Key Takeaways
- The Céüze 2000 ski resort in the southern French Alps closed permanently in 2018 due to a lack of snow, leaving behind a "ghost station" with thousands of structures being left to rot.
- Over 186 ski resorts have been permanently closed in France, raising questions about how to leave mountains once the lifts stop running.
- The Mountain Wilderness association estimates that there are more than 3,000 abandoned structures in French mountains, slowly degrading Europe’s richest wild terrain.
- The dismantling of Céüze’s ski infrastructure has begun, with early signs of ecological recovery already visible, including the sprouting of winter berries and the return of trees.
- The question of what to do with abandoned ski resorts will play out across Europe’s mountains, with some believing they should remain memorialized landscapes, while others believe they should be returned to wild landscapes with disintegrating machinery removed.
Introduction to the Céüze 2000 Ski Resort
The Céüze 2000 ski resort in the southern French Alps closed its doors permanently in 2018, marking the end of an era for the small, family-oriented resort. The workers assumed they would return the following winter, but six years on, the resort remains abandoned, with a yellowing newspaper dated 8 March 2018 still sitting on a table, and a half-drunk bottle of water left behind. The resort had been open for 85 years and was one of the oldest in the country, but with global heating pushing the snow line higher across the Alps, it became increasingly difficult to keep the resort running.
The Decline of the Ski Resort Industry
The decline of the ski resort industry is a phenomenon that is being witnessed across France, with over 186 ski resorts having been permanently closed already. The Céüze 2000 resort is just one of many "ghost stations" that have been left to rot, with thousands of structures being abandoned and slowly degrading Europe’s richest wild terrain. The Mountain Wilderness association estimates that there are more than 3,000 abandoned structures dotted around French mountains, including military, industrial, and forestry waste. The abandoned ski lifts, pylons, and other infrastructure are not only an eyesore, but they also pose a significant environmental risk, with substances such as asbestos, motor oils, and greases seeping into the soil and water.
The Impact of Abandoned Ski Resorts on the Environment
The abandoned ski resorts are having a significant impact on the environment, with corrosion and rust from metal structures left over from the second world war leading to changes in plant species in the surrounding area. The old sheds at each end of the ski lifts often still contain transformers, asbestos, motor oils, and greases, which over time seep into the soil and water, contaminating the surrounding earth. The dismantling of Céüze’s ski infrastructure is a rare occurrence, with most abandoned ski infrastructure being left to disintegrate in situ. However, the removal of the pylons and other infrastructure has already shown early signs of ecological recovery, with winter berries sprouting where the piste is no longer mown, and trees beginning to return to the area.
The Debate Over What to Do with Abandoned Ski Resorts
The question of what to do with abandoned ski resorts is a complex one, with some believing they should remain memorialized landscapes, honoring generations of people who lived and skied in the area. Others believe they should be returned to wild landscapes, with disintegrating machinery removed to make space for nature. Nicolas Masson, from Mountain Wilderness, believes that the resorts should be dismantled to make space for nature, saying "Don’t think that you are making eternal things; they will end up becoming obsolete… ask yourself: what will remain?" The debate is ongoing, with some arguing that the resorts should be preserved as a reminder of the past, while others believe that they should be allowed to return to their natural state.
The Future of Abandoned Ski Resorts
The future of abandoned ski resorts is uncertain, with many still grappling with the question of what to do with these spaces. The dismantling of Céüze’s ski infrastructure is a glimpse into a future that faces dozens of other small resorts and mountain landscapes across Europe. As global heating continues to push the snow line higher, more and more ski resorts will be forced to close, leaving behind a legacy of abandoned infrastructure. The question of what to do with these spaces will require careful consideration, with a balance needing to be struck between preserving the past and allowing nature to reclaim the mountains. As Masson says, "What is our heritage that we will want to keep, and what is just a ruin we want to dismantle? That is a question we have to ask every time, and it requires some reflection."