CSR commitments

The Study CLIMSNOW® is based on a snowfall forecasting methodology developed by Météo-France, INRAE (National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment) and Dianeige, a consulting firm specializing in mountain tourism development.

This method is the result of several research programs conducted at the national and European levels. It makes it possible to assess the impact of climate change on snow cover and skiing conditions under various greenhouse gas emission scenarios.

The results presented as part of the CLIMSNOW® project are now among the most widely recognized benchmarks for the predictive analysis of snow conditions at French ski resorts.

CLIMSNOW® provides insights into natural and managed snow conditions (taking into account grooming and snowmaking) in the short term (through 2050) as well as beyond 2050, based on several greenhouse gas emission scenarios used by the IPCC. Among the snow and weather indicators that have been calculated and analyzed, the focus is primarily on snow reliability indices, annual snow cover durations, and the methods used for artificial snowmaking.

• The CLIMSNOW® methodology focuses on the study of ski areas and their “reliability” in terms of snow conditions during the winter season, without making any assumptions about future trends in the availability of water for snowmaking.

• Finally, the CLIMSNOW® study focuses solely on aspects related to climate change (temperature trends, snow cover, etc.). In order to make informed decisions about which investments to make and which projects to select, this information should be cross-referenced with other factors, particularly those of an economic and environmental nature.

Models indicate that snow conditions corresponding to unfavorable seasons will increase from a frequency of about 30% in 2020 to about 50% in 2050 (natural snow that has been groomed, RCP8.5 scenario = the IPCC’s worst-case scenario, i.e., +4.5 degrees by 2100).

The three worst seasons out of 10 in La Rosière are seasons when you can ski without any trouble for four months. Below are the three worst seasons recorded in La Rosière over the past 15 years

• 2008/2009: 357 cm of total snowfall, 65 cm average snow depth at the base of the resort, 166 cm average snow depth at the top of the resort

• 2010–2011: 215 cm of total snowfall, 37 cm of average snow depth at the base of the resort, 96 cm of average snow depth at the top of the resort

• 2014/2015: 427 cm of cumulative snowfall, 69 cm of average snow depth at the base of the resort, 139 cm of average snow depth at the top of the resort

Cumulative snowfall = total snowfall between December 15 and April 20 (the ski resort's operating season during which measurements are taken).

Average snow depth = the average snow depth measured with a snow pole between December 15 and April 20 (natural, unpacked snow).

Statistically speaking, the fact that these three out of ten seasons become the norm every other season is neither limiting nor catastrophic for skiing in La Rosière.

At the resort's elevation (1,850 m), the snow season is expected to be slightly shorter than 120 days in the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 climate scenarios.

With the addition of artificial snow, the duration of snow cover would remain largely consistent with the resort’s current operating season, which is approximately 120 days per season

Cold spells will become increasingly rare in the early season between now and mid-century. However, CLIMSNOW indicates that La Rosière will have the cold spells needed for artificial snow production in 2050 (existing networks + planned projects).

To produce snow in La Rosière, water is drawn through a pipeline from the La Bathie-Roselend hydroelectric plant. This pipeline carries water from the Mercuel Valley in Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise to the Roselend Dam. From Roselend, the water is then transported to the La Bathie power plant.

The water collected by the ski resort through this pipeline is transported to a first pump house (SDM1). This facility regulates the water supply to the Plan de l’Arc plant (SDM2).

This is where the automated systems distribute pressurized water and compressed air throughout the entire network.

As of now, La Rosière does not have a hillside reservoir for storing water.

• Without artificial snow : the skiable snow season would be extended to approximately 47 days, versus Currently 82 days.

• With artificial snow : Skiing could continue for about 4 months during the winter.

However, the deployment of an artificial snow network raises other issues—particularly regarding water resources and social acceptability—that still need to be studied and resolved.

CLIMSNOW® indicates that there is too much variability in the results, depending on the climate warming scenarios (RCPs), to provide reliable projections over such a long time horizon. For a ski resort, investment decisions require, above all, visibility over a 30-year horizon, which generally corresponds to the equipment’s payback period.

The end of the century is therefore still too far off to make accurate predictions. However, it is essential to take action now—in particular by reducing greenhouse gas emissions—in order to avoid the worst-case scenarios of global warming.

Nos actions, comme celles de l'ensemble de l'humanité, influencent directement le climat de demain. Agir dès à présent est essentiel pour limiter l'augmentation des températures à l'horizon 2100.