status quo REMODELLING THE
By Aisling Donnellan
Adapt, accept, adjust… are just some of the words that spring to mind when we think of the last year. The temporary lockdown we were catapulted into last March went on a little longer than we all expected, but never has the human capacity to adapt and accept been so apparent. If we had been briefed before hand we would have snidely dismissed these current times, comparing them to a bad episode of Black Mirror. However, it was and is our reality and we had to just ride the wave. President Macron created the scenario of ski resorts without lifts during Winter 2021, something that we all would have considered impossible 12 months ago. As an employee of La Serma, the Avoriaz lift operating company, I’m taking this opportunity to explain how the resort really stood up to the challenge. Coming into the season there was still so much hope for a normal winter season, but alas it wasn’t to be. In head spinning speed, Avoriaz 1800 Office de Tourisme, the Mairie de Morzine-Avoriaz and La Serma combined efforts to collectively make the best out of a very bad situation. Itineraries were planned, crafted, secured and it was full speed ahead for the development of ski de rando / ski touring, snow shoeing, treasure hunts, ski de fond trails and lots more besides in Avoriaz. The locals have been ski touring here in Avoriaz forever, but in recent years there has been a huge surge in the popularity of this mountain discipline. It’s usually associated with off-piste excursions for those who enjoy the extreme, but each
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year there are more and more ski-tourers heading for the pistes and this year saw that taken to the next level. In Avoriaz 1800, ski touring routes were marked out, secured and signposted to make the activity safe and accessible to all levels throughout the winter season. We couldn’t take the lifts, but we could still ski. No fewer than five itineraries were put in place; Arare by Bleu du Lac, le Crot accessed from Prodain, Parchet and Combe a Floret from Montriond and Chaux Fleurie from Lindarets. The well-established ski de fond pistes continued to be pisted, maintained and surveyed, the snowpark at La Chapelle and areas of the Lil Stash were open and secured, all managed by the hardworking team of shapers. The centre of the resort was pisted for tobogganing and beginner ski and snowboard lessons. During the busy February school holidays, an additional touring route was established through the Stash whilst a treasure hunt for children was created in the Lil Stash. Each day families would collect their entry cards from the Office de Tourisme before hunting for clues amongst
Shreddie’s playground. If successful, they were rewarded with colouring books by the Office de Tourisme, delighting adults and children alike. Avalanche workshops were held every Sunday during the holidays by the Pisteur Secouristes whilst on the Avoriaz Up&Down app we could track and time our touring escapades. At the top of the Arare there was even a camera that you could activate through the app as you went past to get a photo of you and your group. Winter 21 was a monumental effort from every service in the resort of Avoriaz 1800. We were operating with skeleton teams and you rarely crossed paths with your colleagues. We maintained regular online meetings to ensure things went smoothly and the well-oiled machine kept chugging. I’d say we had a somewhat successful season, despite everything. There was a lot of work involved as everything needed to be pisted, secured and controlled during the opening hours. Avoriaz ran the many activities of Winter 21 entirely free of charge and many visitors to our mountains were able to enjoy
// © avoriaz1800
