Making a difference and aiming for the top

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A Family Pack for Xmas 2012
Around Christmas, the Family Pack will
be available also for durations of 2 to
5 days (ski days between December 22
and 29)! Perfect for families who only
come for a few days but don’t want to
say no to extra presents.
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STRATEGY
Making a difference and aiming for the top
Still in the top 13 of French ski resorts, Serre Chevalier Valley has several plans to make
a difference and attract an ever bigger, returning customer base. Increasing the number
of visitors is the main focus for SCV Domaine Skiable.
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WHAT’S ON
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EDITOR’S LETTER
The latest issue of SCV INFO, with lots
of information and news... SCV Domaine
Skiable is acting promptly against the
decreasing number of visitors to the
valley. It’s a key strategy for the next
few years. All actions will be taken in
liaison with local authorities and the
Serre Chevalier tourist office. We need
to improve the customer experience as
well as continue the constant upgrade
of the ski area. This should help us meet
our clients’ expectations.
The whole SCV Domaine Skiable team
is ready for this new winter season and
wishes you lots of fun in the snow!
Happy reading!
Jean-Yves SALLE,
General Director of SCV
Domaine Skiable
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#5
t is time for Serre Chevalier to be daring. While France climbed back
up to its place as the top ski destination in 2011/2012 and gained 3%,
Serre Chevalier Valley has had a loss of 7% in visitors over the past
two seasons. “We need to offer something different, but also assume
the fact that we’re a major resort. Our location, sunny weather and rich
history are ideal for making us a true tourist destination both in the winter and the summer. The summer season has great potential and could
make the difference,” says Patrick Arnaud, the vice general director at
SCV Domaine Skiable.
Investing in Property
Since the arrival of SCV Domaine Skiable, the ski area has been upgraded
to a huge extent and the touristic value of this has been recognised and
appreciated. However, the ski area is underused and targets have not been
met in terms of occupancy. “We’ve decided to extend our role as a ski ope-
ENVIRONMENT
rator to invest in the valley and give it an extra marketing push,” Patrick
Arnaud continues. They are planning on opening a property department
that will have two distinct missions. Renovating and marketing existing
apartments while guaranteeing better occupancy for the owners, but also
acquiring, renovating and renting property. An increasing number of visitors would mean more ski passes, more clients in the shops, a higher turnover,
more liveliness and a new image for the resort. “We’re not wanting to replace
the estate agents. We’re just looking to create a movement, supporting the
rental agencies and getting together with a common goal: increasing the number of visitors and boosting the activity. As a group, we’ll have more of a say
with the local authorities.” Patrick Arnaud has had a lot of success in other
resorts. Improving the accommodation quality will increase property value
and convince investors that they’re making the right choice by coming to
Serre Chevalier Valley. This resort is definitely worth the effort.
Sustainable development on all fronts
Certified Iso 14001 since 2008, SVC Domaine skiable has engaged in an ambitious environmental policy
that aims to limit the impact on the natural environment. How the resort has managed to go green.
Q
Skiing with Kids
Serre Chevalier is well adapted for
children, and children under 6 ski for
free! As a bonus, there are four fun
beginner areas… where they can try
skiing in complete safety. Serre Ratier,
the top of Aravet , Monetier and Pralong
à Briançon all have adapted equipment
for the youngest ones.
SCV Info est édité par SCV Domaine Skiable
Directeur de la publication : Jean-Yves Salle Conception et réalisation :
A Plus d’1 Titre Graphisme : Thibault Peyrefitte Textes : Marie-Stéphane
Guy Correction : Régine Ferrandis Photos : Stéphane Candé, Agence
Zoom Traduction : Hanna Jonsson
Imprimé par : Imprimerie du Pont-de-Claix, Isère
SCV DOMAINE SKIABLE Société par Actions Simplifiées au Capital de
15012460,40 € Siège social : Place du Téléphérique Le Serre d’Aigle ;
Chantemerle, 05330 Saint-Chaffrey SIREN 348 799 529 – RCS GAP
SCV Info est gratuit. Ne peut être vendu.
uality is the base of our business, and
we’ve added an environmental dimension to this,” claims Bruno Navajas, who
has been in charge of quality assurance
since 2002 and runs the QSE programme –
Quality, Security, Environment. “For each
decision made, our teams should imperatively study the same three questions: What is
the consequence on customer satisfaction?
What is the consequence for staff? And what
is the consequence on the environment?”
In 2008, Serre Chevalier was awarded Iso
14001 (renewed in 2011). This certification
proves that the resort is minimising the environmental impact of its tourism activity.
A report on the possibilities of saving on
energy and spending radically improved
the grooming schedules. “We also worked
on the visual impact by reducing pylons and
cables and improving the look of the cabins,”
adds Bruno Navajas. “We put away security
netting and padding in the summers and
organise a big spring clean at the end of the
season.” First, the offices are cleaned, and
then all the staff is sent out to clear away
rubbish from the slopes. “We’ve added bins
up the mountains, but it’s not enough. If each
skier took home what they brought with them
for the day, we’d be alright. We also recommend pocket ashtrays for smokers.”
Acting Responsibly
This green attitude is also applied to the
renovation works on the slopes. Each project
is subject to an environmental impact assessment and anti-pollution recommendations.
Fuel tanks have been fitted with an alarm in
case of leakage, a warning system installed
on cables to stop birds from crashing into
them, protective barriers have been built
around the water reservoirs to stop animals
from drowning and grass and plants are systematically replaced to prevent scarring. “It’s
taken us three years to get noticeable results
on our environment impact. We’re now a
more eco-responsible company and we work
with charities and other groups on new projects.” New for this year is a partnership with
a car-sharing site, coriding.com, and there’s
a plan to install generators that run off the
lifts for heating the staff cabins... A white
winter resort seen in a green perspective is
interesting for future generations. Up to all
of us to contribute in our own way to keep the
mountains beautiful.
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SKI AREA WORKFORCE
A Devoted Team
WHAT’S ON
To be an avalanche dog trainer you need
both devotion and patience. In Serre
Chevalier Valley, there are three avalanche
dogs that help to keep skiers safe. Meet a
team that works together 24/7.
R
“Neiges de Culture©”
Get cultural without even
stepping out of your bindings!
This is the fourth season for “Neiges
de Culture©”, an original concept
by Isabelle de Beaufort. The project
combines skiing with exhibitions
and cultural trails. The “Nomad
Village” will allow you to discover
nomadic people that live in polar
conditions. In the Lapland “lavvu”
and the Mongolian yurt, Erika Larsen
and Lucile Chombart de Lauwe are
showing two photograph exhibitions,
one on the Sami people and the other
on urban Mongolian homes. The polar
tent shows pictures from the Antarctic
expeditions of Shackleton and Scott.
www.neigesdeculture.com
70 Years in Serre Chevalier
Richly illustrated, this book
records the local ski history, from
the beginnings in Briançon to the
Chantemerle cable car, the Prorel link
and the modern resort. Created by
Guillaume Bodovillé. For sale at Serre
Chevalier Valley, 35€.
Smile, you’re in the VideoZone
As of last year, this area allows you
to automatically film your skiing on a
fun and gentle slope. Your progress
through bumps and turns is shown
live on a giant screen and you can
download your video on the internet
thanks to your skipass number.
Serre Chevalier on iPhone
and Android
Village maps and piste maps, live
lift information, weather forecasts,
events and web cam footing are all
available in a few clicks on the iPhone
or Android application. You can locate
yourself on the pistes or find the
nearest restaurant. The application
can even give you a report on how far
you’ve skied and how much vertical
difference you’ve covered in a day.
odolphe Queyrel with Vulcain, Eric Bataillon with Viso and Eric
Montandon with Sphinx are all working together to rescue avalanche
victims. The road to proficiency is long and requires daily work. Only well
trained dogs are accepted on the avalanche dog course, which leads to the
ANENA diploma. During the winters, extra courses like night-searches and
heli-lifting are organised. “You have to do at least 8 courses each season,”
explains Philippe Buyle who is in charge of the security on the slopes and a
team of 65 piste patrollers. The avalanche dogs and their masters do rescue
simulations each week, so that the dogs are used to the public and all the
different transport modes that may be needed to get to an avalanche site,
such as a snow scooter, helicopter, chairlift, on a skier’s back... Around ten
avalanche alerts are given each winter, on or off piste. “We always send out
a dog. A dog can search a hectare of snow in 15 minutes, while we need
20 humans for 1 hour to cover the same area.” Three dog-houses are strategically placed at the top of the mountain. “When we set off artificial avalanches, the dog team is always ready to do a search if needed. It improves
safety for the rest of the team.” The six-footed couples are also called out to
help with critical situations out of the resort and work as a complement to
the police forces. The twelve dogs in the area and their masters were recently
honoured to be invited to a special reception at the regional government as
a thank you. During the inter-seasons, the dogs keep training, working as a
group and keeping their sense of smell keen. Obedience is key, but always
rewarded. There are also veterinary visits... Without human devotion, this
workforce would not be possible.
Conquering the world
In Serre Chevalier Valley, a new channel for promoting
and marketing the resort is opening up. Explanation.
➞ Boosting the amount of visitors to the resort is the goal
for Serre Chevalier Valley. The
company is working closely
with the tourist office to capture a new clientele. Sylvie Stel
has twenty years’ experience in
ski tourism and is in charge of
promoting Serre Chevalier at
various ski shows and making
contact with tour operators
and travel agencies. “This year,
we’ve focused on Belgium,
but also Eastern European countries with special offers in the low season.” The
first week of the season, around 1000 Czech and Polish tourists are expected. “We
support the tourist office promotions with special deals on all our products. We’re
more than ever ready to welcome guests from the first to the last day of the season,
hoping to fill all the weeks.” New contracts with tour operators such as Inghams
Hotel Plan, Snowtime and TUI Benelux have been signed. “We’re working both on
volume and the quality of our target group, even if we have to compete with some
big, snow-safe resorts. We need to push everything that makes Serre Chevalier so
special, and we aim to be very much seen on the market, on the web and in media
so that we can get all the visitors we deserve.”
L’ESPACE
Holiski, the freedom
of skiing
➞ For those who regularly come skiing in
Serre Chevalier Valley, the Holiski card is ideal
for saving money. For a cost of 29€ you avoid
the lift pass queue and get at least 15% off on
an adult day pass. Skiing day number 9 costs
just 1€, just like day 14 and 19. Your ski pass
bill is debited to your bank card at the end
of each month. You can also use the Holiski
card in the following resorts: Paradiski, Les
Arcs, La Plagne, Tignes, Val d’Isère, Flaine,
Grand Massif. Sign up at L’Espace, or online on
www.holiskiserrechevalier.com
How can we help you?
Want to know what the snow is like? Fancy an evening outing? Want to become
Ambassador? Need to recharge your Holiski card? L’Espace is open 7 days a week, it
is the place to go for any question related to the ski area.
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n a contemporary and stylish environment, this is the third year for
L’Espace. Véronique Salle is in charge and with thirteen years in the
resort, she knows it off by heart! She is used to welcoming customers and
finding answers to the most unusual questions. “Sometimes, L’Espace is a
bit like a tourist office!” she says. Open from 8.30-17.30, they only help
with questions related to the ski area, but there’s a lot of information to keep
track of. Enrol for an evening out in a piste-basher and choose whether to
go for the early morning one and see the sunrise, or the romantic one under
the stars and a meal on the mountain. You can also visit the snow factory
and learn more about the grooming. Anyone over the age of 16 can sign up
for half an hour’s lesson in driving a piste-basher at the Grooming School.
Véronique and her team can also suggest an unusual piste tour, where you
get to know the different jobs in a ski resort.
Support, Advice, Information
Use the hotline for phoning in with your questions on +33(0)492 255 500.
“-Weather forecast for the week, you say? -Yes, all the runs are open today.
-No, there’s no avalanche risk on the slopes even though there’s been a lot
of fresh snow. -Yes, of course if you buy the Grande Galaxie season pass
you get free days in Montgenevre, Puy Saint Vincent, Les 2 Alpes and Alpe
d’Huez. And if you buy it until December 1, you get 25% off.” The team has
a lot of work to get done. They update the information screens across the
valley, hand out brochures so that clients can create their Holiski account
and handle Ambassador accounts for second home owners, allowing
them to accumulate points that can lead to a free ski pass. As it gets busy,
Véronique remains focused. “A 6-day pass or longer has many advantages:
you get 25% off your day pass in La Grave, free night skiing in Briançon
and a free day pass for cross-country skiing in the valley.” We have learned
a lot during our visit, and note that customer service takes pride of place in
Serre Chevalier Valley.