It has been awarded the “Site d’Excellence” label by Nordic France: the La Vattay-Valserine ski area. If you’re a Nordic ski fan, we know you know this site like the back of your hand!
But do you know its history? We invite you to find out!
It all began in the 80s
Before 1982, Gessiens used to ski at “La Vasserode” and “La Pillarde”. The “Jura Gessien” ski club used to organise competitions in which skiers made their own tracks. On that occasion, Jean-Paul Pierrat (former cross-country skiing champion) came with elected representatives from Divonne-les-Bains to give a positive assessment of the quality of the site.
In 1978, Alain Girod, an instructor at the La Faucille ski school, whom you probably knew if you often came to La Vattay, started to make tracks at La Faucille and then at La Vattay with an old snow scooter he had cobbled together. As you will understand from reading these lines, it was thanks to a passion for Nordic skiing that La Vattay came into being.
A few years later, in 1982, the La Vattay Nordic ski area began operating under the management of Alain Girod. That same year, the purchase of their first groomer (a 100-horsepower Kässbohrer) made it possible to groom the pistes.
In Mijoux, the trails were marked out with scooters by the tourist office and the Mijoux shooting and sports club.
It soon proved to be a huge success, with many people taking part.
Always at the forefront of trends
In 1986, La Vattay was the first resort in France to groom its pistes for the new trend known as “skating”. All the pistes were widened to 8m for double width.
Over the years, cross-country skiing has taken on a new dimension thanks to the development of the skating style.
A small, basic but very welcoming chalet was therefore created, with a refreshment bar/snack bar and ski pass sales. It welcomed skiers from 1985 to 1993.
Then, in 1994, a development plan led to the construction of the reception facilities, including today’s large reception chalet with cash desks, restaurant, toilets, showers, non-snack room and hire shop.
The Nordic centre has always been ahead of the game in terms of innovation and quality of service:
- Audiophone answering machine updated every morning at 7.30 a.m.
- Daily damage from November to April
- Purchase of 2 new, more powerful snow groomers with snow blowers
- Expansion and tarmacking of car parks for 800 spaces
In 1997, management of the Nordic centre was handed over to the Pays de Gex Communauté de Communes, then to the Syndicat Mixte des Monts Jura.
The project was sustainable thanks to a balance between income and expenditure, including depreciation of the equipment, and today, in 2021, the Nordic centre is still self-financing!
La Vattay, today…
The Vattay-Valserine Nordic ski area has been awarded the “3 sapins” label by Nordic France. It is considered a site of excellence for the variety and quality of its runs. It is also one of the most popular Nordic sites in France.
Every winter, thanks to the quality work carried out by all the seasonal workers at La Vattay, we enjoy an exceptional site that is the envy of many other skiiers and resorts! Let’s make the most of it!
Thematics
