Legal

Thursday, 14 September, 2006

Montroc avalanche, last legal lap?

The last legal lap in the Montroc avalanche may finally have been run in Grenoble’s Administrative Court this summer, more than seven years after the events that killed 12 people in their homes in the hamlet of les Poses. Four sets of claimants, relatives of the deceased as well as the commune’s insurer AXA sought significant damages against Chamonix and the French state for their role in the tragedy.

montroc avalanche

Posted by redac at 06:30 PM
• (0) Comments • Read More... •

Tuesday, 29 August, 2006

Black day for the white forest

Risoul and Vars have been linked since the 1990s as part of the Forêt Blanche ski domain (white forest). The single lift pass is an important marketing tool for both resorts. However the two ski areas are run by separate lift companies, the private / public partnership SEDEV at Vars and the private company Sermont at Risoul and this is proving to be a bone of contention with SEDEV claiming that Sermont owes them the sum of 262,264 €.

foret blanche

Posted by davidof at 04:37 PM
• (0) Comments • Read More... •

Thursday, 17 August, 2006

Mountain of debt for Tignes avalanche families

In April 2005 PisteHors reported the death of two snowboarders in a massive avalanche on the north face of the Grande Motte glacier. Sam Harber and James Rourke, both in their mid-twenties were doing a season with tour operator VIP Snowline. It was supposed to be their final run before returning to the UK. Mr Rourke’s body was discovered under meters of snow and ice the following day. Mr Harber’s body was only found 2 months after the accident when the avalanche debris began to thaw. Now the families are being threatened with a bill of over £20,000 to cover rescue costs.

grande motte north face
North face of the Grande Motte

Posted by gigi lerose at 02:33 AM
• (3) Comments • Read More... •

Thursday, 13 July, 2006

Val Thorens avalanche families long wait for justice

At around 3pm on the 21st of November 1992, an avalanche triggered by a cornice fall in the ski resort of Val-Thorens, hit the open Jean Beranger ski piste. Ten people were buried; only three were dug out alive. Following the incident the resort was accused of doing “too little, too late” in its response and yesterday, after 14 long years, a Lyon court agreed with this view.

Posted by redac at 11:19 AM
• (0) Comments • Read More... •

Sunday, 09 July, 2006

Ray of hope for Brit snowboard instructors

On the 29th of June the European Commission sent what is referred to as a “reasoned opinion” to the French government concerning its breach of articles 39, 43 and 49 of the EC Treaty and Directive 92/51/EEC on the general system for the recognition of diplomas. The opinion concerned France’s continued non-recognition of diplomas awarded to British and German snowboard instructors by their national bodies. France does not recognize snowboarding as an independent discipline and requires all snowboard instructors to pass difficult ski instructor examinations.

snowboarders climbing

Posted by gigi lerose at 05:47 PM
• (1) Comments • Read More... •

Tuesday, 28 October, 2003

Saint-Honoré Goes Under the Hammer

The ‘phantom’ ski station of Saint-Honore in the Isère region was sold at auction on Tuesday to an anonymous bidder. The station, abandoned since 1983, fetched 838,000 Euros.

Posted by davidof at 09:55 PM
• (4) Comments • Read More... •