Snowshoeing has been very popular since the closure of the ski lifts.

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E. Martin / ANP / 20 Minutes

  • Some rental stores are out of stock in the face of this high influx on snowshoes.

  • Storm Alex is also a consequence of the number of people who find themselves in the same places.

  • The gendarmes closed access to the Turini - Camp d'Argent station, 50 km from Nice, at midday this Sunday, in the face of too many people going there.

"We walked for an hour more to get up here", cowardly, a little out of breath, a mother at the start of the Authion hike.

The parking lot of the Silver Camp is full this Sunday.

At the point where the gendarmes cut off access at midday at the Col de Turini.

In this family resort, the closest to Nice with a view of the Mediterranean, no trace of the Covid-19.

Traffic is completely paralyzed at the exit of Gréolieres-les-neiges where hundreds of motorists try to leave the station pic.twitter.com/TfKCTv2R7E

- Cedric Verany (@cedricverany) January 17, 2021

No mask but snowshoes.

Since the announcement of the closure of the ski lifts, the most motivated have found a way to enjoy the mountain in another way.

“I had never done snowshoes before, admits Séverine Lanseman, a Niçoise.

When I saw that the weather was nice this weekend, we organized with some friends to go upstairs.

We really wanted to take a walk, get some fresh air and enjoy the nature that we have an hour and a half from home.

I went to buy pants, a puffer jacket and hiking boots.

We wanted to rent snowshoes in Nice so that we wouldn't have to queue up there for hours, but the rental stores were out of stock.

It was complicated but we managed to find it thanks to our knowledge ”.

The rental store confirms: “As every year, as soon as the weather is nice, we have a big crowd.

We still notice that at this time, we are forced to refuse more rentals for lack of equipment.

On the other hand, in terms of skiing, we are at zero ”.

Consequences of the measures but also of the curfew.

“Even if it depends on each person, some prefer to add a rental day, around seven euros, rather than taking the risk of arriving after 6 pm and paying a fine of 135 euros,” adds the store.

Storm Alex, another consequence of the mad crowds

So at the level of the hike of the Redoubt of the three communes, sometimes things get stuck.

Each follows to the point where everything is already smoothed out.

For Nelly Corniglion, a regular on snowshoes, this influx is not linked only to health measures: “With the storm Alex, valleys where there were many hiking trails were affected.

The paths are no longer accessible, which may explain the number of people who find themselves here.

Usually, what I appreciate in practice is the tranquility of the places where you walk.

There are really a lot of people there ”.

Séverine Lanseman adds: “What is good with snowshoes is that we just have to walk, but in addition, we have access to magnificent corners at the top of the peaks.

"After her first session, she is already thinking about buying some" to be quiet "and" to return as soon as possible ".

An opinion surely shared by the hundreds of people, who, after having thrown themselves on the snowshoes, rushed on the roads to return to the Coast before 6 p.m. and the start of the curfew.

No jealousy, in the other valleys, we could make the same observation.

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