CONFIRMED: Major road connecting ski stations in French Alps will reopen today after rockfall
Authorities feared up to 15 hours of traffic build up if road was not opened before school holidays began
Traffic is expected to flow freely as visitors flock to ski resorts
Ville de Moûtiers / facebook
A major road leading to several Alpine ski resorts will reopen today following a severe landslide last weekend, local authorities have confirmed.
The RN90 will be open in both directions “at the end of the afternoon” for all four lanes of traffic, said president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional council Fabrice Pannekoucke.
He hailed the announcement as “very, very good news that will allow us to prepare for the arrival of this weekend in the best possible condition,” to the AFP on Thursday (February 6).
Earlier this week authorities were uncertain whether the road would reopen on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
Up to 300,000 holidaymakers are expected to head to ski resorts in the Tarentaise valley for the start of school half-term holidays.
Read more: Calendar: French school holidays for 2024-2025 and 2025-2026
A section of the road was blocked by rocks weighing up to 150 tonnes during a landslide on Saturday February 1, which caused serious damage but no major injuries.
Read more: Photo: Giant rockfall blocks major route to ski stations in France
Protective netting on the mountainside along the road means vehicles can travel “in complete safety” the region’s president said.
Traffic fears alleviated
There were fears traffic jams could last hours on the Alpine roads as over 50,000 vehicles tried to make their way through the area this weekend.
If the road did not fully reopen, all traffic would have been forced to divert through the two-lane tunnel of the RN90 on the section near Moûtiers – usually only used for traffic descending the mountain.
The road can only accommodate a maximum of 1,000 vehicles per hour which would have led to between 10 and 15 hours of traffic according to local authorities. Some drivers would have needed to remain in their vehicles overnight or be welcomed in emergency shelters – as was the case last weekend during the initial landslide.
However, the full opening of the road in its usual configuration – two ‘upwards’ lanes going higher into the mountain and two lanes going downwards in the tunnel – will keep traffic flowing.
Ski resorts reported few cancellations amidst the uncertainty of the road reopening.
The February half-term is the busiest period for many of the resorts in the area.
