Rousses Jura the prospects are also beautiful

The ski season formally begins this weekend with the start of school holidays of Christmas, two weeks representing 20 of the turnover of the season and by tradition know a high attendance. Despite the optimism of circumstance, the mountain professionals are aware that the situation is still fragile, especially because of the foreign customer. Thus, as succession studies Comete firm, British tour declined 30 their purchases of accommodation and transport. The weight of the British market, which represents up to 60 of clients in some stations, and unknown to the Dutch and Belgian markets promise of attendance at major stations.

"In this context of wait, where last-minute bookings have never been as important, the margins of progress are huge," temper however Jean-Louis Gauthier of Comete. Didier Arino Protourisme Cabinet table, for its part, on the increase of the intentions of departures from the French in the mountains and their willingness to remain, as the last year, rather France for their winter holiday.

In the Northern Alps, large stations of altitude are therefore ready to suffer from the defection of foreign markets, while the price factor benefit medium-sized stations. Claude Faure, Chairman of the Executive Board of the society of the 3 valleys (Courchevel-Méribel), note that the crisis strikes more international medium-sized stations stations. These are also their reservations to continue at the level of last year, while the elevation stations had early December a decline. Obviously, the price factor is this the most decisive year and plays against them. Thus, it will be interesting to consider the measures of anticipation of sites that, like les Menuires, have implemented promotional offers to offset the decline in foreign markets.

Snow cannons very solicited

Stations in the Alps of the gradually Sudouvrent their fields, with snow falling in the account drop this year. In the extreme south, 90 of stations of Mercantour tracks should be operational this weekend. The proportion will be much less important in the northern part of the massif where snow cannons are now full. But this delay side Sky does not seem to disturb the attendance and a majority of stations announce a filling ratio of 80 for the first week of the holidays of Christmas and nearly 100 for the second.

In the French Pyrenees, half 38 stations had opened as early as December 5, exceptional snow of last season with urged skiers to come back. Because of a lesser snow the 3,000 guns installed in the mass work in full. The Pyrenees Confederation of tourism provides a rate of occupancy of 50 on average during the week of Christmas and 80 to 100 during the new year, like last year.

In the jurassienl massif' excellent season 2008-2009 appears to be less than that starts. Mid-December, bookings for holidays of February reached for example 60 of filling station Métabief then that at the same time last year, they were only about 40. Rates approaching 100 for the Christmas holiday. Rousses (Jura), the prospects are also beautiful. There is more than the snow...

In the stations of Auvergne (dense, Super Besse, Le Lioran) season begins this week really with only of recent snowfall. With guns the majority of the trails will be open for Christmas holiday that professionals are waiting with optimism. Last score, early December, a rate of 70 of the beds of the Sancy stations were already reserved, equivalent to that found a year ago. For its part, the Lioran announces a levels between 65 and 75.

In Vosges stations (La Bresse, Gérardmer, Ventron) also negative temperatures for a few days on the massif have allowed the production of artificial snow. "The first week of the year end holiday displays a filling ratio of 80 and the second is already complete," assure to La Bresse.