts is a desirable outcome. 

Many breathtakingly beautiful areas in the Hautes-Alpes have been disfigured by ski lifts, chalets, and all the paraphernalia of skiing. 

But who will pay for the restoration of the mountain landscape? Even now, abandoned ski lifts are a hideous blot on the landscape (perhaps the metal pylons will provide sites for birds to nest?). 

Then there are the economic issues. With luck, hiking and cycling enthusiasts in summer will replace some of the lost income from skiing. 

But, as an article in Le Dauphiné Libéré points out, local farmers currently rely on winter employment at ski stations to make ends meet. 

Like Nick Inman, I long for the return of unspoiled mountains, but alas we are a long way from a satisfactory solution. 

Janet Kennedy, Hautes-Alpes

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To the Editor,

You ask if French ski resorts are in decline. 

Not in my experience. I live in the UK but have a place in Morzine. 

It is buzzing in the summer months with cyclists and walkers. And there is plenty of new accommodation being built both in Morzine and in nearby Montriond. 

Richard Cross, by email

Do you feel that the winter sports industry is overgrown in France? How well do you think it is adapting to climate change? Let us know at letters@connexionfrance.com