Ski interstation solidarity by I Love Ski: while for some people the mountains represent natural barriers, for others, they represent opportunities for reconciliation.
Aware that the future of skiing concerns all of us, the Val Cenis ski area in Haute-Maurienne (Savoy) has just embarked on a solidary approach between resorts with its Italian neighbour, Chiomonte-Frais.
The elected officials and managers of the two stations met on Wednesday October 30th to finalize the terms of their collaboration based on ski interstation solidarity.
Jacques Arnoux, mayor of Val Cenis, Paul Chevallier, president of the SEM of Val Cenis and mayor´s delegate, Yves Dimier, director of Val Cenis, went to the trip. They met with their Italian counterparts, including Roberto Garbati, mayor of Chiomonte.
The Chiomonte-Frais ski resort is located in the High Susa Valley (Piedmont – Italy), in a privileged natural environment, a few minutes from the Franco-Italian border.
The High Susa Valley has always maintained privileged relations with France, especially through the Col du Mont Cenis pass.
The economy of the High Susa Valley is based mainly on winter tourism and the activity of winter sports centres since the early twentieth century. Upper High Susa Valley hosted the XX Winter Olympics Games in 2006.
Map of the Upper Valley of Susa. It is directly connected to France by the Frejus tunnel, the Mont Cenis pass and the Montgenèvre pass.
The interstation solidarity of I Love Ski: a first news in Europe
A pioneering solidarity initiative created by I Love Ski, whose values are shared by the Val Cenis ski resort. Through this perspective of solidarity between stations, the Val Cenis ski area contributes to the economic and sustainable development of the mountain, and to the democratization of skiing beyond its borders.
“By supporting a small complex like Chiomonte-Frais, considered as a skier nursery, we recognize the fundamental role that small ski centres play in learning to ski.”
“MANY SKIERS DEBUT IN SMALLER STATIONS BEFORE VENTURING IN LARGER SKI AREAS LIKE VAL CENIS”
, said Yves Dimier, Val Cenis Resort Manager.
In addition to being director of the Val Cenis station, Yves Dimier is President of the Communication Economics Commission for Skiable Domains of France. So, this demonstrates his interest in collective and participatory work. Here, the expression “alone we go faster, together we go further” takes all its meaning. The meeting with the nearby ski resort of Chiomonte is an obvious complement that promotes skiing and promotes mountains without borders. A vote of confidence in values and interstation solidarity by I Love Ski.
“I LOVE SKI, PRECURSOR OF THIS SOLIDARITY CONCEPT BETWEEN STATIONS, PARTICIPATES IN THE PROMOTIONAL AND COMMERCIAL FUSION OF THE TWO STATIONS AND IN ITS INTERNATIONAL DISSEMINATION IN FRENCH, SPANISH AND ENGLISH SPEAKS MARKETS. THANKS TO THIS INITIATIVE, VAL CENIS BECOMES THE FIRST FRENCH RESORT IN ESTABLISHING AN INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM OF SOLIDARITY COMMUNICATION “
, comented Virginie Viau, CEO of I love Ski.
Image: meeting between the various participants – October 30th, 2019 – Chiomonte City Hall (Italy)
A top meeting
To close this approach, the elected officials of the two municipalities took an appointment last Wednesday, October 30tn at the Chiomonte Frais station, on the Italian side. A friendly way to strengthen the links between these two stations, located on both sides of the Col du Mont Cenis Pass.
«The Val Cenis ski area will support Chiomonte-Frais with technical assistance in a first stage. Then we want to develop other strategies to advance with the interstation solidarity perspective. » Says Jacques ARNOUX, Mayor of Val-Cenis (France).
And to Paul Chevallier, president and CEO of Mont Cenis SEM, adding:
“OUR TWO RESORTS AND OUR TWO TERRITORIES ARE STRICTLY LINKED BY OUR MOUNTAINS, BUT ALSO BY HISTORY. WE WANT, THANKS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKI PRACTICE, KEEP AND MAKE NEW RELATIONSHIPS”
«Our collaboration with the Val Cenis ski area will give us experience. Both elected officials and technicians will learn a lot from their French colleagues. Our resort is perfect to learn skiing. Every year, we create new skiers who can enjoy the ski area of Val Cenis thanks to our present and future agreements», concludes Roberto Garbati, mayor of Chiomonte (Italy).
A solidarity initiative by I Love Ski that has started generating repercussion in French national newspapers, such as this article in Le Dauphine Liberé. This solidarity project is added to those already made in the past by I Love Ski in other areas of action, helping from our humble position to disadvantaged groups.
Image: Solidarity between stations. October 30th, 2019 – Chiomonte (Italy)
