Risoul

History

The development of a ski resort at Risoul dates from the start of the 1970s. However, the first lift operator (SAPAR) went bankrupt in 1974. The local member of parliament put the council in touch with the Société Foncière de la Vallée des Allues (SFVA). The SFVA started a company called Sermont which took over the lifts and runs them to this day. The reasons for the bankruptcy in 1974 is still unknown. The Durance valley is remote, the trip from Paris by train or car a long one. The A51 motorway link is still awaiting a financial commitment; likewise, the Montgenèvre rail tunnel to connect Briançon to the TGV network. The nearest major airport is at Turin, across the border in Italy. The resort concentrates its efforts on returning clients but still lacks sufficient long-stay guests. The Forêt Blanche link with its 180 km of pistes is a major marketing tool, especially with tour operators who can include Risoul with transfers Montgenèvre and Serre Chevalier. The resort was an early adopter of snowboarding. The Surfland snowpark existed for over a decade and is now complemented by rails for beginners and experienced users. The snow park was chosen as a training zone for the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. The resort believes that the concept of black, red and blue run gradings is outdated and is moving to a series of themed areas such as the freeride zone.

Most-observed species

• Yellow Gentian

  Gentiana lutea L. · Magnoliopsida
  591
• Cross Gentian

  Gentiana cruciata L. · Magnoliopsida
  556
• Marbled White

  Melanargia galathea Linnaeus, 1758 · Insecta
  510
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  407
• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  347
• Chalk-hill Blue

  Lysandra coridon (Poda, 1761) · Insecta
  343
• Agrodiaetus damon (Denis & Schiffermüller), 1776

  Agrodiaetus damon (Denis & Schiffermüller), 1776 · Insecta
  342
• Globeflower

  Trollius europaeus L. · Magnoliopsida
  324

Most recent

• M 3.9 — 2024-12-09
  8 km WNW of Acceglio, Italy
• M 4.1 — 2023-11-21
  10 km WSW of Acceglio, Italy
• M 4.1 — 2023-05-16
  16 km W of Pleyne, Italy
• M 3.3 — 2022-05-02
  6 km SW of Crissolo, Italy
• M 3.2 — 2017-11-17
  10 km NNE of Saint-Rémy-de-Maurienne, France
• M 2.9 — 2017-04-08
  4 km W of Valdieri, Italy