#1 Les métiers de l'ombre : les artisans de la neige

Behind-the-scenes jobs: snow craftsmen
Behind the scenes at the resort

Every day, men and women work discreetly to ensure the smooth running of Les Orres resort. These are the behind-the-scenes professions, often overlooked , but without whom skiing simply wouldn't be possible. Without them, there would be no slopes groomed in the early morning, no lifts ready to welcome you, and no safety to guarantee a smooth descent. They make sure everything runs smoothly!

Have you ever wondered who turns the slopes into a carpet of snow every night, who makes it possible to ski when the weather decides not to offer enough snow, or who shapes the snowparks for your stylish tricks? Behind the scenes or under the spotlights of the snow groomers, a team of enthusiasts ensures that every snowflake is in its place.

We take you to meet the groomers, snowmen and shapers: discreet but indispensable pros who live by the rhythm of the mountain and make your skiing day unforgettable.

Groomers

Have you ever noticed the moving lights in the ski area after dark? Those are the snow groomers roaming the resort. They prepare the slopes for the following day.

Every night, 2 teams of around five people take it in turns to pamper the slopes. The first takes over from 5.30pm until 1am, then the second from 2.30am to 9am. A real goldsmith's job, so that everything's ready at daybreak!

In the field, different machines come into play: the "standard" machines, which follow one another to cover as much ground as possible, and the winch-equipped groomers, reserved for the steepest areas. Thanks to their anchoring system, they can move large volumes of snow. This is one of the reasons why access to the slopes is strictly forbidden outside opening hours: safety first!

At the front of the groomer, the snow plough levels out holes and bumps. At the rear, the tiller crushes hard snow to make it lighter and more homogeneous. And for the finishing touch, the famous flap smoothes it all out, giving it that ridged finish we love to feel under our skis.

And inside? It's futuristic : a screen displays snow depths in real time, thanks to a hyper-precise GPS system. Areas with little snow appear in red, those with plenty in blue. This information enables the groomers to distribute the snow as evenly as possible, so that the slopes are always at their best!

Snowfarmers

When the snow doesn't fall, the snowmakers take over! These experts in artificial snow play an essential role in the resort. Thanks to their technical know-how and perfect knowledge of the area, they control the snow guns to guarantee optimum snow coverage, even when Mother Nature is not at her best. Constantly monitoring the weather, temperature and humidity, they orchestrate snow production with precision, often at night, so that skiers and snowboarders can enjoy snow-covered slopes from morning onwards. It's an invaluable job that ensures the season runs smoothly!

🎤 Excerpt from a meeting with Tommy, assistant piste and grooming manager at Les Orres.

"Les Orres resort is very well equipped to manage snow production systems. This 2.0 equipment allows us to finely control the distribution of water and electricity: we keep a very close eye, night and day, on our use of resources."

He then reveals the recipe for good artificial snow:

"To make snow, we first need electricity to run the machine room and the snow guns. Then water, as cold as possible, compressed air and finally cold. Cold is really vital".

From a drop of water to artificial snow:

"The water resource is surplus water recovered from springs. It's subject to a prefectoral decree, and the flow rate is regulated. We pump this water up into a small lake. From there, we distribute the water over the estate according to production needs. These underground networks represent almost 30 kilometers!

This is where compressed air comes into play: we need 40 bars in the machine room to get the water to the top of the slopes. Then between 20 and 40 bars of pressure for the snow guns to make the snow. To compare, we have 2 or 3 bars at the tap at home".

Faultless monitoring:

"I have all the information I need: the reservoirs with water temperatures, water heights. And all the feedback from the machine rooms, pressures, flow rates, etc. I have all the information I need.

I can communicate with them via fiber optics, wire and radio. And I can connect to a snow gun, set its parameters and get feedback on its operation. I can manage snow quality and prioritize. I'm going to work with the wind, I can forbid them to produce according to their orientation. We have around thirty anemometers and wind probes on the ski area. They let us know that we're not losing snow when we're making it.

The Shapers at the snowpark

Behind every jump, every rail and every module are the shapers! These craftsmen are the magicians who shape, sculpt and maintain the park's lines. With shovels, rakes... and a keen eye for detail, they make sure that every module is safe, well shaped and ready to offer the best sensations to riders. Often by headlamp, at first light or after closing time!

The creation of a bump begins with a pass by the snow groomer, which moves the snow and gives it its first shape. In a way, this is the main work of shaping! Then it's time for manual work: using shovels and rakes, the shapers refine the curve, adjust the height and sculpt every detail. It's a real precision job, requiring experience to adapt the bump to the target level while guaranteeing maximum safety.

Once the perfect shape has been achieved, the cold of the night hardens the snow and sets the whole, like a final touch of varnish.

And behind this result, each bump often requires several hours of effort. Nothing is left to chance!

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A publication shared by Les Orres 🌲 Family ski resort │ Hautes-Alpes (@lesorres)

Whether on the slopes, in the snowpark or behind the snow cannons, there's a whole world of enthusiasts working behind the scenes to make each day's skiing the best it can be. Snow groomers, snow ploughs, shapers... they all put their hands to the snow (literally!) to provide top conditions, in complete safety. So the next time you're carving your best curve or taking off on a perfectly shaved kicker, think of the pros who make it all possible, often at dawn... or in the middle of the night!