The skin of sorrow. The controversies between protected areas and tourism in a context of glacial retreat: Grande Motte (Tignes) and Girose (La Grave), France

Abstract

The aim of this article is to identify the sources and drivers of conflict and conciliation in the case of two glacier redevelopment projects, drawn up in response to operating difficulties caused by climate change–driven glacial retreat and the declining popularity of summer skiing. The ski area operators see these projects as an essential part of their move away from the “all-ski” model, increasingly considered unsustainable in the medium term. In the French Alps, they have often experienced strained relationships with the bodies overseeing neighboring protected areas. Based on 76 interviews conducted between 2020 and 2024 with ski area operators, municipal officials, protected-area managers, tourism professionals, and local residents, as well as media and archival analysis, this research examines these cases within the framework of environmental political geography to analyze the evolving interactions between stakeholders. Our results highlight contrasting dynamics. At Tignes, the Altitude Experiences project, developed in partnership with Vanoise National Park, illustrates a strategy of diversification and partial retreat, combining visitor awareness initiatives, institutional collaboration, and the removal of obsolete infrastructure. At La Grave, by contrast, the proposed extension of the cable car over the Glacier de la Girose has generated persistent opposition, legal disputes, and extensive media coverage, despite the inclusion of educational and compensatory measures. Overall, these cases show that while climate change imposes inevitable constraints, the strategies adopted reflect both obligation and voluntary choice. Yet decision makers remain divided and uncertain, torn between retreat, diversification, or continued investment in glacier skiing, which perpetuates tensions and controversy.