Landslide forces drivers to take detour to access family ski station in south-east France
The road is expected to reopen in the middle of next week
No one was injured in the landslide near Valberg (pictured)
G.Barattini-Photography/Shutterstock
A landslide has made access to a family ski resort in south-east France difficult, with holidaymakers forced to take a diversion.
Rocks fell onto the RD28 road through the Cians gorges near the village of Beuil (Alpes-Maritimes) on Thursday night (January 23), completely blocking the road in both directions. No injuries were reported.
The RD28 is one of the main routes leading to the nearby resort of Valberg.
Drivers will instead need to take a detour via the Col de la Couillole route through the Tinée valley (RM 2205) or the Daluis gorges (RD 29) to reach either the resort or the village of Beuil. Both routes add around around 20 minutes to the overall journey time.
No official date has been given for when the road can reopen but officials say they hope for around February 5.
“A geologist is currently inspecting the pile of rocks obstructing the roadway and part of the bed of the Cians,” local authorities from the Mairie commune told French media, adding that the sector will have to be stabilised before work can begin.
Alpine landslides
The Alpine valleys are notoriously susceptible to landslides.
One major landslide in August 2023 blocked a 300-metre tunnel, cutting rail travel between France and Italy through the Maurienne valley for 19 months.
Read more: Watch: landslide closes major train route from France into Italy
Direct high-speed trains between Paris and Milan/Turin are set to run again from the end of March 2025.
