What to expect this season

According to the latest inteligence I have recieved there will be some serious investment in the pistes and domain of Serre Chevalier over the summer to be ready for the ski season that kicks off in December.

As always there is the official version and the interpetation of the locals who “have a feeling” for what is really happening up there.

Anyway there is said to be Eur10 million being spent, a general extension and improvement of the ski area, a betterment of the safety conditions – avalanche protection and that sort of thing, but by far the most noticable will be a new six-man fast lift from Frejus to the top of Cucumelle.

I am not certain this is a popular move with us locals, Cucumelle is one of my favourite runs, a 7km red that you drop onto via coming up on the Monetier side from, this means it’s a bit of a pain and you can maybe do it a couple of times a day so it’s quite quiet.

The area is also very open and rather unspoilt, so not the most aesthetic of improvements.

Locals seem to think there will some serious change to Balme, with some saying this new lift will replace that slow, exposed lift, I can’t see that happening, but the start of Balme, is a bit sketchy, so maybe they might do something about that.

I will have to get uo for a look, the summer ski lift is running, but I might just ask Xavier, as he’s one of the blokes that really would know.