{"id":57045,"date":"2025-03-25T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snowtrex.de\/magazin\/?p=57045"},"modified":"2025-06-26T14:34:19","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T12:34:19","slug":"sustainable-winter-sports-val-cenis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snowtrex.co.uk\/magazine\/sustainability\/sustainable-winter-sports-val-cenis\/","title":{"rendered":"Val Cenis – What ski resorts are doing for sustainable winter sports"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a world that is changing rapidly and in which climate change is also leaving its mark on the Alps, ski resorts are facing major sustainability challenges. This is why many of them began investing in environmentally friendly infrastructure, renewable energy sources and nature conservation measures decades ago. But what do these efforts actually look like? Today, SnowTrex<\/a> takes a look at Val Cenis in the French Alps.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u00a9 Domaine skiable de Val Cenis\/OT HMW<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
The dam wall of the Lac du Mont Cenis, the renewable energy source for the entire region, is perfectly visible to winter sports enthusiasts from the Val Cenis ski resort<\/div>\n <\/div > \n

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\n Index\n <\/div>\n
\n “Flocon Vert” award for sustainability<\/span><\/a>Lifts and snow groomers save energy in the Val Cenis ski area<\/span><\/a>100 per cent hydropower drives Val Cenis<\/span><\/a>FAQ’s on sustainability in winter sports in Val Cenis<\/span><\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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“Flocon Vert” award for sustainability<\/h2>\n

The Val Cenis ski resort<\/a> with its 125 kilometres of pistes is located in the French Alps at an altitude of 1,200 to 2,800 metres between the Vanoise National Park and the border with Italy. The municipality lives from its traditions and centuries-old cultural heritage and consists of five villages: Bramans, Solli\u00e8res-Sardi\u00e8res, Termignon, Lanslebourg and Lanslevillard. Together, the villages committed themselves to sustainability and environmental protection years ago. Val Cenis was awarded the “Flocon Vert” (Green Snowflake) environmental label in November 2021. According to the jury, one of the reasons for the award was the progressive water management in the ski resort, the centrepiece of which is a constructed wetland that went into operation in 2014 and enables natural wastewater treatment using high mountain plants.<\/p>\n

In addition to environmental protection and nature conservation, the Flocon Vert label also recognises other sustainability initiatives in Val Cenis. For example, those responsible here attach particular importance to the social development of young people. This is why the municipality and a local ski school support a children’s centre where children aged 3 months to 12 years old are looked after. Waste is also actively avoided in the village by replacing disposable bottles with drinking bottles and using reusable glass containers. Since 2020, there has also been an elected youth council that initiates and implements projects for young people, including waste separation and the collection of light bulbs and batteries.<\/p>\n

Val Cenis focusses on agriculture and discounted lift passes<\/h3>\n

The Val Cenis ski resort also acts financially in the spirit of sustainability. For example, the local economy is promoted and financially supported, especially the farmers, who are strengthened by the diversification of agriculture. For example, new technical systems help with the irrigation of fields and farmland. The farmers themselves have also founded an association to produce local fodder and optimise its production. A cooperative and the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 d’int\u00e9r\u00eat collectif agricole (non-profit organisation for agriculture) also help the farmers to promote the sale of local products. In addition, a more inclusive pricing policy has also been introduced, which enables more favourable prices for lift passes purchased early and thus also appeals to skiers with a limited budget.<\/p>\n

Lifts and snow groomers save energy in the Val Cenis ski area<\/h2>\n

In addition to the municipality, the Val Cenis ski resort is also committed to sustainable development, environmental protection and, ultimately, ecological ski tourism. This includes extensive energy savings, species protection and the use of 100 per cent electric snow groomers. One measure to reduce energy requirements in winter operations is that the power consumption of the lifts in Val Cenis is continuously adapted to the number of visitors with the help of sensors. This means that the lifts run more slowly at times of low capacity utilisation, which reduces energy consumption. In addition, the Vieux Moulin gondola was equipped with an innovative heat recovery system.<\/p>\n

As a pioneer in France, Val Cenis also tested low-emission fuel for its more environmentally friendly snow groomers before the 2020s and has been using an all-electric snow groomer since the 2022\/23 winter season:<\/p>\n

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PRINOTH HUSKY eMOTION series production<\/div><\/div>
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