![“People are travelling to the Alps again by train” [1988 version]](http://skiflightfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ski1-290x290.jpg "“People are travelling to the Alps again by train” [1988 version]")
‘Plus ça change’, as our French friends say. A more relevant quote might be one attributed to Karl Marx: “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.” In the same week that Eurostar announced that it was cancelling the direct train to the Tarentaise in the French Alps, Andrew Brannan, a keen listener of The Ski Podcast,...
In excellent news for skiers who enjoy travelling by train, a new study by the Andorran Chamber of Commerce is proposing a new railway line to Andorran ski resorts via Seu d’Urgell. Currently it’s only possible to travel to Andorra by road from neighbouring countries. However, the idea of a simple rail connection is attractive...
Iain Martin, founder of Ski Flight Free, had this article published in The Telegraph this week, promoting driving to the Alps, rather than flying. This article is behind the Telegraph paywall, but you can download a Word doc version by taking this link. While our preference would always be to travel by train, if...
![[Video] #SkiGreen presentations at #CEweekLDN](http://skiflightfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Capture-290x290.png "[Video] #SkiGreen presentations at #CEweekLDN")
Iain Martin from Ski Flight Free was delighted to take part in the #SkiGreen Webinar at Circular Economy Week London last week. The session was attended by over 70 people interested to find out more about sustainability in the world of skiing and snowsports. The webinar started with five short presentations by the attendees: Sally...
‘Tourism Declares’ is a collective of companies and professionals acting on climate change in travel and helping to develop solutions. The campaign launched in January 2020 and aims to encourage all sectors of the travel industry to acknowledge the climate emergency and develop appropriate action plans. “We believe that it is everyone’s responsibility to tackle...
The ski industry has at last woken up to the sport’s environmental impact. So how do you #SkiGreen next season? From the clothes you wear, the way you travel and how you maintain your kit, to the changes being made by resorts you can make a difference. Iain Martin from Ski Flight Free will be...
We enjoyed watching this video from the French ski resort of Megève. Like many communities in France, Megève has opted to use natural grazing to maintain its green spaces. Eco-grazing is a simple and ecological solution which improves the living environment and has many advantages. Although an agricultural practice as old as farming itself, ‘L’écopâturage’...
Serre Chevalier is currently testing a new photovoltaic (PV) solution designed specifically for lifts in ski resorts. The ‘Alpha Module’ – created by Sunwind Design – is being used on the roof of the Prorel lift in the southern alps ski resort. 20% more power The photovoltaic panels are made of thin triangular prisms,...
Positive sustainability news from Les Orres in France which is starting a project to improve its energy efficiency and renewable energy self-sufficiency. There are plans for more hydroelectricity, turbine purification of used water, as well as new biomass units and photovoltaic power.
The French ski resort of Chamrousse has agreed a multi-energy ‘smart grid’ contract with the power supplier ENGIE Solutions that will make it the first ‘Smart Ski Resort’ in the country. The project will see the village centre in Le Recoin renovated as a ‘hyperlieu’ – a hyperzone – in the mountains as a model...
La Thuile in Italy was the first ski resort in the world to develop a hydroelectric system to generate renewable energy from their artificial snow network. Electricity fed back into the national grid In three years, La Thuile has produced more than 4.8 million kWh purely from the force of the water circulating in its...
We love to hear from people about their own trips to the Alps by train. Alun Pinnegar recently contacted us to tell us about his journey from London to Zermatt by train: London to Zermatt by Train Alun’s journey took 13 hours door-to-door and cost £1000 for a family of four. Given he was travelling...
