Bourg Saint Maurice - Les Arcs - With just a few months to go before the end of his first term of office, the mayor of Bourg Saint Maurice - Les ArcsGuillaume Desrues, the town's new mayor, has drawn up a positive balance sheet, marked by a commitment to ecological and economic transition. From tourism diversification to the fight against property speculation, he looks back at the achievements and major challenges that still lie ahead for the municipality.
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Your first term of office will soon be coming to an end. What is your assessment?
We wanted to mark a genuine period of transition. From the outset, we were convinced that we could no longer continue as before, whether in terms of town planning, economic activity or mobility. We needed to turn the corner, particularly in terms of tourism. Bourg Saint Maurice - Les Arcs already has 40,000 tourist beds: did we really need to add more? So we focused on economic diversification and a better seasonal spread, notably with a summer season now extended from June to September.
We have also accompanied this transition by paying particular attention to the daily lives of our residents, their families and the elderly. Finally, from an environmental point of view, we have given priority to soft mobility, redesigned public spaces and taken the strong decision to stop all tourist promotion outside Europe, an ecological heresy in our eyes.
You mentioned the importance of making the mountains accessible to all. What have you done to make the region more affordable?
It makes me angry to see that 80% of French people can't afford a mountain holiday. We want the destination to be shared as widely as possible. By refocusing our efforts on the European market, we're already opening up our territory to a more financially accessible clientele. In particular, we want to attract Germans, Belgians and the English, who represent a real potential for economic growth without adding to our carbon footprint.
Talking of the ski area, how has it developed since the moratorium on new construction?
The ski area can no longer be extended indefinitely. We are now focusing on modernising and optimising the ski lifts, as we did with the TransarcThis will improve comfort and throughput without massive expansion. Despite the moratorium, we are seeing slight growth in sales and visitor numbers every year, thanks to better occupancy of the 40,000 existing beds. So it's no longer necessary to build endlessly to ensure dynamic economic activity.
The housing crisis remains a major issue in Bourg Saint Maurice. How do you intend to resolve it?
Housing is indeed the key issue. We have decided to radically transform the Alpins district projectOriginally intended for tourism, the site has been converted into a zone reserved for permanent housing. In the first tranche, we have already planned for 25 social housing units and 25 senior housing units, with strict guarantees to prevent speculation.
We are putting in place principal residence easements to prevent these properties from becoming second homes or short-term lets. This strategy helps to build a region that is alive all year round, which is essential for a dynamic and welcoming mountain environment.
What are your future plans for continuing to transform La Commune?
We are currently finalising a major multimodal interchange centre around the station, which will be operational from December next year. We are also working on a major project to preserve the Chapieux valley and its glaciers, launched via a citizens' convention. Another crucial issue is the future delegation of public services for the ski lifts, for which we are hoping for broad public consultation. The aim is to enable local residents to take full ownership of this strategic tool.
On a personal note, why did you choose Bourg Saint Maurice and get involved in public life here?
I've always wanted to live in the mountains. I came here at the age of 25 and immediately realised that it was the ideal place for me. Bourg Saint Maurice offers an exceptional lifestyle, combining full urban services with direct access to unspoilt nature. Having trained as a teacher, I became involved in politics out of love for this area and out of ecological and social conviction. We have a unique opportunity to take action and transform this region while preserving its exceptional quality of life. It's this opportunity that I want to seize to the full, because we urgently need to take action in the face of climate and social challenges.