Légion d'Honneur awarded to Pierre Vollaire, mayor of Les Orres

Pierre Vollaire, mayor of Les Orres, receives the Légion d'Honneur

Friday, September 13, 2024

At a ceremony held at the Pôle Sport Innovation in Les Orres on Friday, September 13, 2024, Hautes-Alpes Prefect Dominique Dufour presented the insignia of Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur to Pierre Vollaire, mayor of Les Orres and vice-president of the national association of mountain resorts (ANMSM), in the presence of regional prefect Christophe Mirmand, vice-president of the South Region Chantal Eyméoud, deputy Valérie Rossi, departmental vice-president Patrick Ricou and Hautes-Alpes senator Jean-Michel Arnaud.

Created in 1804 by Emperor Napoleon, the Legion of Honor is the highest decoration awarded by the French Republic. It rewards the most deserving citizens, French or foreign, committed to serving the general interest and promoting the reputation of France. President Emmanuel Macron is its Grand Master.

Prefect Dominique Dufour paid tribute to Pierre Vollaire's exceptional career, praising his remarkable involvement in the economic and technological development of the Haute-Alpes region, which he was able to transpose to the Les Orres resort. "Since your arrival at the head of the commune, the results have been remarkable: the opening of a classroom, a doctor's surgery, shuttle buses, a fire and rescue center, shops and a media library". Ahead of his time, he describes Pierre Vollaire as a builder of tomorrow's mountains, far from the all-ski model, accelerating the model of outdoor activities while reducing environmental impact. "You're one of those people who never give up. It's a quality that works for you. Our rural lands, our mountains and our valleys need passionate personalities, fighters who respect the rules and hoist victory as the only possible outcome. The values of the Legion of Honor are those of meritocracy, self-sacrifice, civic-mindedness, commitment, devotion and transmission. In the light of your career, you unquestionably embody all these values, which is why it gives me great pleasure and solemnity to present you with this award."

Following this first testimonial, Victor, Pierre Vollaire's 3-year-old grandson, proudly brought the decoration to Dominique Dufour for presentation.

Pierre Vollaire received this insignia with great emotion, pride and the very great satisfaction of seeing the actions recognized and encouraged by the Minister of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion. In a speech befitting his image, he underlined the many challenges facing the mountains today, involving locks"that we are committed to breaking". He emphasized the importance of territorial cohesion and working in harmony, and warmly thanked his teams, his institutional and financial partners, and those close to him.

The Marseillaise concluded the speech in an atmosphere of solemnity and respect. This moment marked not only recognition of the efforts made by Pierre Vollaire and his teams, but also a renewed commitment to continue working for the future of the mountains and their inhabitants.

The ceremony was rounded off by a number of outstanding testimonials:

In a video recorded from his office in Paris, former French Prime Minister Jean Castex, praised his career, his commitment and the rich record of his various actions:"They make you an example and a symbol of the talented entrepreneur, putting his experience and knowledge from the private sector at the service of the general interest. By combining technology, innovation, risk-taking and, of course, human values, you can lead an entire region and support its transformation. Jean Castex underlined Pierre Vollaire's ability to turn Les Orres into a pilot area for the mountains of tomorrow, focusing on the major challenges facing the region. He recalled that it was no coincidence that on March 5, 2022, he came to Les Orres to present the Plan Avenir Montagne on behalf of the government.

The former Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Joël Giraud, apologized for his absence, and in a video also paid tribute to the career of Pierre Vollaire, who"hasalways fought for the recognition of the mountains and ensured that the pairing of 'development/respect' can be a reality, as it is today at Les Orres".

Guy Hermitte, Mayor of Montgenèvre, also spoke on behalf of Jean-Luc Boch, President of the Association Nationale des Maires des Stations de Montagne and Mayor of La Plagne Tarentaise. He spoke of the many battles waged since 2020,"from the Covid crisis to the more recent energy issue, not to mention the issue of meublés de tourisme (holiday accommodation), snowmaking and water management. It takes desire, passion and enthusiasm to take on the demanding role of local councillor, especially as mayor of a mountain resort commune. Pierre Vollaire is not lacking in these qualities.

Chantal Eyméoud, representing Renaud Muselier, President of the Southern Region, spoke of Pierre Vollaire's great personal and political loyalty and uprightness. She praised his approach to sharing and teamwork, which is particularly characteristic of him and a credit to the region, the département and the whole of the Southern Region. "It's fortunate that mountain resorts can count on you".

Hautes-Alpes Senator Jean-Michel Arnaud concluded the speeches by attesting that Pierre Vollaire's commitment is total, because"he never gives up. Working for the general interest of the resorts is his driving force, and we need a man like him, a captain who knows how to stay on course to reach his destination. It's an opportunity you can't imagine being cherished and fought for in other territories, because it's a decisive opportunity.

At the end of the ceremony, guests enjoyed a guided tour and a test of the facilities at the new Pôle Sport Innovation, one of Pierre Vollaire's flagship projects and a symbol of the Montagne de Demain, which will celebrate its first year of operation in a few weeks' time.