Illustration of the ski resort of Cauterets, in the Hautes-Pyrénées.
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FRED SCHEIBER / 20 MINUTES
Despite the uncertainty that the health crisis is hovering over their opening, the ski resorts of the Pyrenees are preparing for the winter season.
Seasonal workers were hired while awaiting government decisions, with the possibility of partial unemployment if the sanitary conditions are unfavorable.
Depending on the resorts of the massif, the end of year celebrations represent 25% to 30% of the turnover of a season.
They are preparing their season, while waiting to know what sauce they are going to be eaten ... Suspended from government announcements, to know when the season will begin, the ski resorts of the Pyrenees are hoping for an easing of the confinement in early December to save the end of holidays year.
They may have an early response on Monday since Jean Castex is participating in a remote meeting with mountain professionals.
Depending on the resorts in the Pyrenees, the end of year celebrations represent 25% to 30% of a season's turnover.
The opening in early December is therefore an economic necessity after the first confinement which had already lowered the curtain for traders a month earlier than expected in the spring.
Training and technical adjustments
In the Cauterets resort, the opening is for the moment scheduled for December 5, depending on snow conditions.
"We are not preparing less than usual despite this particular season, but the idea for mountain professionals is to be operational as soon as the authorities give the green light," underlines Vincent Doutres, director of the Cauterets Tourist Office. and sales manager for the ski area.
The end-of-year holidays provide the impetus for the rest of the winter and reassure tourists for the February and Easter holidays.
While waiting for the government decision, our staff is currently trained, is carrying out the last technical adjustments and the last maintenance ”.
Wearing a mask in the queues for ski lifts or in shops, customer journey defined to avoid contamination, professionals in the Pyrenees are adapting to the health crisis.
On the two estates, that of Cauterets and Pont d'Espagne, nearly 160 seasonal workers, as every year, have been hired for the ski lifts, restaurants, slopes and ticket office.
"We favored employment because between 700 and 800 people in total live from the resort's tourist activity," explains Vincent Doutres.
We did not want to save money and social damage despite the health situation.
And if the opening date is postponed, we will put them on partial unemployment ”.
Usual recruitment of seasonal workers
The same feeling of expectation for Christophe Esparseil, director of operations for the three Haut-Garonnais resorts of Superbagnères, Le Mourtis and Bourg d'Oueil.
If 110 seasonal workers were hired as for a classic season with a view to an opening on December 5, the possibility of partial unemployment is mentioned if the sanitary conditions remained bad or if the snow were to lack.
The Mourtis station is targeting an opening on December 5.
- Manuel Huynh
“We have not changed anything and our teams are mobilized to open as soon as possible, he says, confident.
We produced the first artificial snow last night and we hope to have visibility soon for December.
If we can't open at Christmas, which represents around 20% of the season's activity, that would be a small disaster, but despite everything, we would be planning on the February holidays, which account for 65% of our activity ”.
“Skiers have to try on their boots!
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At La Mongie resort, it is also the wait and the lack of visibility for this season that are the focus of concern for professionals.
"We lack information in the short term but we are obviously putting all the measures in place to be ready to welcome customers, which is not always easy in a ski shop," says a rental company from La Mongie, whose holidays Christmas celebrations represent around 15% of its activity.
We organize the wait for people but the click and collect for us is impossible because the skiers have to try on their boots!
I also have the impression that it is the resorts in the Alps that are leading the negotiations and that little is said about the situation of the small family resorts in the Pyrenees ”.
#CetHiverJeSkie We get ready and start with the backpack, inside I have a mask, gloves and a map if necessary.
The #ski winter is unforgettable moments 😍 so that everything is perfect, here are some tips 👉 https://t.co/Bl4Rdk7g3L pic.twitter.com/vWZF5z6a2N
- Cauterets (@ cauterets65110) November 13, 2020
Maité Villet runs the Le Schuss restaurant at the foot of the Mongie slopes.
Since October 30, it has drawn back the curtain and put its 14 employees on short-time work, including 6 hired for the year.
Difficult for her to envisage the continuation while no date is for the moment envisaged for the reopening of the restaurants.
"I would prefer that we be given a specific date rather than going through all the stages because it's hard on the psychological level, to manage the accounts and the meetings with the bankers," she admits.
We don't know if we should postpone the deadlines or not.
The government should be clearer and catering should be less on the sidelines ”.
Offers adapted to Covid
Faced with this health uncertainty, the resorts are adapting their offers.
In N'Py stations, grouping together Peyragudes, Piau, Grand Tourmalet, Pic du Midi, Luz-Ardiden, Cauterets, Gourette and La Pierre-Saint-Martin, customers do not need to go through the ticket office.
They can buy their pass on the Internet or with the No Souci card which gives them access to all N'Py stations at a reduced price.
And if the authorities decided not to ease the confinement, N'Py has put in place procedures to reimburse customers in the event of cancellation, on more than 3,000 accommodation offers.
Same precaution on ski passes: a Covid-19 guarantee has been created to reimburse the customer according to the number of days skied over the season.
The “Haute-Garonne Montagne” mixed union, which manages the three Haut-Garonnaises resorts, has also set up a Covid-19 guarantee for season pass holders.
It applies in the event of non-opening of the resort, early and total final closure of the ski lifts or the closure of the resort for at least 30 consecutive days following a decision by the competent authorities for health reasons related to the Covid-19.
Haute-Garonne Montagne undertakes to reimburse, on a pro rata basis, the season pass according to the days used.
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