The sociological study, which is intended for everyone who has set foot in Puigmal at least once, aims ” take pulse” wishes of residents and tourists. The investigation uses the emblematic case of the station “which opens one year, which closes another” to raise the question of the future of ski resorts in the context of global warming and drought.
This is unprecedented, like the period of climate change and economic uncertainty we are experiencing. “Do you have a sense of attachment to the place of Puigmal?” ; “During the last 15 years, have you practiced the following activities at least once?” ; “What time of year did you go there”; “Did you see any animals?” ; “Have you heard about the creation of the Rossignol Resort for the four seasons…?” ; “Why is the ski resort closed?” There is, among other things, this questionnaire which can be found HERE questions about profitability and the possibility of maintaining this ski resort model.
The questionnaire is intended for everyone who has set foot in Puigmal at least once in their life
These are future sociologists from the University of Perpignan who designed this questionnaire about attendance and the future of Puigmal. Geographical area that includes the peaks of Puigmal-d’Err and Puigmal de Serre as well as the French and Spanish slopes to the upper edge of the villages of Err, Valcébollère and Nuria. It is intended for everyone, as long as you have set foot there at least once. Even resorts most protected by their charisma, history and notoriety like Font-Romeu, but also many other resort towns, will undoubtedly have lessons to learn from this study supervised by sociologist Cécilia Claeys, based at the University of Perpignan.
Interested local stakeholders
She previously specialized in studying our relationship with mosquitoes, and then spent five years in the Alps working on issues of transition in mountain areas. And for two years, in Perpignan, with a favorite theme: ski resorts, undoubtedly precursors of what could happen to more people, “which open, which close; which close, which open… I worked at a station in the Alps in the same situation as Puigmal, Céüse. When I arrived in Pyrénées-Orientales, local stakeholders noticed my work and asked me to start a study.”.
“Our question really concerns the future of the entire massif”
The sociologist specifies: “The goal is to conduct sociological research among decision-makers, associations and economic actors in order to understand their relationship to this territory; on the environment; their political and economic constraints… All this, in the context of global warming where resorts are subject to reduced snowfall.”
Cécilia Claeys points out: “There is also an economic context regarding the debt of the ski resort. That Puigmal is especially in debt. And even when it is closed, like today, the municipality has to pay the debt it has…” And he continues: “We are very interested in the Puigmal station, but our questions really concern the future of the entire massif. I have been approached by several local stakeholders, such as the Pyrenean-Catalan Regional Nature Park and the resort’s newest customers..”
“There are two extreme positions: those who want to reopen the station and those who want to dismantle everything”
“The problem is that there are controversies surrounding this station regarding the future of this station? So far, there are two extreme positions: actors who say they are attached to the heritage of this ski resort, who want it to be reopened and to remain an alpine ski resort according to the classic model; and others who have a very naturalistic attitude who dream of dismantling everything and making this place a protected natural area. Between those two points of view there is a whole variety of points of view between people who would like, for example, to dismantle only part of the elevator.”
It is, further defined by Cécilia Claeys, “taking the pulse of local stakeholders and website visitors as to what they aspire to. Hence this questionnaire, in which we give respondents the opportunity to position themselves on this scale”. Starting next week, this questionnaire will be distributed, once translated, to the southern Catalans”who often visited Puigmal. This is their heart cell”.
The study will propose management scenarios
This questionnaire, funded by the Foundation of the University of Perpignan, actually combines three master’s degrees. So, one from sociology, but also two other masters: engineering students carried out an energy diagnosis to better shed light on management strategies that consume less energy, if the station reopens. Finally, the ecology students took on the last part: the avifauna inventory of the birds. Their goal: to identify conservation issues in order to make recommendations on protected species. Ultimately, this three-part study will undoubtedly be the subject of recommendations and management scenarios for public decision-makers.
“Players who shape tourist offers can hardly invent anything other than a ski resort”
Opening, closing, but isn’t attendance ultimately related to a supply problem? “What the humanistic literature on ski resorts shows is that some of the actors who formulate the tourist offer have difficulty inventing something other than a ski resort. It’s a model that has worked so well over the past few decades that it’s hard to think of anything else. And when they do, it’s often very much connected to the resort world: In recent years, four-season sleds have been all the rage..” In addition, there is an evolving clientele. “Studies show, especially in the Alps, but also in the Pyrenees, that she is tired of the classic skiing week and wants more activities. Thus began walking in the snow, with sled dogs.” ; that we created paths, as Dis-Leur explained to you HERE.
Increasingly expensive clientele, water shortage, drought, insecure jobs…
Finally, regardless of the challenges of climate change, “We wonder about the future of the ski resort model. Firstly, the clientele of the ski resort is very rich, recalls Cécilia Claeys. There is even a move upmarket. Which raises an ethical question. Stations in France receive public funding.” as the Court of Auditors clearly pointed out, read our article HERE. The mayor’s strong argument is that their resorts are the backbone of the mountain economy today. But there are two problems: the clientele is more and more at the top level, it is more and more international, and the economic model is a reduced number of economic players who have land and financial profit in their hands. But the rest of the model works with often precarious seasonal jobs, with the problem of poor housing..” Not forgetting, in PO, the lack of water resources and drought. The resorts in this department were the first in France to use snow cannons, and it is also the thirstiest department.
As for Puigmal, the mayor was “with the latest news fiercely for the reopening of your ski resort”, note by Cécilia Claeys. Highlighting another pitfall: “The law dictates that if the station remains closed for several years, the owner is inside obligation to dismantle installations, which is very expensive…“
Olivier SCHLAMA