Head of snowmaking

Bernard Etievent makes you discover his job

Bernard Etievent has been a snowmaker at Méribel Alpina since 1995 and is now the Snowmaking Manager. In his snow factory filled with screens on the Chaudanne plateau, but also on the playground represented by the Méribel ski area, he cultivates the essential ingredient for ski holidays

You are "Nivoculture Manager", what does your job involve?

With my two colleagues, Thibaud Falcoz and Cédric Blanche, our mission is to ensure that the slopes are covered with snow. To achieve this, we are helped by 457 snow guns, fed by 7 snow factories and 3 water points! In winter, the main activity is the programming of snowmaking on the slopes. Before the season opens, we produce snow almost 24 hours a day to ensure that there is enough snow to open the ski area, but also to create the base layer of snow that will last until spring.

Every day, the snow groomer drivers divide up the snow piles and tell us if they need more or less snow in a particular area. We also monitor and troubleshoot if our snow guns fail. The summer period is dedicated to the maintenance of our snowmaking equipment and the installation of new snow guns that will mainly reinforce the strategic areas that are most important to our customers: the 3 Vallées links, the beginners' areas and the return stations.

Have there been any changes, technical or otherwise, since you started working in this field?

The equipment itself has changed: we don't use the same type of snow guns as we did a few years ago, because manufacturers are offering new ones that consume much less electricity and yet produce a greater volume of snow. The way of working has also evolved. Everything is much more precise and precise, in order to obtain exceptional quality snow everywhere in the resort.

Is artificial snow as good as natural snow?

Yes, even better for skiing! Cultured snow is more resistant: it resists better to time and to the passage of skiers because it is more compact. If it is clear that a pile of artificial snow will never replace a fresh snowfall, once groomed, the two are equal in terms of quality of glide and sensations. It is also important to know that artificial snow is produced in a natural way, it is water, air and cold. At the end of the winter, the snow melts and returns to nature. We manage our resources as carefully as possible, limiting the amount of water taken from the Doron River to feed our snow guns.

What are the main difficulties you may encounter?

We are 100% dependent on the cold. If it doesn't snow but the temperatures allow it, we can still guarantee the opening of the domain thanks to the snowmaking alone. On the other hand, if the temperatures refuse to fall below -4C (in wet weather), as was the case last year, we can face big difficulties...