Bourg Saint Maurice - Les Arcs - Laurent Chelle, deputy mayor with responsibility for tourism and the economy and chairman of the Tourist Office, unveils his strategy for boosting the summer season and positioning the town as a tourist destination. the destination as a benchmark for mountain resorts in all seasons. Soft mobility, cultural events and respect for the environment: the commune is banking on a diversified and sustainable offer to attract visitors and residents alike.
Bourg Saint Maurice - Les Arcs is a major winter destination. What strategy are you adopting to develop the summer appeal?
We have always had this medium-term vision: to make our region attractive all year round. Right from its creation by Roger Godino, Les Arcs was conceived as a multi-season resort, with skiing, of course, but also culture, sporting innovation and culinary and educational activities. Today, we are consolidating this vision with a strong summer activity: we are focusing in particular on cultural, sporting and family events to attract a diversified public.
Are you seeing a positive trend in summer visitor numbers?
Yes, clearly. Even though ski lifts account for around 90 % of sales in winter, compared with 10 % in summer, the summer dynamic is growing. Our aim is to eventually have a full three-month season, from mid-June to mid-September. We're already opening on weekends in June, and the feedback from retailers and visitors alike is very encouraging.
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Is the local authority focusing particularly on family activities?
Absolutely. Families are a priority target for us. We offer a huge range of child-friendly activities, as well as cultural events such as the Summer Academy-Festival. We've also developed some very popular facilities, particularly for cycling, rafting and electric mountain biking.
What are the major projects planned to build on this momentum?
Our strategy is based on a number of key areas: firstly, soft mobility, with the funicular free of charge in summer, increased inter-station shuttle services, and the ambitious project for a multimodal interchange centre. connected to the regional rail network.
Eventually, we hope to create the "Tarentaise Express", a scheduled service linking Lyon, Chambéry and Bourg Saint Maurice every hour. What's more, in 2026, we'll be hosting the Vélo Vert Festival, a major event that will attract a huge number of visitors to kick off the season.
How do you convince local retailers to play the game all year round?
We create events and attractive conditions to make the opening profitable for them. For example, Arc 1950 imposed summer opening on the shops from the outset, with great success. Today, no one would dream of closing in summer. It's this sustainable development approach that we want to see become the norm.
Bourg Saint Maurice also has a lively local life all year round...
Yes, we want our residents to be able to live here to the full, beyond the tourist peaks. This means offering a constant supply of culture and sport, facilities that are accessible all year round, such as our swimming pool and cinemas, and affordable housing. In fact, we have just launched a major community housing programme to enable families to settle here on a long-term basis.
In terms of sustainable development, what is your vision for the years ahead?
We've clearly stopped thinking in terms of "bigger and bigger". Today, our aim is to make the most of our exceptional environment while preserving it. We are reducing the number of obsolete ski lifts and developing a reasoned approach to artificial snow, producing only what is necessary. It's an environmental responsibility that we fully accept for the future.