- US duo win Nobel for gene regulation breakthrough
- Masood hits first ton for four years to power Pakistan to 233-1
- Fritz wins delayed match to reach Shanghai Masters third round
- Naomi Osaka pulls out of Japan Open with back injury
- Weather may delay launch of mission to study deflected asteroid
- China to flesh out economic stimulus plans after bumper rally
- Artist Marina Abramovic hopes first China show offers tech respite
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on US jobs data
- Pakistan 122-1 at lunch in first England Test
- Kazakhs approve plan for first nuclear power plant
- World marks anniversary of Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- 'Second family': tennis stars hunt winning formula with new coaches
- Philippines, South Korea agree to deepen maritime cooperation
- Mexico mayor murdered days after taking office
- Sardinia's sheep farmers battle bluetongue as climate warms
- Japan govt admits doctoring 'untidy' cabinet photo
- Israel marks first anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack
- Darvish tames Ohtani as Padres thrash Dodgers
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on jobs data
- Family affair as LeBron, Bronny James make Lakers bow
- Cancer, cardiovascular drugs tipped for Nobel as prize week opens
- As Great Salt Lake dries, Utah Republicans pardon Trump climate skepticism
- Amazon activist warns of 'critical situation' ahead of UN forum
- Mourners pay tribute to latest victims of deadly Channel crossing
- Tunisia incumbent Saied set to win presidential vote: exit polls
- Phillies win thriller to level Mets series
- Yu bags first PGA Tour win with playoff win
- PSG held by Nice to leave Monaco clear at top of Ligue 1
- AC Milan fall at Fiorentina after De Gea's penalty heroics
- Lewandowski treble for leaders Barca as Atletico held
- Fresh Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Sucic stunner earns Real Sociedad draw against Atletico
- PSG draw with Nice, fail to reclaim top spot in Ligue 1
- Gudmundsson downs AC Milan after De Gea's penalty heroics for Fiorentina
- 'Yes' vote prevails in Kazakhstan nuclear plant vote: TV
- 'Difficult day': Oct 7 commemorations begin with festival memorial
- Commemorations begin for anniversary of attack on Israel
- Lewandowski hat-trick powers Liga leaders Barca to Alaves victory
- 'Nothing gets in way of team,' says Celtics' MVP hopeful Tatum
- India maintain Pakistan stranglehold as Windies cruise at Women's T20 World Cup
- 'We will win!': Mozambique's ruling party confident at final vote rally
- Tunisia voting ends as Saied eyes re-election with critics behind bars
- Florida braces for Milton, FEMA head slams 'dangerous' Helene misinformation
- Postecoglou slams 'unacceptable' Spurs after 'terrible' loss at Brighton
- Marmoush double denies Bayern outright Bundesliga top spot
- Rallies worldwide call for Gaza, Lebanon ceasefire
- Maresca hails Chelsea's 'fighting' spirit after draw with 10-man Forest
- New 'Joker' film, a dark musical, tops N.America box office
- Man Utd stalemate keeps Ten Hag in danger, Spurs rocked by Brighton
- Drowned by hurricane, remote N.Carolina towns now struggle for water
First French ski resorts open, but only at high altitude
A few French high-altitude ski resorts opened ahead of schedule Saturday, just days after storms in the northern Alps wiped out some early snows.
Tignes and Val Thorens, which have many runs above 2,000 metres, were the first downhill resorts to open. Cross country trails opened in Bessans on November 4 while Les Saisies did the same Saturday, but just for a short loop using snow stored since last winter.
"It is the moment to have fun," said Vincent Lecluyse as he shimmied down a run at Val Thorens.
He had come with two friends from the South of France because "there's not yet much of a crowd and the chalets are cheaper" than in high season.
Other resorts will have to wait. Mild temperatures and heavy rains hit the Northern Alps earlier this week, washing out much of the snow that had fallen in previous weeks.
"It was important to reassure our clients and tell them that we have snow and that they can come," said Jerome Grellet, director of Val Thorens.
- Changeable conditions -
After the recent storms, "there is no more snow below 1,500 and 1,700 metres altitude and there has been a decline between 1,500 and 2,500 metres," said Gilles Brunot, director of the Chamonix office of Meteo France, the national weather service.
"At 2,500 metres there's still quite a bit of snow," he said, "though it is less and less rare to see rain at that elevation even in high season."
Most resorts expect to open in December or for the Christmas holidays, which appear to be well booked.
According to the Association of Mayors of Mountain Resorts (ANMSM), the occupation rate for the first part of the season is already 52 percent, compared with 51 percent at the same time last year.
In recent years, the lack of snow and temperatures too warm for artificial snow have led resorts to offer other activities to keep their visitors busy.
- Inflation -
Seasonal workers continue to be in short supply, even if less so than in previous years.
"We raised salaries in response to inflation," said Vincenzo Coppola, director of the tourism office in Montgenevre, a ski report on the Italian border.
"But it is true that high rents and a lack of lodging are serious constraints."
Antoine Fatiga, head of the CGT union for ski lift workers, agreed salaries have improved.
But he said ski resorts are also increasingly bringing in African and Asian workers.
Inflation is likewise a concern for clients. According to the price comparison site Ski Express, skiers should expect their ski break to cost 9.5 percent more this year than last.
L.Harper--AMWN