French Government Urges People to Wear Masks in Ski Lifts this Winter
13th December 2022
Last modified on December 22nd, 2022
The French Health Minister has urged people to wear masks on public transport. In France ski lifts are seen as public transport.
As winter sets in, new cases of flu, Covid-19, and bronchitis are rising, adding pressure to the French health system.
The French Health Minister, François Braun, has said the country should go ‘back to the good habits of protective measure’.
He made the comment whilst visiting a hospital in Paris.
“I’m asking people to wear the mask on public transport, as I have already said, in places where we are close to each other.
“So, it is really a responsibility of all of us and a responsibility of all our citizens.
Let’s get back to the good habits of protective measures.”
The government has recommended that masks be worn on public transport ever since the mandate was lifted.
This time last year as ski resorts opened in France it was compulsory to wear a mask in a ski lift.
Les3Vallees, December 2021. Image © PlanetSKI
If you want to be reminded of the situation this time a year ago see this report as we visited Les Menuires just ahead of the French border closing to people from the UK:
Fast forward a year and a number of French resorts now have some of their skiing areas open with others following shortly.
Tignes and Val Thorens opened a couple of weeks ago.
Followed by Courchevel, Avoriaz, Val d’Isere and a host of others.
There are also resorts open in the French Pyrenees including Les Angles and Cauterets.
PlanetSKI reporter, Chris Moran, was on the slopes of Courchevel as it opened.
“I saw no-one wearing a face mask in the lifts or out on the slopes, and everything appears to be back to normal,” said Chris.
“Some people had a ski mask on or face covering but that appeared to be to protect them from the cold rather than Covid.”
PlanetSKI editor, James Cove, is in the French Alps this week visiting Arc 1950, La Plagne and all the resorts in Les3Vallees – look out for his reports.
He will be updating on the Covid-19 rules and recommendations in place as the season gets underway.
La Masse lift, Les Menuires. Image © Chris Moran/PlanetSKI
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