BM Morzine aout 08 - Mairie de Morzine Avoriaz

2
this winter’s events in pictures
7 - 8 December 2012
Charity Telethon: Morzine locals get involved
The annual Telethon charity fundraiser took place in its traditional venue, the Palais
des Sports, for a festive evening whose profits went entirely to the French
association against muscular dystrophy (AFM). Children had fun with the fairground
games and sang, musicians played, and all eyes were glued to the donations tally,
and all the while the food stands did a roaring trade. The following day, Saturday,
volunteers organised more fundraising activities in Avoriaz, so in total € 10 009 was
donated to the association (€ 9 278 from Morzine, € 731 from Avoriaz).
8 December 2012
The “Sainte Barbe” commemorated by
Montriond and Morzine in unison
For the first time, Morzine’s firefighters commemorated their patron saint with their
counterparts in Montriond at the new Baron centre by the lake. The ceremony
illustrated the common purpose shared by both fire stations which are on call all
year. The authorities thanked them for their dedication; Morzine’s fire units were
called out 1022 times (792 in Morzine, 230 in Avoriaz).
In this year’s honours list, it’s worth noting the 3 medals and promotion for JeanMarc Berger: departmental medal, federal silver medal for service, silver medal with
rosette for outstanding service, and promotion to the rank of honorary adjutant in
recognition of 40 years’ service and his retirement.
Thursday 20 December 2012
Grand opening for Montriond
Gendarmerie
The gendarmerie was declared officially open with the valley’s elected
representatives present: the under-prefect, senators Pierre Hérisson and JeanClaude Carle, regional councillor Jean-Paul Moille and county councillor Denis
Bouchet, as well as representatives from the firefighting brigades, the police, the
ONF and customs... Representing the gendarmerie was chief of the Chablais
division, Colonel François, in addition to the Montriond brigade and a detachment
from Thonon too. All those present participated in the military ceremony in the
police station courtyard, acknowledging the value of this brigade and its proximity
to the community it protects from Morzine-Avoriaz to Bioge roundabout.
Morzine contributed €163 000 towards the new building complex and is playing a
key role in offering loans for accommodation in Morzine for seasonal staff.
20 - 24 March 2013
Rock the Pistes music festival
This ski-music event was full of surprises and attracted thousands of fans. Every
concert from the first – BB Brunes in Morzine – to the last – Superbus in Avoriaz
Arare – was packed with between 2000 – 4000 fans. Schoolchildren from the CM1
and CM2 years also took part, meeting singer/songwriter Michael Jones as part of
the “Teach your class to perform” project. With Jones’s help, the children sang the
song he performed in a famous trio with Jean-Jacques Goldman and Carole
Fredricks: “Je te donne”.
23 - 24 March 2013
33rd ESF “Etoile d'Or” race event
This huge event saw 842 young racers arriving from different ESF ski schools and
mountain ranges across the country. While ESF Courchevel 1850 won the event,
Avoriaz ESF was also a winner, for its fantastic organisation which saw so many
instructors on hand to help, all working together under the guidance of director
Jean-Paul Vaudaine. For his part, Gilles Chabert, president of the French Ski
Instructors’ National Syndicate, congratulated the organisers for the excellent
organisation which saw two days of sport and celebrations featuring young racers
who took part in an enormous torchlit descent down the Arare on Saturday evening.
A messAge from the mAyor
contents
3
Page 4 - 5
Inter-municipal development plan
Winter sports were developed in our country for everyone’s enjoyment
and to give as many children as possible the chance to benefit from the
mountains. This, above all, was the main driving force behind the
development of our village-resorts. So as we come to reflect on this past
winter it is impossible not to remember the tragic death of little Marine,
who died on the slopes on 4th March. Everyone in Morzine was terribly
saddened by the accident, as elsewhere in France, and on behalf of the
Town Hall team, I would like once more to offer my sympathy and
sincerest condolences to Marine’s family.
Also in March, we saw a blaze at the primary school; thankfully, no children were there that week because
of the holidays. The families and facilities that used the building were quickly re-housed and I am most
grateful to Montriond town hall which offered to help - immediately and without being asked – by giving
a number of our schoolchildren a place to study until the end of the year.
To conclude this sad episode, I would like to thank all those individuals and club members who showed
their support during the episode, who with their kind words and actions helped bring some comfort at
the end of a tough winter.
In other news, the intermunicipal project deadline is fast approaching. The Prefect is not expected to take
into account the fact that a majority of communes object to the proposal (see page 4), and is likely to
press ahead with plans to create an umbrella group of communes comprising 15 members. We have often
warned that the project will incur major costs, at a time when central government is reducing the amount
of aid it gives to local authorities such as Morzine-Avoriaz, which itself faces pressure from having to
contribute to the FPIC intermunicipal fund, hampering its role as the principal economic motor for the
whole valley.
In terms of the local economy, this winter’s heavy and frequent snowfall has contributed to excellent
visitor numbers which we should be delighted about. At the same time, the snowclearing teams have had
to work flat out, once for 16 days non-stop. They deserve our thanks for their professionalism and hard
work.
We are all ready for spring which seems reluctant to show its face... I do hope you all have the opportunity
to relax and even, should you wish, try the new Prodains Express cable car that many other ski resorts are
going to be very jealous of...
Gérard BERGER
Mayor of Morzine-Avoriaz
Pages 6
New “Prodains Express” cable car
Page 7
Building work in Morzine
Pages 8 - 9
The Morzine – Les Prodains cable car
project
Pages 10
Sports news
Page 11
The carillon bell proposal
Page 12 - 15
Children’s lives in Avoriaz
Live better thanks to “Anah”
A new fund to help reduce domestic energy
bills
Do you own your primary residence? Are your energy bills too high? Would
you like to improve the insulation in your home? Do you want some simple
and effective solutions?
For all of these questions, the “Live Better” (Habiter Mieux) initiative could
provide you with the cash to improve your property’s insulation
(conditions: property must be more than 15 years old; income is also taken into account).
This will help you to carry out thermal insulation work on your home and stay warm without higher bills. This
subsidy comes from the national agency Anah and can account for 20 to 35 % of the cost of your work (limited
to € 20 000). Residents can also apply for an additional subsidy from the programme worth € 1 600. Applicants
will receive advice on which work is most useful, as well as help in filling out their dossier and request for aid.
Page 16
Diary, civil announcements,
news in brief...
For more information please contact the Haute-Savoie’s Anah representative:
• Tel: 04 50 33 79 60 or 04 50 33 79 61
• email: [email protected]
visit our website www.morzine.fr
For information about life in the community: latest minutes from council meetings, phone numbers for town hall departments, news and major projects…
Publishers: Mayor Gérard Berger and the Communication Commission - Editing and layout: Chantal Bourreau - Design: EC Création - La Marmotte Bleue - Translation: [email protected]
Printed on PEFC certified paper (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) by an Imprim’Vert certified printer: Imprimerie Nouvelle Sallanches.
intermunicipAlity
New
From next January, MorzineAvoriaz joins the Aulps
Valley’s Community of
Communes, along with Les
Gets and 4 other villages in
Brevon Valley.
The context of
this unification Initially, the project was about extending the
boundaries of the current intermunicipal
arrangement, but this idea – proposed by the
Haute-Savoie’s Prefect – was rejected in 15
villages, notably Le Biot, Saint Jean d’Aulps, Les
Gets and Morzine (at town hall meetings, by
majority vote).
Subsequently, the central government
representative is set to insist that six villages
(Morzine-Avoriaz, Les Gets and 4 villages in
Brevon valley) become part of the Aulps Valley
community of communes. This should happen
after a meeting of the Departmental Commission
for Intermunicipal Cooperation on 5 April. To take
into account the needs of these new villages,
elected officials and technical representatives
have been meeting regularly to plan for this new
arrangement.
Intermunicipality:
Update
Boundary The issue is now closed in the sense that the
future community of communes will cover La
Baume, Le Biot, La Côte d’Arbroz, Essert-Romand,
La Forclaz, Montriond, Saint Jean d’Aulps,
Seytroux, La Vernaz, Les Gets, MorzineAvoriaz, Bellevaux, Lullin, Reyvroz and Vailly. In
total, these 15 villages are home to 12 294
residents, from the smallest (La Baume with 260
residents) to the largest (Morzine with 2 999
residents).
Governance
The question of how the villages are to be
represented (and by how many officials) could
well be decided by common agreement, on
condition that each village has at least one
representative. If an agreement is not reached,
the following split will be imposed centrally thus:
Key
4
New
boundary
Intermunicipality in action
Morzine
Les Gets
Bellevaux
Lullin
Reyvroz
Vailly
La Forclaz
La Vernaz
La Baume
Le Biot
Saint Jean d'Aulps
Seytroux
Montriond
La Côte d'Arbroz
Essert-Romand
residents
N° of
representatives
percentage
2 999
1 284
1 360
858
491
879
217
298
260
470
1 201
413
845
268
451
7
3
3
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
3
1
2
1
1
23,33%
10,00%
10,00%
6,67%
3,33%
6,67%
3,33%
3,33%
3,33%
3,33%
10,00%
3,33%
6,67%
3,33%
3,33%
In light of the town hall elections planned for
March 2014, there will be no review of the
existing community of communes president or
vice-president until after the election.
In another development, central government
insists that each village representative must
now stand in local elections (in 2014) to take
account of their increasing remit, which they
enjoy without having been voted in. This means
that voters will have to elect someone to the
Town Hall team and the Community of
Communes.
This central government-led move should bring
an end to the so-called practice of “panachage”
for villages of fewer than 3 500 residents
whereby candidates’ names can be struck off
the electoral list. The current threshold of 3500
residents will be lowered to 1000 or 500
residents, depending on the outcome of the
current parliamentary debate on the issue.
intermunicipAlity
5
w boundary from 1 January 2014
The financial set-up In view of the complexity of the issue and the fact that it will involve
members of the extended intermunicipal entity for the long-term,
the town hall’s representatives have decided to seek the help of
specialists KPMG to explain the options.
Of course, the financial set-up is not an end in itself, but it is how the
community of communes’ operating costs will be paid. In the end it
will provide a fair arrangement for all member villages by defining
members' responsibilities and where the money is to come from to
pay for everything.
Today, the Aulps Valley community of communes (CCVA) uses the
“additional tax” model. This means that the CCVA applies an
additional tax to the 4 direct taxes already levied by member
villages, namely a property tax on buildings, a property tax on
unconstructed land, council tax and business property tax. As an
example, this means that individuals from a village within the CCVA
have to pay a 20% council tax to their village and an additional 5%
to the CCVA. In total, the individuals’ council tax adds up to 25%.
The other option is to implement a sole taxation system (FPU)
which opens up the possibility of claiming state subsidies. Both
options – additional taxation or FPU - are under discussion to find
the best and most equitable way forward for the villages in the new
entity, while also ensuring that the tax rates are harmonised.
Key responsibilities
At this stage in the discussions, Morzine is
prepared to give the CCVA the remit to look after
young children, by handing over responsibility
for the nurseries and drop-in play centres in
Morzine and Avoriaz, which will continue to be
managed by associations l’Outa and Les Minots.
In addition, responsibility for the music school
and the two health centres under construction
in Avoriaz and Morzine will be handed over to
the CCVA.
The aim in transferring these remits is to find a
working model which offers the best service to
the whole population without increasing
spending or putting existing facilities in conflict
with each other.
The CCVA will also take over responsibility for
waste collection and treatment, currently
handled by the SIVOM, as well as road
maintenance, river and pathway upkeep,
economic development, improvements to the
area, and a library network.
Tourism remains a key subject in discussions and
will remain in the hands of the village, as well as
the tourist bus shuttles and major facilities, such
as the ice rink and Morzine’s indoor pool
complex.
Sewage treatment, which is primarily handled
by the SIVOM, could ultimately be handed over
to the CCVA. The complexity of this issue, along
with the need to harmonise the different tax
rates and facilities in the different villages means
that it will require serious investigation and
reflection before a decision is made.
Key dates
June 2013: green light for the creation of an
• extended
community of communes with 15
•
•
•
•
member villages,
New statutes, remits and fiscal model under
discussion; approved by only 9 out of 15 member
villages,
1 January 2014: incorporation of 6 new villages into
the extended intermunicipal rump,
March/April 2014: town hall and intermunicipal
elections. Intermunicipal representatives are to be
directly voted in by residents,
April/May 2014: election of the Community of
Communes office.
Note: in future, the current Aulps Valley community of
communes is to change its name since it will be joined by
4 villages from the Brevon valley.
site internet : www.morzine.fr
6
new proDAins eXpress cAble cAr
Prodains express cable car
As skiers and walkers look forward to
testing the new “3S” cable car, ski lift
operator SERMA is pushing on with its other
improvements to the ski area
Prodains
Express to
open soon
The last technical checks were
carried out on the new
Prodains Express cable car at
the end of March; the aim is to
open in mid-April, subject to
authorisation.
The Chavanette
reservoir
Replacing the Proclou
chairlift
Ski lift operator SERMA continues to invest in the ski
area with its reservoir project at Chavanette,
beginning as soon as the snow melts. Terracing work
was completed last autumn so the next stage involves
sealing the 80 000m3 lake which will supply the snow
cannons in this sector. More than 2km of pipework
must be laid to enable the new supply. The lake should
be operational in the autumn.
The plan is to replace this chairlift with a variable speed 6 or
8-seater model next winter, doubling capacity to 3600 or
4000 skiers per hour. This will ensure more fluid skier traffic
in this beginners’ area, which is also used to get to and from
Morzine and Avoriaz. Once the work is done, the current
Proclou chairlift will replace the obsolete Séraussaix lift. The
project requires the appropriate authorisation before it can
go ahead.
Pléney:
new cable car
next winter
Plans to replace the Pléney cable car have passed
the public consultation phase (ending 12 April)
and the building permit should be granted in the
coming days. The project will replace not only the
white telecabines (installed in the 1960s) but also
the gondola, which hails back to the
1930s. The new installation will
follow the same path as the existing
one, with 9 new pylons. The bottom
station will also be totally rebuilt
and the top station remodelled for
improved functionality, although
the restaurant building will be
untouched.
No cable car this summer
There will be no cable car open this summer so
that work can progress unhindered on the new
installation (subject to planning permission). But
the Crusaz chairlift (for the summer sledge track)
and the Pointe de Nyon chairlift (for walkers) will
be open. Various solutions are being explored for
MTB riders getting from Morzine to the rest of the
Portes du Soleil and to/from Les Gets.
builDing in morzine
7
The new medical centres
are coming!
Two buildings are under way in
the commune to serve
residents and tourists
In Avoriaz
Work began last spring and the major
external work was done before winter,
allowing work to continue on the inside.
The centre should be open for the
beginning of the summer season.
In Morzine
At the Muraille site, the old municipal
building was knocked down this winter,
and all the rubble sorted and taken away.
By mid-March all that remained was a big
hole in place of the old foundations.
Construction on the new building will
begin in the coming weeks, and is
expected to be completed in 2014,
allowing time for the internal
refurbishment and installation of special
medical equipment.
Other work planned in Morzine
A car park for seasonaires
The car park at La Grand'Maison opened this winter; it will
stay open non-stop and will be in use for the coming
summer season.
The “Tailles de Mas” roads
Both of the “tailles de mas” roads in Morzine, the Joux road
and the upper part of the Champs de La Plagne road were
due for resurfacing last autumn, but the contractor
commissioned with the job was delayed. The project will
start once the weather warms up.
The gendarmerie: it’s coming down!
Tendering is under way to remove asbestos and demolish
the old gendarmerie this summer if all goes to plan.
Once done, the area will provide room for parking.
Signage
A study has been carried out by Lyon consultants ASCODE,
specialists in the movement of people and signage.
Their suggestions have been taken on board and will be
made public soon. The next stage involves a tendering
process for the manufacture of these signs.
CCTV
The gendarmerie is currently studying the
best place to install CCTV cameras and
whether it is in the interest of the village
to do so. If the cameras are deemed likely
to limit vandalism and ensure people’s
safety, the police officers will present
recommendations to the town hall team,
which will then decide how to proceed.
La Plagne road:
the 3rd phase is coming
This is the third and final phase of
improvements to the tourist office square,
with work to the area between the Baud
shoe shop and the Super Morzine
roundabout. There are to be new
pavements, the utility networks will be
buried, while the public lighting system
will be modernised. There will also be new
drop-off parking/delivery bays and busstops...Final surveys are under way with a
view to starting work in September 2013.
site internet : www.morzine.fr
8
the morzine-proDAins cAble cAr
Artist’s impression of the proposed development
Village news
Development of the
“Plan” sector
The town hall held a public meeting on 8
March at the Palais des Sports during the
school holidays so that holiday-home
visitors could attend.
The public meeting also discussed proposals to
develop the Plan sector and other related projects.
The mayor reminded those present of the project’s
three principal facets:
- tunnel access to the Plan sector (3rd lane)
under the Grand Mas road,
- the Morzine-Les Prodains cable car,
- the town planning blueprint for the sector.
The cost of tunnel access is estimated at
around € 15 million and is only possible with outside
funding. As the town hall has no intention of selling
off public land to finance this proposal, it is a nonstarter.
The new cable car: a publicprivate partnership solution
The latest surveys have provided a clearer idea of
where to put the bottom station and parking for
400 cars, given the constraints imposed by the
direction the cable car must take and the lie of the
land. The mayor has said that the town hall has no
intention of paying directly for the facility, and
instead will set up a public-private partnership for
a 30-year period responsible for building and
management (including the car parking).
New surveys will show the likely demand and cost
of the cable car, and help decide whether it is
worth doing. The proposal was presented to the
Portes du Soleil consortium, with a view to
getting an idea of funding and how much
the new facility might boost visitor
numbers within the ski network. Given that
the new cable car is to be used by skiers
and walkers, it is also important to define its
operating conditions in relation to other
mountain lifts in the Portes du Soleil. All of
these factors will have to be incorporated
into the public-private partnership dossier,
which is being prepared now. Tendering
could begin before the end of the year for a
new operating company, which will
naturally dictate how the project
progresses.
the morzine-proDAins cAble cAr
Morzine-Prodains link almost approved
There’s already plenty of support for the
proposed cable car, which would be similar to
the new Prodains Express, guaranteeing
continuous aerial transport between Morzine
and Avoriaz. The project was first approved by
the “Comité de Massif”, the SCOT du Chablais
initiative and the territorial coordination
scheme, which extends planning rules to 62
villages in Chablais. The county council has
provided financial support for the surveys under
way (overseen by a contractor) and has also
confirmed there is a chance of getting a subsidy
for the building. This last link in the Balad’Aulps
Bus chain – the inter-village transport solution
for Morzine, should fall within the new
departmental tourist development plan.
After consultation, Morzine’s business
associations have also lent their support to the
cable car proposal, namely:
association of furnished
• Morzine’s
accommodation renters and Morzine
•
•
•
•
residents’ association, which voted
unanimously for the proposal at their
respective meetings,
Morzine ESF, via their director, also
expressed their support for the project, on
condition of the creation of a snow passage
to and from Pléney,
Morzine hoteliers’, cafe owners’ and
restaurateurs’ syndicate (19 votes for, 1
against and 2 abstentions),
Morzine business owners’ association
voted unanimously for the project,
Morzine tourist office commission voted
16-1 in favour of the proposal with one
abstention.
The constraints...
This project to develop the Plan sector meets the
positioning requirement for an elevated bottom
station, located at the top of the mound to limit
the number of pylons and ensure optimal
clearance above housing. It will also allow for the
construction of a 6-storey car park with around
400 spaces; this new space will offer the chance of
a fine new public space for Morzine with terraces,
balconies and new panoramas. The exact nature
9
Developing the “Plan” sector
Whatever the result of tendering for this
public-private project, the village needs to
decide how to develop the entire Plan
sector, since it is currently not constructible
without providing an all-encompassing
approach, as indicated by its 2AU status in
the town planning blueprint (ie,
construction is possible on condition that
the whole sector is developed). At the
beginning of February, the proposals for a
cable car station and car park were put to
landowners in the sector, with artists’
impressions to help better understand the
impact of the new facilities, as well as
people’s expectations and their concerns.
The town hall’s aim is to provide a holistic
proposal that will ultimately help this
sector become a more coherent part of
Morzine that is also in harmony with its
environment.
… the solutions
of the improvements has yet to
be decided. The car park will be
linked to the cable car, whose
route is strictly dictated by
technical constraints (namely
the arrival point of the Prodains
Express)
and
geological
limitations (risk of rockfall from
the cliffs in Prodains valley).
The town hall team has opted for a bottom station with
access from the Chemin de la Vieille Plagne. Two lifts with
panoramic views will provide access from top to bottom
and vice-versa.
This solution lessens the impact on surrounding housing
and reduces the visual impact of the work too, in
comparison with other proposals (only lower properties will
be affected by the cable car passing overhead), while also
providing a new car park.
site internet : www.morzine.fr
10
sports news
In 2012, and also at the start
of 2013, Morzine-Avoriaz has
been able to count on her
champions to raise her
profile.
The commune’s athletes have produced
podium finishes in all manner of sports, from
paragliding to MTB, ice hockey, not
forgetting skiing in all its forms (sit-skiing,
downhill, Nordic and snowboarding...)
This last ski season was a fantastic one for
Yohann Taberlet, the best of his career to date
in fact, with his second-place finish in the
World Championship Super G event.
Champions
in every discipline!
Morzine-Avoriaz ice hockey club
Yohann TABERLET
Cyprien RICHARD
• At the World Cup finals in Sotchi, Russia, on 9
March: 3rd in the downhill; on 8 March: 2nd in
the pre-paralympic downhill,
• In the World Championships in Molina in Spain
on 21 February: silver medal, runner-up in the
World Cup Super G; on 20 and 26 February:
bronze medal in the downhill and 5th in the
Giant,
• At the French Championships in Combloux
on16 February: French Super G champion,
• At the European Cup finals in Tignes on 5 and 7
February: 1st in the Super G and 3rd in the
downhill,
• In the European Cup at Tarvisio, Italy on 24 and
25 January: 3rd in 2 downhills, in the Super G
and Super-combined,
• In the World Cup in Saint-Moritz, Switzerland,
on 15 and 16 January: 6th and 5th in the slalom,
• In the World Cup at Sestrières, Italy, on 11
January: 4th in the slalom.
Yohann ended the 2012/2013 season winning
the crystal medal in recognition of his 2nd place
finish in the overall World Cup rankings.
World Cup, Giant
• Beaver Creek: 11th
• Val-d'Isère: 21st
• Alta-Badia: 14th
• Adelboden: 24th
• Garmisch: 14th
• Kranjska-Gora: 20th
• World Championships in Schladming: 19th
• Regular season: 7th in the Magnus League with 30 points
(95 goals for, 95 against)
• Play-offs: knocked out in the quarter-finals against Rouen,
• League Cup: knocked out in the quarter-finals against
Briançon,
• French cup: knocked out in the last 16 by Briançon
And not forgetting: excellent performances by Wilfried
Cailleau in the World Cup B circuit in the Nordic combined.
Alexis
SEVENNEC-VERDIER
World Championships in Pelvoux from 9 to
15 February
• Bronze medal in the team event with
Xavier Gachet,
• 6th in the individual event,
• 13th in the Vertical Race,
• 3rd in the relay.
Gold medal in the World Military Games at
Annecy in the individual event..
European Mountain
Football Clubs
Championship
Morzine to host 2016 event
After the inaugural event in Gspon in Switzerland in 2008, the 2nd in 2012 in
Kleinarl in Autriche, the 3rd European Mountain Football Clubs
Championship is to be in Morzine in 2016! The central organising committee
voted in February to accept Morzine’s bid by the Sporting Club Morzine
Vallée d'Aulps to host the event, which is planned for the beginning of June
2016. Around 12 European teams are to take part.
Morzine to host
“Le Tour de l’Avenir”
Morzine is to host a stage of the 2013 cycle Tour de
l’Avenir, featuring some of the finest young riders in the
sport. The stage arrives in the village on 29 August and
departs the next day.
Tennis: back in the swing
Nicolas Geydet, outgoing president of the tennis school for the last 3
years, talks a little about the club:
“The April elections will choose a new president; the new committee will
also plan the coming summer season, although information on how to
become a member will be posted up at the clubhouse at the start of May.
Our tennis school offers weekly lessons for children aged 7-18 from
Morzine and the whole valley. It’s a chance to try the sport by means of a
fun version of the game, which is completely non-competitive. Along
with Jean Demars, Benjamin Dangas and a few others, we reformed the
club around 12 years ago. Since then the number of children has never
stopped growing, with a record 95 child members in 2012! Good spirits
and energy are guaranteed at Morzine Tennis Club for the 2013 season!”
cArillon bell AppeAl
11
The town hall is supporting a
project to erect a carillon bell
in the tourist office square. The
musical creation is an original
idea by bell-maker Paccard de
Sevrier and Lyon artist JeanMarc Bonnard.
Jean-Marc Bonnard is a sculptor, plastic arts
specialist and teacher at St Etienne’s National
Art School. He has collaborated with bellmakers Paccard on similar projects in many
other towns. As for Paccard, the name needs
little introduction. The bell-maker has made
more than 120,000 bells, among them the
“Savoyarde”, France’s biggest bell which peals
at the Sacré-Coeur in Paris, and the World
Peace Bell, a 33-tonne creation smelted in
1999 and destined for the USA.
A musical
instrument
Together, these two specialists in their field
have created a unique concept: "Ars Sonora
Flammes", an artistic piece as well as a top
quality musical instrument. Using a preprogrammed computerised system, the
carillon will ring every hour, but it can also be
used as an instrument by musicians. Its 19
bells cover a wide range of notes, offering
perfect pitch and optimum choice of tessitura
for classical compositions or folk ballads.
The art of sound in flame
(Ars Sonora Flames)...
in the heart of Morzine
A regional
tradition
Carillon bells have a long heritage
in the Haute-Savoie. Examples are
on show in Taninges, Samoëns,
Morgins and naturally in Les Gets,
at the mechanical music museum.
The new carillon will be a focal
point in the Morzine landscape
and provide a means of
brightening up the already
welcoming feel of the tourist office
square. Once night has fallen, the
sculpture will be lit up to show it
off to full effect.
Subscription appeal for
the bells
Several financing streams have come together to pay for this work
of art and its 19 bells, not least the Haute-Savoie Conseil General,
which via our councillor Denis Bouchet has agreed to pay 40
percent of the total cost. Morzine-Avoriaz will also pay 30 percent
of the carillon, leaving a public appeal for the remaining 30
percent. Contributors can give either enough for a bell, or a
smaller cash gift. Contributions can be written off as a tax break for
the creation of an artistic work of general and cultural interest.
Businesses can write off 60 percent of the cash gift, individuals are
entitled to a 66 percent deduction. Everyone who makes a
donation will receive a receipt to send in with their tax return. The
appeal closes on 31 May 2013. To find out more, a contributors’
form is available at the town hall or online at
www.morzine.fr/Actualités. It is thus possible to make a
contribution by sponsoring a bell, or making a €50 cash gift.
The sawmill project: let’s get it built!
Last November, the inaugural stone was laid in
Dereches park, on the site where Albert
Richard’s old Udrezants sawmill (known as “the
belligerent”) is to be rebuilt. The project – the
brainchild of Morzine’s History and Heritage
Association – continues this spring. A new
association called “La battante de Morzine” was
set up, with president Benoît Tavernier, vice-
president Jean-Louis Battandier and Paul
Bouchet as treasurer. This is no ordinary
building project however, since instead of using
skilled workmen, the association wants the end
result to be a team effort by all those interested
in it. So the association is making an appeal to
volunteers interested in working on this
prestigious project - under the guidance of
skilled professionals. Tradesmen or handy
DIYers, joiners, carpenters or other
professionals who want to get involved should
contact Benoit Tavernier, Jean-Louis Battandier,
Paul Bouchet or Bernard Buet.
site internet : www.morzine.fr
12
primAry school
In a ski resort at 1800m,
what’s a normal day for
children before, during and
after school?
The school goes largely unnoticed by
holidaymakers, but then it is well hidden in a
natural hollow, especially in winter when the
building is covered by a thick blanket of snow.
Being in a ski resort, the most impressive
thing about it is how it operates on a daily
basis, given the changing number of pupils
throughout the school year.
This year, 18 children enrolled for the start of
term at Avoriaz school in September 2012.
But from All Souls in November to the
beginning of December, pupil numbers
continued to grow as more seasonal workers
and their families arrived.
In March, pupil numbers stood at 33, with
fresh arrivals at the start of the month. In
September, the school had just one class for
nursery-age children (petite section) to CM2
children (age 9-10 years old), even if some
academic levels were not represented. From
All Souls to the end of April, a new supply
teacher provided additional help to the
current team, with Benoît Emptaz looking
after the youngest children, while Aurélie
Rosset (director for the last 10 years) and
Céline Fréville (replacing Caroline Muffat on
A school
in a class of its own
maternity leave this winter) each look after the
older children on a part-time basis, including the
only child in the eldest level (CM2).
Brigitte Benedetti, a teaching assistant for the
youngest children, known as an ATSEM, also helps
with extra-curricular reception, providing a friendly
face from 8am before lessons start at 9am.
“You have to adapt to the changing numbers and
above all be very well organised so everyone has
something to do... a lot of children complete their
entire school curriculum here, so they are used to this
mix of ages...overall, there’s no problem,” says Aurélie
Rosset.
Many congratulations to this hardworking
teaching team, whose work isn’t always made easy
by the arrival of children from all over France...or
even further afield!
primAry school
School...and school dinners
…and extracurricular care!
It’s often the case that both parents are required to work long
hours and as such many families need to know their children can
be looked after at all times during the season.
For this reason, the school canteen is open
from the beginning of December to the
end of April. Outside this period, children
can go home to eat. A hot dinner arrives
fresh from Morzine and is then
transported by caterpillar track taxi to the
school. A portacabin was used for many
years as a dining room for children, but the
rise in numbers meant it had to be used as
a sleeping area for the youngest children,
so a second portacabin was brought in
next to the first to give the children
somewhere to eat. Nearly all the pupils eat
at school, so the current solution cannot
be a long-term fix. Nothing short of an
extension of the current school facilities is
needed to cater for the children, whose
numbers show no signs of dropping in
view of the new residences in the resort.
The school has offered after-school care for children since the start of the school
year in September. Organising this is a little bit complicated owing to the trip to the
nursery, but it offers several advantages. After school is over, children are taken to
the Minots nursery in caterpillar track taxi, and they can stay there until 6.30pm.
13
Changes to the school day
The government is keen to change the school day; one of the main changes
is the reintroduction of a 4.5 day week (as opposed to the current 4-day
week). As a result the school day will be shorter, which was in fact the
motivating factor of the reforms. Faced with the problem of childcare –
particularly during the winter season – the resort will have to increase the
amount of time it looks after children outside school, and introduce new
activities. This kind of reorganisation cannot be done rashly and needs to be
carried out in consultation with teachers, associations and of course parents.
For school transport reasons, one of the goals is to harmonise the changes
throughout the valley's schools.
For all of these reasons, the town hall team voted at a meeting on 22
February to postpone the implementation of these reforms to the school
week until 2014.
site internet : www.morzine.fr
14
chilDren in AvoriAz
Before and after school,
families can put their
children with other carers
The Avoriaz
Children’s Club
A club for children of all ages
The Avoriaz Children’s Club (Les Enfants d'Avoriaz) brings together the resort’s three childcare organisations:
Les P'Tits Loups, the drop-off nursery for tourists (30 places)
Les Minots, a nursery for residents’ children
The extracurricular club (15 places)
Together, the organisations have permission to look after 63 children with 9 staff.
•
•
•
•
There’s even time for
skiing!
“We have worked with service providers in resort,
including the ESF and the Village des Enfants to ensure
that the children get to ski during the school holidays.
They ski in the morning, with staff from the Minots
nursery taking them to and from the plateau for lessons.
A lot of families appreciate this “all-inclusive” service and
the ski schools give us a price reduction too. It’s important
that these children do outdoor activities and can enjoy
the mountains,” says Emilie Eard.
Development projects
Les Minots: a nursery
and extra-curricular
care
With 18 spaces for children aged from 2
months to 5 years old, the nursery is open 7
days a week from 1 December to 20 April and
in the summer, from Monday to Saturday.
Since the start of term in September, the
Carolina building is used for extracurricular
care (during school days from 4.30pm to
6.30pm) and as a home for the leisure club.
“We wanted to provide a service in complement
to the school, which takes over when school closes.
The issue is being able to provide help to families
who work,” says Emilie Eard, director at Les Minots.
After school is over for the day, the term used to
describe the childcare is extracurricular. When
there is no school, the Minots nursery becomes a
leisure club open during the season on
Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and during
school holidays (excluding All Saints and Easter if
the holidays fall after the resort closes). The facility
is open to children aged 3 to 10 years old who are
at school in Avoriaz or whose parents work in the
resort (so children at school in Morzine can come
up on Wednesdays with their parents, for
example).
The growing number of activities and children at the
nursery and needing childcare has not gone unnoticed
by the town hall team, which is planning to extend the
facilities. “The drop-off nursery for tourists regularly turns
away children for want of space; in March 2012 we had to
say no to 50 families in just one week,” a nursery
spokeswoman said. It was deemed important to come
up with a solution for the good of the resort’s image
and to keep visitors happy. The project envisages
adding 20 places to the drop-off nursery for tourists, so
it would occupy all of the ground floor of the building,
while the residents’ nursery (which would get space for
another two children) and extracurricular care facility
would move upstairs into what are now apartments.
The work is planned for this summer, and the new
system should be operational by Christmas 2013.
chilDren in AvoriAzz
15
Fire at the primary school
The blaze caused serious damage to four apartments and
classrooms. Work needs to be organised now so the
school can reopen as soon as possible.
The fire that broke out on the morning of Friday 1
March destroyed much of the building’s roof, some
200m² in all. The four apartment on the third floor
were left uninhabitable, but thanks to the support
of the community, teachers’ families and town hall
employees who lived there were housed
elsewhere in no time.
After apparently starting in the loft, the fire also
ravaged classrooms, so a temporary solution had
to be found for children who needed somewhere
to work after the February school holidays.
Working together, the town hall team, along with
the Schools Inspector and teachers, arranged for 2
classes of children in CM1/CM2 and CE2 to go to
Montriond school, while children in CP were found
room in the infants’ school. School transport was
also reorganised between Montriond and Morzine,
as were the canteen and extra-curricular childcare.
Major works
planned
Overwhelming
solidarity
Once the fire was put out, the building was made safe
rapidly and the site cleared; burned timber was
removed, the loft was made safe, rubble removed and
people’s belongings that could be saved - as well as
school equipment - were gathered. Making the building
safe involved reconstructing a temporary roof and
covering it with a tarpaulin to protect the inside from
bad weather. The investigation into the causes of the
fire began as soon as it was put out. A team of experts
in concrete structures has been commissioned to assess
the building, and a specialist project manager chosen
to lead the rebuilding work.
The town hall team would like to thank all
those who showed their support at a difficult
time, whether by offering to take in the
families affected by the fire, or by clearing up
the site, or helping move the families, or
lending their vehicles to help move the
classrooms to their new premises. A big thank
you to everyone!
site internet : www.morzine.fr
16
mAjor DAtes this summer
JUNE
th
16 :
23rd:
28th – 30th:
JULY
7th:
11th – 14th:
24th -27th:
25th – 27th:
AUGUST
th
11 :
15th:
17th:
29th – 30th:
SEPTEMBER
th
th
Du 5 – 7 :
Football - Tournoi des Montagnes in Montriond.
Cycling - Cyclosportive Morzine/ Vallée d’Aulps (starts in
Montriond, finishes in Morzine).
10th Pass’Portes du Soleil MTB festival (bike fair in Châtel).
Crève Coeur mountain race, organised by the Club Alpin du
Haut Chablais, Secours en
Montagne and La Daille
club.
Morzine Harley Days:
motorcycle rally organised
by HOG France. With
ZUCCHERO in concert on
Saturday 13 July in the
tourist office square at
9.30pm.
6th Lind’art festival; special
theme Turkish Sufi music.
“Le Monde de Morzna”
festival.
Cycling – Morzine-Avoriaz bike sprint.
Edelweiss fair.
Running - Hauts-Forts race.
Cycling - Le Tour de l’Avenir, international-level
competition.
Find out more at : www.parc-dereches.com
BIRTHS
Laura BAUD PACHON, a daughter for Alexandre and Sophia PERAIS
Iris CHLOPAS, a daughter for Paul and Rebecca RUDD
Charlie BAUD, a son for Laurent and Ilja de JONG
Gaspar VOIRON, a son for Pierre-Louis and Valérie BAUD PACHON
Vadim VOIRON, a son for Vincent and Audrey MAZUET
Mathilde HEU REIGNIER, a daughter for Benoît and Sophie REIGNIER
Thomas SERRAULT, a son for Gérald and Lysiane MONIER
Nolann THEDE, a son for Mehdi and Ingrid BARRERE
MARRIAGES
8th December:
15th December:
29th December:
30th January:
23rd March:
30th March:
Jean-Marc PRINCE & Maria CALVO FELIPEZ
Simon CLOUTIER & Hélène COUTURIER
Florent DUCLOS & Agnès HERNU
Pierre GERBAZ & Chantal JOURNEAULT
Steve MARCHAND & Lenaïc CAVROIS
Lionel TOPHIN & Brigitte GRAVA
DEATHS
19th December:
29th December:
31st December:
2nd January:
2nd January:
9th February:
10 February:
12th February:
21st March:
The new Dereches Park logo represents all the public sports
and leisure facilities located near the Palais des Sports. In
total, around 10 activities are on offer to families, summer
and winter. The aim of the new logo is to highlight all the
activities in the park and raise the profile of this unique
space. Its advantages include modern facilities, sport and
the mountains, and all these features are encompassed by
the logo, which evokes Nyon’s summit.
Motorsport - 65th Mont-Blanc Rally.
Announcements
15th November:
21st November:
3rd December:
27th December:
28th December:
5th January:
11th January:
17th January:
New-look
Dereches park!
Jacques ROMMÉ - 93
Antoine MECHOUD - 90
Raymond VIVIAND - 89
Jean-Claude VULLIEZ - 64
Jacques CARRIER - 82
Jean-François MECHOUD - 92
Alice BAUD - 92
Henri BONNET - 85
Fernande GARNIER, married name DEFFERT - 88
15 March 2013
The Magnolias residence
inaugurated
The Magnolias residence opened last December for
seasonal workers in Avoriaz, with 39 apartments shared
between 2 buildings in the centre of the resort.
The official opening ceremony was overseen by Thonon’s
sub-prefect Jean-Yves Le Merrer, Charles Riera (president of
Léman Habitat) and Mayor Gérard Berger, all of whom
praised the quality of the build and its design by architect
Simon Cloutier.
This building - the first of its kind for seasonal workers in the
mountains - cost €3.385 million.