Winter Time
Publié le Thursday 5 May 2022

The Les Orres ski resort has recorded one of its best winter seasons ever, setting records in terms of visitor numbers, customer satisfaction and sales, up 10% on its best winter ever (2019). The reason? The resort has invested heavily to improve the quality of its welcome and service, and increase its appeal.

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The transformation of Bois Méan, 1800, was a hit this winter

Always one step ahead, never resting on your laurels. Only 15 years after its creation, the Bois Méan sector, at an altitude of 1800m, is reinventing itself, improving in quality, attractiveness, functionality and quality of service. This winter, holidaymakers were able to appreciate the investments made: 2 conveyor belts and a detachable six-seater chairlift were installed.

The 1800 snow front has been redesigned to make it easier for beginners and families to enjoy the slopes: the small, free 50m conveyor gives access to the toboggan run, the first glides and the children's garden. The large 200m conveyor serves the beginners' area, leading back down to 1650 and on to the Marmottes piste. The red run from Bois Méan to Prébois has been completely reshaped to become a green run, accessible to the greatest number of skiers and allowing all levels of skiers to return to Prébois.

These investments totalled €10.1 million, including a significant contribution from the Sud region (€915k). On March 5, the French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, accompanied by the Minister for Tourism, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, and the Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Joël Giraud, came in person to see the results of this project, made possible by state aid to compensate for losses due to the pandemic. Few resorts have undertaken such a program after the unprecedented white season of 2020-2021.

This redevelopment of the snow front benefits the entire Bois Méan ecosystem, providing additional space for Les Orres 1800 to come alive, as evidenced by the fire shows, torchlight descents and other events on offer this winter. Today, Bois Méan is more lively and attractive than ever!

A record winter!

These efforts are paying off. The ski area recorded a 10% increase in sales compared with its best winter ever (2019). This season's occupancy rate followed this very positive curve, rising from 60% to 70%, with remarkable attendance at Christmas, New Year's Day and during the February vacations. Retailers are very satisfied with their season. Holidaymakers also showed a higher level of satisfaction this year, above 8/10, "despite a winter with little natural snow".

On this point too, the resort has anticipated the future: 54% of pistes are covered in artificial snow, and 70% will be within 5 years. The creation of a high-altitude snow front at Bois Méan reflects Les Orres' adaptation to climate change. Skiing remains the lifeblood of the resort, and Les Orres is fortunate in that its northern exposure and peaks at almost 3,000 m make it an ideal venue for top-level competitions, the next of which will be the French Alpine Ski Championships in 2023. The resort has already proved its worth by hosting European speed cups on the La Pousterle slope, a site that Pierre Vollaire, Mayor of Les Orres, is keen to see as a venue for the 2034 Olympics, if the bid put forward by the Southern Region is successful...

Modernizing to diversify uses, summer and winter alike!

The future also lies in diversifying the resort's activities and developing the summer season, where there is still real room for improvement. The new Bois Méan snow front meets these challenges, whatever the season: the area dedicated to beginner skiers in winter is transformed into a mountain bike learning zone in summer. The new 400 m green play trail and the new beginners' area, served by the Préclaux conveyor belt (200 m), open up even more to families and beginners, and further underline the resort's position as a leader in mountain biking. In September, the resort will host the French DH (downhill) Mountain Bike Championships, with a view to hosting the World Cup in the near future. In addition to mountain biking, the resort's leisure activities have already expanded in recent years, with the introduction of 4-season tobogganing, a zip line, and a multi-activity pass to facilitate access to activities, including hiking, which has seen its numbers double.

An eco-responsible resort

The resort's key players are all committed to promoting local, eco-responsible products. During his visit to Les Orres, Jean Castex was served Orres lamb and Châteauroux trout at the new high-altitude restaurant, Le Refuge étoilé, in Bois Méan. At Les Orres, nature is preserved. How is it preserved? By preserving the 3,000 hectares of forest, and restructuring and improving the quality of the existing lifts to make them faster and more energy-efficient. The renewal of the 1800 ski lifts has reduced their energy consumption by up to 28%. Not to mention that the two most recent changes, at Prébois and Pic Vert, have removed 50 pylons from the landscape! In general, the resort has been committed for many years, through European programs, to reducing its electricity consumption and producing renewable energy. The Préclaux conveyor in Bois Méan, for example, is covered with photovoltaic panels, and the energy produced is self-consumed by the operator.

Setting course for the 2022 summer season!

This summer, the focus will be on conviviality, sport, well-being and the resort's flagship events! The Detox Festival will mark the month of July with 3 days of yoga and relaxation workshops, themed hikes, cooking workshops... The Multi-Activities Pass will allow you to fill up on leisure activities for 1, 6 or 13 consecutive days. In August, Bénabar, Kimberose and Cats on Trees will bring the resort to life during the Game of Trees Festival! For mountain bikers? the French MTB DH Championship will bring the season to a close in early September.

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