Table of Contents
This year, La Sambuy, a family-friendly ski spot in the French Alps, is taking down its ski lifts.
The ski season has become too short and the ski resort doesn’t make enough money to keep the lifts open.
The resort area used to have snow from the beginning of December to the end of March. However, last winter they could only open for about five weeks in January and February. There wasn’t enough snow for skiing.
The mayor, Jacques Dalex, says they would lose about €500,000 (about $530,000) every year. It costs about €80,000 a year to operate the ski lifts.
La Sambuy was popular with families because it had slopes for beginners and experts, and the ski passes were affordable.
This summer, the town council of La Sambuy decided to close the resort. They hope people will still visit the town to enjoy nature, go hiking and do other mountain sports.
Some people believe that closing the ski resort will be bad for local businesses and residents.
Other ski resorts in France have the same problem as La Sambuy.
Mountain Wilderness, a French environmental group, has taken down 22 ski lifts in France since 2001. They think there are still 106 abandoned ski lifts in the country.
Vocabulary
- Take down – To remove or dismantle something; to make into smaller parts
- Ski lift – A machine that carries skiers up a mountain
- Season – a time period or time of year when a sport is played;
- Resort – A place where people go to relax and have fun;
- Make money – earn money; make a profit; gain or acquire money
- Used to – Refers to something that happened regularly in the past but doesn’t happen anymore; in the past
- Mayor – the leader or person in charge of a city
- Operate – to manage; run; use; to control or use a machine;
- Slope – A side of a hill or mountain
- Pass – A ticket or card that allows you to enter or use something
- Affordable – not expensive; can be bought without too much cost or effort
- Town council – A group of people who make decisions for a town
- Nature – The living world around us; The natural world, including plants, animals, and the environment
- Believe – to think; to imagine; to have the opinion of; assume; suppose
- Local – related to or connected to a specific/particular place; existing in or belonging to the area that you are talking about.
- Resident – a person who lives in a specific place; a person who lives somewhere
- Environmental group – An organization/group that works to protect the environment and nature
- Abandoned – When something or someone is left behind or deserted; when something is not used anymore
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- How might the closure of a ski resort affect the overall economy of a town or region?
- What do you think governments or groups should do to help ski resorts that are struggling because of climate change? Any suggestions?
- What can be done to help the local businesses and residents in La Sambuy?
- What alternative activities or businesses could La Sambuy promote to attract visitors after closing its ski resort?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
This year, La Sambuy, a family-friendly ski _____ in the French Alps, is taking down its ski lifts.
The ski _____ has become too short and the ski resort doesn’t make enough money to keep the _____ open.
The resort area used to _____ snow from the beginning of December to the end of _____. However, last winter they could only open _____ about five weeks in January and February. There _____ enough snow for skiing.
The _____, Jacques Dalex, says they would lose about €500,000 (about $530,000) every year. It costs about €80,000 a year to _____ the ski lifts.
La Sambuy was _____ with families because it had slopes for beginners and experts, and the ski _____ were affordable.
This summer, the town _____ of La Sambuy decided to close the resort. They hope people will still _____ the town to enjoy nature, go hiking and do other _____ sports.
Some people _____ that closing the ski resort will be bad for local businesses and _____.
Other ski resorts in France have _____ same problem as La Sambuy.
Mountain Wilderness, a _____ environmental group, has taken down 22 ski _____ in France since 2001. They think there are still 106 abandoned ski lifts in the _____.
