La Thuile creates more renewable electricity than it uses
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...
Case Study: London to Zermatt by Train
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...
Ski Sunday advises skiers & snowboarders to ‘Ski Flight Free’
We were delighted to see Ed Leigh and Graham Bell extolling the virtues of taking the train rather than flying to ski resorts on the BBC’s Ski Sunday. As Ed Leigh says: “If you’re serious about reducing your carbon footprint, then look at how you get from your house to the mountain. That traditionally accounts...
Warmest winter on record in Chamonix
In a further sign that the Alps are being affected by global warming even more than the rest of the planet, Météo France recently announced that December 2019 and January 2020 were the second warmest in France since records began in 1900. In particular they picked out Chamonix where the average temperature during the period was...
Case Study: Is train travel more expensive than flying?
I’ve just booked for my third trip by train to the Alps this winter and as for the previous two trips (to Les Arcs in December and Courchevel in January), I’ve analysed the cost of taking the train relative to flying. My motivation is to reduce my carbon footprint – and travelling by train saves...
Ski Flight Free in ‘Totally Snow’ Magazine
We were really stoked to see this mention for the Ski Flight Free campaign in ‘Totally Snow’ magazine. The campaign has had some excellent support from the UK press:
‘The Grand Jury’: Les Arcs crowdsource sustainability ideas
Les Arcs already has an excellent reputation for sustainability. Ski Flight Free founder Iain Martin visited in December 2019 to check out the new 100% electric funicular that takes skiers direct from Bourg St Maurice to Les Arcs 1600. https://www.facebook.com/skiflightfree/photos/a.167091517997964/167091594664623/?type=3&theater 100% Renewable Electricity During that visit he also found out about the resort’s 100% renewable...
Do you ‘Give a Flake’? Aspen does…
While at Ski Flight Free we do not advocate taking a flight to the States (a return flight to Denver generates over 1200 tonnes of CO2), we do recognise the good work on climate change undertaken by Aspen Snowmass. Give a Flake Their ‘Give a Flake’ campaign is an excellent example of how ski resorts...
“Ski resorts are afraid for their future”
Make sure you pick up a copy of this month’s ‘Telegraph Ski & Snowboard Magazine’ encouraging skiers to #SkiFlightFree. You can find Iain’s opinion piece on the existential threat to ski resorts on page 20: Find out more at www.skiflightfree.org
New ‘Verbier Express’ Service from Geneva to Verbier Opens
Last weekend the new ‘Verbier Express’ train service started, linking Geneva to Verbier with direct trains, instead of changing at Martigny. The service is aimed at day-trippers from the Swiss city and will run at weekends and certain public holidays. 90% of visitors to Verbier arrive by car Verbier is hoping to encourage more skiers...
Guide to Bourg St Maurice Station
This is a short guide to help you if you’re travelling by train to Bourg St Maurice this winter. If you haven’t been to the station before, or even if you have, it can be useful to help with your orientation after a long journey. Main Bourg St Maurice station building Let’s start by taking...
The Léman Express: New Geneva to Chamonix train service
The new Geneva to Chamonix train service – the Léman Express – is due to open on 15 December 2019. The service will make it easier for skiers and snowboarders who want to travel by train to Chamonix, as well as the resorts of the Grand Massif (Flaine, Les Carroz, Samoens) and the Portes du...
