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Artouste

Coordinates: 42°53′51″N 0°23′46″W / 42.897565°N 0.396090°W / 42.897565; -0.396090
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Artouste
The Artouste gondola lift with a view over the Lac de Fabrèges
The Artouste gondola lift with a view over the Lac de Fabrèges
Artouste is located in France
Artouste
Artouste
Location within France
Artouste is located in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Artouste
Artouste
Artouste (Nouvelle-Aquitaine)
Artouste is located in Pyrenees
Artouste
Artouste
Artouste (Pyrenees)
LocationLaruns, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Nearest major cityPau
Coordinates42°53′51″N 0°23′46″W / 42.897565°N 0.396090°W / 42.897565; -0.396090
Top elevation2,100 m (6,900 ft)
Base elevation1,350 m (4,430 ft)
Trails20
Total length25 km (16 mi)
Websitewww.artouste.fr

Artouste, or Artouste-Fabrèges, (Occitan: Artosta e Habrèjas) is a winter sports resort in the French Pyrenees. It is located in the commune of Laruns in the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The resort operates the Petit train d'Artouste during the summer period. In the face of climate change, the resort is also developing ancillary activities to compensate for an expected lack of snow in winter.

Geography

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Artouste is located in the high Béarn, in the Ossau Valley, near the Lac de Fabrèges. The resort is located in the heart of the Natura 2000 site of the Massif de Ger [fr]. Artouste is located southwest of the ski resort of Gourette and is about 10 km (6.2 mi) from the France–Spain border north of Formigal. The resort of Artouste is accessible by road. The resort can be reached via the RD 431 and the RD 934 roads, which connect Laruns to the Col du Pourtalet and Spain.

History

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The Lac d'Artouste was discovered at the end of the nineteenth century, by Ludovic Gaurier [fr]. The discovery attracted the Société hydroélectrique du Midi, which wanted to use the lake for a hydroelectric power station.

Hydroelectric power and railways

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The Petit train d'Artouste with the Pic du Midi d'Ossau during the early 20th century

With the aim of building a hydroelectric dam at the Lac d'Artouste, the Compagnie des chemins de fer du Midi built a railway between La Sagette and the construction site in 1920. The dam was completed in 1929. In the 1930s, the Artouste estate was opened to tourism via the Petit train d'Artouste, which utilised the railway line.

Skiing

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In 1966, the commune of Laruns undertook the creation of a downhill ski resort at Artouste. The station, initially called Artouste-La Sagette, was inaugurated on 15 December 1967.[1] The commune managed the resort from its opening. In view of a chronic financial deficit, management of the resort was entrusted to an outside organisation in 1978. In 1984, the village of Fabrèges was created on the shores of the Lac de Fabrèges, at an altitude of 1,250 m (4,100 ft). Fabrèges is located at the base of the Sagette gondola lift leading to the resort.

The revival of the resort

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In 2006, the resort was declared bankrupt and was taken over. In 2019, after a year of litigation, an agreement was reached between the commune of Laruns and the resort operator. On 1 April 2019, the commune of Laruns took over the direct management of the resort and the Petit train d'Artouste.[2][3][4] Since then, the resort's management has been coordinating the creation of new all-weather activities. In June 2019, the resort became the first resort in the Pyrenees to offer mountain karting,[5] an activity already present in the French Alps.

Sport and leisure

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Winter activities

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The gondola lift departure station, in Fabrèges

The ski resort of Artouste is located on the massif of the Pic de la Sagette, and connected to the Lac de Fabrèges by the Sagette gondola lift. It is necessary to take another lift to access the snowpark at 2,100 m (6,900 ft), the summit of the resort. The resort is organised into four sectors, catering for skiers from beginner to expert.

Summer activities

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The Petit train d'Artouste and hiking trails

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The resort is known for its train running at an altitude of around 2,000 m (6,600 ft), which is the highest narrow-gauge railway in Europe,[6] and operates from the top of the Sagette gondola lift to the Lac d'Artouste on 10 km (6.2 mi) of track. During the summer months of 2024, it carried more than 112,000 passengers.[7] From the end of the railway line at the Lac d'Artouste, several hiking routes are available to visitors, including towards the GR 10 hiking route.

Cycling

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The resort hosted the finish of stage 3 of the Tour of the Pyrenean Piedmont [fr] in 2023[8] and 2024.[9]

Artouste was also the host of the Young Mountain Biker Trophy in 2015.[10]

Mountain karting

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Artouste was the host of the 2021 Mountain Kart World Championship.[11][12]

Other summer activities

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According to forecasts by the Pyrenean Climate Change Observatory, the snow will be half as thick by the early 2050s. In addition, a month less of snow is expected. To cope with this, the resort has invested in other activities such as a mountain go-kart track, zip line, water sports facilities and a wellness area.[13][14]

Projects and controversies

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In 2016, the resort decided to renovate its gondola lifts.[15] This was expected to cost €5.5 million[16] for the commune of Laruns, the owner of the gondola. Since 2013, the resort has been considering the creation of an artificial ski slope in order to have an alternative to snow cannons. In 2024, during debates within the Regional Council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine in order to grant a budget to this project, The Ecologists' elected representatives contested it on the basis of potential harm to the fauna and flora of a Natura 2000 classified site.[17][18][19][20] Elected officials described the resort as a "Disneyland Mountain".[21] For a long time, there has been discussion of a better physical link between Gourette and Artouste,[22][23] to improve upon the off-piste route that already connects the two ski areas.[24] Other projects are currently being studied to revitalise the resort in winter, in particular to improve its position on ski mountaineering and snowshoeing. The creation of a second zip line and the installation of a summer toboggan were also considered.[25]

References

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  1. ^ "Chronique en blanc" [Chronicle in white]. Sud-Ouest (in French). No. 7242. 8 December 1967. p. 20.
  2. ^ Faure, Odile; Bruneau, Joëlle (8 February 2019). "Artouste : la ville de Laruns reprend la gestion de la station de ski et du Petit Train" [Artouste: the town of Laruns takes over the management of the ski resort and the Petit Train]. Sud Ouest (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  3. ^ Napias, Marie-Line (12 February 2019). "Gestion de la station de ski d'Artouste : la commune de Laruns reprend la main" [Management of the Artouste ski resort: the commune of Laruns takes back control]. France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  4. ^ Chauwin, Hélène; Daycard, Elise (8 February 2019). "La commune de Laruns reprend l'exploitation de la station de ski d'Artouste" [The municipality of Laruns takes over the operation of the Artouste ski resort]. France Info (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  5. ^ Bruneau, Joëlle (22 November 2019). "Artouste (64) : nouveau départ et nouveaux tarifs" [Artouste (64): new start and new prices]. Sud Ouest (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  6. ^ "The Train d'Artouste: Europe's highest narrow-gauge train". BBC Travel. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  7. ^ Niedercorn, Frank (3 September 2024). "Dans les Pyrénées, la commune de Laruns rachète le petit train touristique d'Artouste" [In the Pyrenees, the commune of Laruns buys the little tourist train of Artouste]. Les Echos (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  8. ^ Peyre, Patrick (13 August 2023). "Cyclisme : Charles Paige remporte un Tour du Piémont Pyrénéen so british" [Cycling: Charles Paige wins a very British Tour of the Pyrenean Piedmont]. La République des Pyrénées (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  9. ^ Jouanserre, Claude (7 July 2024). "Tour du Piémont Pyrénéen : victoire à Artouste et maillot jaune pour Baptiste Poulard sur la 3e étape samedi" [Tour of the Pyrenean Piedmont: victory in Artouste and yellow jersey for Baptiste Poulard on the 3rd stage on Saturday]. La République des Pyrénées (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  10. ^ Baudron, Pascal (6 June 2015). "Trophée du jeune vététiste d'Artouste : voici les classements" [Artouste Young Mountain Biker Trophy: here are the rankings]. La République des Pyrénées (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  11. ^ Thevenet, Pierre (22 August 2021). "Le mountain kart au sommet du monde à Artouste" [Mountain karting at the top of the world in Artouste]. La République des Pyrénées (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  12. ^ Bely, Romain (15 August 2021). "Artouste va accueillir le championnat du monde de Mountain kart" [Artouste to host the Mountain Kart World Championship]. Sud Ouest (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  13. ^ Favennec, Oanna (3 February 2023). "Climat : à Artouste, dans les Pyrénées, la station de ski s'adapte face au manque de neige" [Climate: in Artouste, in the Pyrenees, the ski resort is adapting to the lack of snow]. France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  14. ^ Mallet, Bénédicte (26 June 2022). "Pyrénées : Artouste se mouille pour les animations d'été" [Pyrenees: Artouste gets wet for summer activities]. La République des Pyrénées (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  15. ^ Marco, Jeanne-Marie (30 December 2016). "PHOTOS - Télécabine d'Artouste : ça marche !" [PHOTOS - Artouste gondola: it works!]. France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  16. ^ Vissuzaine, Laurent (17 September 2015). "[Dossier] L'avenir de la station de ski d'Artouste suspendu à un câble" [[Dossier] The future of the Artouste ski resort hanging on a cable]. La République des Pyrénées (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  17. ^ Morgado, Dimitri; Damont, Yannick (2 May 2024). "Artouste : des élus écologistes s'opposent au projet de piste synthétique pour pouvoir skier l'été" [Artouste: ecologist elected officials oppose the project of a synthetic slope to be able to ski in the summer]. France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Pyrénées : pourquoi le projet de piste synthétique à Artouste fait tousser les Verts" [Pyrenees: why the artificial ski slope project in Artouste is making the Greens cough]. La République des Pyrénées (in French). 1 May 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  19. ^ Moreau, Zoé (18 May 2024). "Ski d'été : dans les Pyrénées, la subvention publique d'une piste en plastique fait bondir les défenseurs du climat" [Summer skiing: in the Pyrenees, the public subsidy for a plastic slope makes climate defenders jump]. Libération (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  20. ^ Enault, Marianne (22 May 2024). "Dans les Pyrénées, une piste de ski en plastique échauffe les esprits" [In the Pyrenees, a plastic ski slope heats up people's minds]. TF1 Info (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  21. ^ Girardeau, Alicia (15 May 2024). ""Une montagne Disneyland" : polémique autour d'une piste artificielle, permettant de skier sans neige, prévue dans une zone Natura 2000" ["A Disneyland mountain": controversy around an artificial slope, allowing skiing without snow, planned in a Natura 2000 area]. France Info (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  22. ^ Bruneau, Joëlle (3 October 2018). "Pyrénées : les stations de Gourette et Artouste seront-elles liées ?" [Pyrenees: will the resorts of Gourette and Artouste be linked?]. Sud Ouest (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  23. ^ Labbé, Axelle (23 May 2018). "Un collectif de la liaison Artouste-Gourette lance une pétition pour relier les deux domaines" [A collective of the Artouste-Gourette link launches a petition to link the two areas]. France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  24. ^ Fleury, Laurence (27 February 2017). "Gourette-Artouste à ski : tout savoir sur cette traversée mythique" [Gourette-Artouste on skis: everything you need to know about this mythical crossing]. La République des Pyrénées (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  25. ^ Pasquier, Valentin; Poustis, Jean (24 August 2023). "VIDÉO. Tyrolienne, kart, luge sur rails... la station d'Artouste mise de plus en plus sur le tourisme estival" [VIDEO. Zip line, go-kart, toboggan on rails... the resort of Artouste is betting more and more on summer tourism]. France Info (in French). Retrieved 8 September 2024.
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