Finally, Abondance ski area to reopen

CHERIE SIVIGNON

BRING ON THE SNOW: The mountain above Abondance containing the ski domain, with the abbey in the foreground.

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OPINION: Hip, hip, hooray, writes Cherie Sivignon in this week's L'expat.

Finally. After patient negotiation, a deal has been done and the closed Abondance ski domain is on track to be reopened in time for winter's deep coat of snow over our French alpine hometown.

It's good. Good for the main player (an American-backed company with a keen eye for investment), the local council (responsible until now for the ski area's upkeep) and great for the town of Abondance. No longer forced to cling to the coat-tails of the ski resorts in its sister towns of Chatel and La Chapelle d'Abondance, Abondance will once again host its own full ski area.

After the 2006-07 winter season, the former council made the controversial (and ultimately fatal) decision to keep the domain closed rather than find the capital necessary for its maintenance and upgrade.

There was much angst and gnashing of teeth by the good folk of the town, many of whom rely heavily on the income generated by skiers, boarders and walkers during the long winter months.

The development of a kids' ski and luge area at the base of the mountain did little to appease the residents, who protested in force during the most recent local election by voting in a new mayor and councillors.

That mayor and those councillors have worked hard on the ski area deal, which brings in much-needed private investment.

There were plenty of smiles last week when the document was signed publicly in the cloisters of the town's magnificent abbey under the shadow of the mountain boasting the ski domain.

Still, there is much work to be done.

Although the daytime temperature can still reach 30 degrees celsius or more, some of the leaves are beginning to take on a golden hue as the valley enjoys the last of the summer days.

It won't be long before the first snowflakes fall and the ski enthusiasts begin arriving for months of alpine fun.

Hopefully, Abondance the town that gives its name to this valley of ski resorts will be the first stop on their tour of the pistes.

Speaking of tours, my firstborn Hugo, 12, and I are due to return to France today after a whirlwind trip to the city of his birth, London.

I had lots of fun taking Hugo on a quick hit of one of my favourite cities in the world. We screamed together at the frightening London Dungeon and marvelled at the life-like wax creations of Madame Tussauds. Hugo saw the famous big blue whale figure and the dinosaur exhibition at the fantastic Natural History Museum.

At night we stayed with my dear friend in Surrey, glad to rest from the madness of London.

We return today to prepare for the start of the school year. Au revoir summer.wCherie Sivignon is a former Southland Times journalist who has moved to France with her French-born husband and their family.

» Cherie Sivignon is a former Southland Times journalist who has moved to France with her French-born husband and their family.

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