Twenty years already since the’Espace Diamant links the village resorts of Beaufortain and Val d'Arly in a single ski area, designed on the side of the ridges facing Mont-Blanc. The result of the merger of Espace Cristal and Val d'Arly, this 192-kilometre ski area has built up much more than a simple ski area over the seasons.
On Saturday 31 January, at the Foreclosures, Espace Diamant will be celebrating this symbolic anniversary with an open evening about its history, identity and future.
From late afternoon onwards, the Espace Erwin Eckl on the Les Saisies snowfront will be the beating heart of this collective celebration.
From 5.30pm, local players, partners and invited guests will gather for a festive highlight, designed as a tribute to two decades of cooperation between the resorts and operators of the linked ski area.
Footage from the «20 years» anniversary video will be shown throughout the evening, tracing the development of this domain which now links Les Saisies, Crest-Voland/Cohennoz, Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, Flumet and Praz-sur-Arly.
The music will soon take over. From 5.35pm to 7.45pm, DJ and producer Yann Muller, a well-known figure on the French electro scene, will take over the snow front for a free concert, mixing elegant covers and rhythmic sets.
Romain Tochon and Yann Muller on the decks
Local DJ Romain Tochon will be opening the show, before setting the mood for a musical extravaganza designed to bring skiers, locals and visitors together to celebrate this anniversary.
At 8pm, there will be a more intimate moment, with a meeting and photocall with Yann Muller, reserved for invited customers, selected at random from Espace Diamant season and annual pass holders.
At the same time, a cocktail reception will bring together partners and guests at the Brasserie du 1650, extending the discussions in a convivial setting. It's the perfect way to underline the collective spirit that has driven this estate for twenty years.
As Stanislas Tochitch, President of Espace Diamant, points out, this anniversary marks both the culmination of a joint effort and a point of departure, at a time when the mountains are facing new challenges and continuing to reinvent themselves.
The evening of 31 January promises to be a highlight of the season in Les Saisies, celebrating a shared history and an area that has been moving forward together, skis in hand, for twenty years.