The storm that blew through the Southern Alps last weekend wasn't all good news for the regions beleaguered ski areas. It enabled Roubion, situated in the Maritime Alps behind Nice, to open its ski lifts for the first time this season. Then the heavy snow, nearly a meter in the village, brought the power lines down, closing the lifts and causing the few holiday makers to flee as there was no electricity for heating, hot water or telephones.
All quiet on the front neige
The power company promised to restore the current on Sunday evening but by Tuesday they'd brought a generator to the village. Enough to restore power to the houses but not to run the ski lifts. More bad luck for a ski resort that is classed as the most vulnerable to closure in the Southern Alps by a recent report by the General Accounting Office. The resort anticipates being reconnected this morning via a new cable. Just in time given another storm is expected over the weekend. Currently only a small lift in the village is working and only when it doesn't affect residential use. It should be noted that Roubion has some excellent ski touring.
During the storm