Lack of Security may see the Gouter Refuge Closed this Summer
Disagreement over reservations may mean no security staff & no opening this summer
The Refuge du Gouter may not open this summer if a solution can't be found to staff it with security personnel, after an independent guide complained to authorities about bed allocations.
During the construction of the new Gouter refuge, the guides of Saint Gervais and guides of Chamonix made an agreement that in trade for their help during the construction, they would be allowed to book 12 priority bed spaces each, at any time during which the refuge was open.
In addition, since there was a fire at the refuge prior to its grand re-opening last summer, it was decided that there would need to be a number of guides employed to remain at the refuge should an evacuation arise and the overnight inhabitants need moving. The number of guides required was calculated at 1 guide for every 10 people, to cover the maximum 120 person occupancy.
Only the Compagnies des Guides of Chamonix & St Gervais stepped up to the invitation to tender for this work. They agreed that they would provide the guides and pay them, in return for keeping their 12 bed spaces.
This is something that independent guide Yannick Vallençant isn't happy about. His complaint, lodged last year, is that these guiding companies (and tour operators) are taking priority bed places over independent guides like himself, which he feels is unfair and “an anticompetitive agreement”.
In response, the Compagnies des Guides of Chamonix & St Gervais have said they will stop staffing the refuge, which leaves the prefecture in a position where they may be unable to open the refuge this summer.
After years of work and over 6 million euros spent on the unique building, a delayed opening due to bad weather, a fire from solar panels over-heating and now this, it seems that the story of the new Gouter refuge is far from over.
*Update 26th March 2015*
"No, the refuge won't be opening this summer, that's a certainty" says Pascal Chapelland, the president of the Compagnie des guides of Saint-Gervais, however the matter is now in the hands of the French Federation of Alpine Clubs (FFCAM) & the pressure is on, because professional reservations are expected to open in early April.
