Mountains reopen after snowfall

10th January 2018, by Abi Butcher

Some 7m of snow has blocked access to Bonneval-sur-Arc in the Haute Maurienne

Authorities across Europe are working hard to restore power and access to ski resorts following record amounts of snowfall.

This image this morning from Duclos Alain Duclos at data-avalanche.org shows an incredible 7m of snow that has blocked access to the village of Bonneval-sur-Arc at the head of the Haute Maurienne Vanoise in France.

The village, like Zermatt, has been cut off and without power overnight following metres of snow. In Zermatt, thousands of tourists have been stranded as access to the resort has been blocked — but this is expected to open today.

Yesterday, the French ski resort of Tignes announced it has a record amount of snow for January since measurements began. Meteo France said in a statement: “The ground snow height at 2080m is a record height since the beginning of the measurements in 1981 for a month of January and we are very close to an absolute record. We’re waiting for official confirmation, but there’s little doubt.”

In some parts of the Alps an avalanche warning level of 5 has been issued for several days on end. The situation, say authorities, is unprecedented.

• ski
• snow
• france
• zermatt
• tignes
• avalanche

Back to news