MOUNTAIN

Cime Bianche project, Europe's largest ski area with 432 km of slopes

The Cime Bianche project was supposed to involve the creation of a cableway system capable of creating one of the largest ski areas in the world.

According to a report in the British newspaper The Telegraph, the ski area would include the slopes of Zermatt (Switzerland), Cervinia, Champoluc, Gressoney and Alagna, for a total of around 500 km. The problem, according to some environmental associations, is that the project would also affect an area included in special protection zones of the Nature Network 2000.

After some controversy, the Aosta Valley Regional Council decided by a majority to go ahead with the project to build a cableway connection between Val d'Ayas and Valtournenche, via Cime Bianche.

ANSA

The Cime Bianche project

The Cime Bianche project is supposed to involve the creation of a cableway system capable of creating one of the largest ski areas in the world.

ANSA

What did The Telegraph predict

According to when the British newspaper The Telegraph had reported, the area was to include the slopes of Zermatt (Switzerland), Cervinia, Champoluc, Gressoney and Alagna, totaling about 500 km. The problem, according to some environmental associations, is that the project would also affect an area included in Special Protection Areas of the Nature Network 2000.

ANSA

The decision of the Aosta Valley

After some controversy, according to reports also fromAnsa, the Aosta Valley Regional Council has decided by a majority vote to go ahead with the project to build a ropeway link between Val d'Ayas and Valtournenche, passing through Cime Bianche.

ANSA

The study on the project feasibility

Following the Commission's investigations, the Valle d'Aosta Regional Council is said to have reiterated that it will itself assess the project's feasibility studies, taking into account financial, environmental and urban planning sustainability, but also on the applicability of the exemptions of the laws prohibiting the construction of plants in protected areas.

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What the White Peaks Project should finally provide for.

The new link from Cime Bianche would make it possible to create the largest ski area in Europe, with 432 km of slopes (Cervinia, Monterosa, Alagna and Zermatt) The figures appear slightly different from those that were initially communicated by The Telegraph. The feasibility study predicts an increase in Aosta Valley's gross domestic product of between 8.8 million and 11 million euros.

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The time and cost of the work

The technical solution that would be applied would be a modern gondola with an intermediate station in the hamlet of Gavine. The work would take three years. The cost would vary between 115 and 120 million euro, to which would have to be added those for the infrastructure.

ANSA

Cime Bianche Project