With winter just around the corner, the resort of 2 Alps is transforming itself into a key training centre for mountain professionals. The period leading up to the resort's official opening, scheduled for 30 November, is crucial for training those involved in safety and slope management.
Perched at an altitude of 3,600 metres, the resort enjoys an early snowfall, making it an ideal training ground for ski patrols, fire-fighters and avalanche dog handlers.
The Les 2 Alpes ski area, open until 4 May, offers ideal conditions for getting back into the swing of things before the holiday rush, allowing professionals to hone their technical and safety skills.
Training for trackers and dog handlers
First-aid workers, who are essential to the smooth running of ski resorts, often specialise over the course of their careers, becoming avalanche controllers or dog handlers. They play a decisive role in avalanche risk prevention and skier safety.
From 28 October to 29 November 2024, ANENA (Association nationale pour l'Étude de la Neige et des Avalanches) is organising training sessions in Les 2 Alpes for the sixth year running. This programme, divided into four sessions of 75 hours each, will enable around a hundred ski patrollers to be trained in the use of explosives to trigger avalanches in a preventive manner.
READ MORE: What's new in Les 2 Alpes this winter?
This rigorous training includes practical exercises in the field, where future fire fighters learn to handle explosive charges, follow safety protocols and move safely in mountain conditions. Once certified, pisteurs must undergo annual refresher training to keep their skills up to date, ensuring optimum safety on the slopes.
At the same time, from 2 to 13 December 2024, another course is being offered for avalanche dog handlers. This session, the 19th to be held, will bring together around twenty human-dog pairs from all over France, as well as from Spain, Andorra and sometimes South America.
Accident prevention in the workplace
For 88 hours, they train to locate and rescue avalanche victims in real-life conditions. At the end of the course, they are awarded the Brevet National de Maître-Chien d'Avalanche, a certificate recognised by the French Ministry of the Interior.
In addition to specific rescue training, SATA 2 Alpes, the company that manages the ski area, is introducing training focused on worker safety. From 18 to 22 November 2024, the ski patrol teams and operating staff will be taking part in awareness-raising sessions on occupational hazards.
These courses include practical workshops on safety protocols, equipment handling and the physical preparation needed to cope with extreme winter conditions.
The aim is clear: to guarantee safe working conditions throughout the season, for professionals and holidaymakers alike, by stepping up prevention and optimising safety measures in the ski area.
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