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  What are the opportunities and challenges of living in a tourism site ?

Jean-Louis VERDIER - Deputy Mayor, in charge of Security, Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France

 

 

The appeal of the Chamonix Valley is rooted in the passion it triggers in those who discover it. For years, the Mont-Blanc Mountain has been the dream of many people, has attracted some to come rejuvenate, and others to stay "forever", passion often prevailing over reason.

The mysteries that surround this valley create a drive entirely oriented towards the protection of environment. But men don't feed on passion only. And the needs, increasingly important in our society, eventually generated a growing tourist population not always easy to handle by decision-makers in the valley. If, in the past, the population looked at this change without worrying about its impact, today, the same population wants to be part of its development and be able to monitor its evolution.

However, the natural heritage in which we have the privilege to live in implies duties that people can't forgo. Chamonix people position in this environment challenges carry with them the willingness of locals to take control over their future.

If the tourism survey in Chamonix allows us to understand the quick changes occurring at different periods in its history, without worrying locals who found in these changes improved conditions of living in a valley where opposites exist together, the rapid changes in our society in the past 20 years should alarm locals, where ecological niches are weak. This society, still profit-oriented, has irreversible effects on the environment. Mont-Blanc, a unique site in the world, is actually standardized, ignored by national decision-makers who only care for their political image when faced with powerful lobbies.

Today, living in a tourist site that is unique in the world is not a challenge, nor an opportunity but a chance we need to pass on to future generations.

Of course, this philosophical approach is limited by the economic growth without which it would be impossible to live. Half of Chamonix population is from Chamonix since at least a generation, some of the last names date back from the 14 th century. For these locals, life in Chamonix is part of heritage and attachment logic. The other half of locals is made of those who decide to settle in Chamonix and those who come for business. Due to their activity, these populations are directly or indirectly linked to tourism with the mountain as natural resource. This is why the notable growth in tourist occupation has not alarmed decision-makers.

Recent findings that helped assess tourism growth, demonstrated a reversal in the occupation of the valley between long and short stays, an alarming growth with consequences on.development and city planning. These two words only imply a challenge in a valley where natural hazards, avalanches and floods are an impediment to habitat growth. Even though it is true that the 60's and the 70's saw an urbanization somewhat anarchic with architectural choices inappropriate to the configuration of the site, the current position aims at controlling the growth through an initiative to acquire property reserves for permanent housing, and "key" areas such as the Parc du Couttet, which would offer high-quality green areas and a cultural area, right in the heart of downtown.

Today, Chamonix has a population estimated to 10,000; the challenge is to keep the current number of locals to avoid a city to where only second homeowners and visitors come. This is the reason why locals should anticipate on the pressure of real estate developers.

The growth in building and mountain development should involve key improvements of public transportation. For this reason, Chamonix has for several years implemented a free traffic in public transportation for all, in order to relieve traffic and improve parking.

The willingness to control tourist tools is fostered by the capital interest of the ski lift company to prevent institutional investors from settling in the valley. Thus, elected officials as well as locals keep an important share in investment choices, social and economic politics of the biggest company in the valley.

In addition, the control over the preservation of this superb site that should, due to its weakness, be considered carefully, has forced the inhabitants of three countries around Mont-Blanc to create the "Espace Mont-Blanc" that has four objectives :

• Keeping the pastoral activity
• Preserving sensitive areas
• Integrating a sustainable tourism
• Reducing the impact of transportation.

The "Espace Mont-Blanc" is an example of cooperation across borders, based on the idea of a shared responsibility with respect to heritage. This awareness is supported by struggles in which associations, locals and elected officials are engaged in response to national decisions taken in Paris, without taking into account specific local needs. Let me take the hospital and the tunnel as an example:

• The future of the hospital, a major pole in the mountain rescue chain, unfortunately relies on the national restructuring of hospitals that hides the needs of the population and climbers.
• The Mont-Blanc tunnel, symbol of the post-war unified Europe, for which public authorities had not planned such an economic growth, currently suffers from an irresponsible politics triggered by industrial needs (tensed flows, unneeded transportation). Chamonix, with the willingness of its population, is a driver in this struggle ; Mont-Blanc represents another policy on French and European transportation.

We know that loosing this struggle is loosing 15 years in transportation politics.

These examples show the willingness of locals to control their future; we know failure but we also have expectations that foster our ability to get involved to avoid being a place of outside challenges whether economic or emotional. 1986, the bicentennial year of the first ascension of Mont-Blanc proved it. 2001, the international year for mountain, is an opportunity for the.Espace Mont-Blanc to ask for the international recognition at the UNESCO world heritage list; yet another challenge that locals will have to face.

Mont-Blanc, we dream of it, mythical mountain where men come face to face with nature but above all with himself. It should give the local population the willingness to prepare the future so that our children find the strength to continue to climb it.