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25-675: Artouste is located in the high Béarn , in the Ossau Valley , near the Lac de Fabrèges . The resort is located in the heart of the Natura 2000 site of the Massif de Ger  [ fr ] . Artouste is located southwest of the ski resort of Gourette and is about 10 km (6.2 mi) from the France–Spain border north of Formigal . The resort of Artouste is accessible by road. The resort can be reached via

50-572: A mist or jet system to increase speed and prevent damage to equipment from friction heat build-up. A variety of materials can be found on dry ski slopes. Early efforts to mimic snow involved laying extruded plastic tiles with upward spikes in an attempt to provide grip. These were unpopular as they provided little grip and turning capability and the experience was similar to skiing across ice . However, in present day, many ski slopes (both indoor and outdoor) continue to use plastic, injection moulded tiles. Quality has improved and many dry ski slopes in

75-517: Is Mr. Snow . The company does not only produce dry slopes for downhill skiing, snowboarding and cross country skiing but also provides tubing tracks and rental opportunities for events. The material of Mr. Snow is claimed to have very good sliding capacities, is predictable in all climates and does not harm the ski or sliding surface. Mr. Snow works without the use of silicone which is not necessary to achieve good sliding characteristics. The snow carpet evidently has no negative environmental impact. So

100-453: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Artificial ski slope A dry ski slope or artificial ski slope is a ski slope that mimics the attributes of snow using materials that are stable at room temperature , to enable people to ski , snowboard or snow tube in places where natural, snow-covered slopes are inconvenient or unavailable. Although commonly known as "dry ski slopes", many slopes are lubricated using

125-427: Is arranged in a hexagonal pattern of approximately 1-inch (25 mm) strips of bristles in a 4 in (100 mm) hexagon. Although it was a significant advancement from previous surfaces, concern over damage to slope users (it provides little or no impact protection to a slope user when falling) and ski or snowboard damage due to friction meant litigation for slopes using it was a constant threat. Nowadays water

150-406: Is from UK company Proslope who produce a matting with variable filament lengths to emulate the gradual edge grip and release of snow. As with some other surfaces, the system is coloured white, is modular, and works both with and without a misting system. A type of Enoki mushroom dry ski slope surface from China. Countless thin strips with round balls on the top, resembling a mushroom-like shape, make

175-403: Is often sprayed onto the surface of the dendix to lubricate it and increase speed; however, higher insurance premiums cause many slope operators to look for safer alternatives. Despite more recent materials, Dendix remains the most popular plastic slope material in use. The most recent development has seen a crop of materials providing both impact protection and slope lubrication as well as

200-569: Is organised into four sectors, catering for skiers from beginner to expert. The resort is known for its train running at an altitude of around 2,000 m (6,600 ft), which is the highest narrow-gauge railway in Europe, and operates from the top of the Sagette gondola lift to the Lac d'Artouste on 10 km (6.2 mi) of track. During the summer months of 2024, it carried more than 112,000 passengers. From

225-455: Is possible to turn on the surface quite well, but the aim is to maintain a low edge angle and make small adjustments to create speed or set your line. This type of dry ski mat appeared for the first time at a FIS World Cup competition. Dry slope users often improve the performance of their equipment by using the hardest grade of ski wax . The wax wears off quickly, however, and must be renewed after one or two sessions. At least one company makes

250-560: The Compagnie des chemins de fer du Midi built a railway between La Sagette and the construction site in 1920. The dam was completed in 1929. In the 1930s, the Artouste estate was opened to tourism via the Petit train d'Artouste , which utilised the railway line. In 1966, the commune of Laruns undertook the creation of a downhill ski resort at Artouste. The station, initially called Artouste-La Sagette,

275-614: The UK and Astroride by NorCal Extreme Sports in the United States. Snowflex and Perma-snow are both white in colour, although the former has been produced in a darker green (such as in Kendal Ski Club in Cumbria , England) to comply with planning requirements. There is no indication from NorCal Extreme Sports that AstroRide has been commercially tested to any great extent. The latest arrival

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300-503: The Netherlands use these tiles for training and championships. The next stage in dry ski slope development came with the brush industry. The most common material is Dendix which is a by-product of brush manufacturing and is similar to a short- haired brush with the bristles sticking upwards. Dendix is manufactured in Chepstow , however it can be found on slopes throughout the world. It

325-497: The Pyrenean Climate Change Observatory, the snow will be half as thick by the early 2050s. In addition, a month less of snow is expected. To cope with this, the resort has invested in other activities such as a mountain go-kart track, zip line , water sports facilities and a wellness area. In 2016, the resort decided to renovate its gondola lifts. This was expected to cost €5.5 million for the commune of Laruns,

350-549: The RD 431 and the RD 934 roads, which connect Laruns to the Col du Pourtalet and Spain. The Lac d'Artouste was discovered at the end of the nineteenth century, by Ludovic Gaurier  [ fr ] . The discovery attracted the Société hydroélectrique du Midi , which wanted to use the lake for a hydroelectric power station . With the aim of building a hydroelectric dam at the Lac d'Artouste,

375-436: The ability to perform turns, erect jumps, rails and quarterpipes and provide a ride that is closer to the feel of real snow. Neveplast is one of these, a newer material whose use is becoming even more common. This new type of mat, which uses a concentric arrangement of conical stems, is marketed for downhill, snowboarding and cross country skiing. Neveplast claims to be certified as having the same coefficient of friction between

400-721: The end of the railway line at the Lac d'Artouste, several hiking routes are available to visitors, including towards the GR 10 hiking route. The resort hosted the finish of stage 3 of the Tour of the Pyrenean Piedmont  [ fr ] in 2023 and 2024. Artouste was also the host of the Young Mountain Biker Trophy in 2015. Artouste was the host of the 2021 Mountain Kart World Championship. According to forecasts by

425-888: The installation of a summer toboggan were also considered. Ossau Valley The Ossau Valley ( French : Vallée d'Ossau [vale dɔso] ; Gascon : Aussau / la vath d'Aussau ) is a valley of the French Pyrénées , in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département . 18 communes belong to the Valley: Arudy , Aste-Béon , Béost , Bescat , Bielle , Bilhères , Buzy , Castet , Eaux-Bonnes , Gère-Bélesten , Izeste , Laruns , Louvie-Juzon , Louvie-Soubiron , Lys , Rébénacq , Sainte-Colome and Sévignacq-Meyracq . 42°59′N 00°25′W  /  42.983°N 0.417°W  / 42.983; -0.417 This Pyrénées-Atlantiques geographical article

450-450: The mats can remain on the surface 365 days a year. But it is also possible to remove them very quickly if it is required. Temporary using can be realized with the 20 sqm modules. Another very common mat is Snowflex , manufactured near Huddersfield , West Yorkshire in England by Briton Engineering Developments Limited. Others include Perma-snow by John Nike Leisure/ Techmat 2000, also in

475-513: The owner of the gondola. Since 2013, the resort has been considering the creation of an artificial ski slope in order to have an alternative to snow cannons . In 2024, during debates within the Regional Council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine in order to grant a budget to this project, The Ecologists ' elected representatives contested it on the basis of potential harm to the fauna and flora of a Natura 2000 classified site. Elected officials described

500-417: The resort as a " Disneyland Mountain". For a long time, there has been discussion of a better physical link between Gourette and Artouste, to improve upon the off-piste route that already connects the two ski areas. Other projects are currently being studied to revitalise the resort in winter, in particular to improve its position on ski mountaineering and snowshoeing . The creation of a second zip line and

525-555: The resort became the first resort in the Pyrenees to offer mountain karting, an activity already present in the French Alps . The ski resort of Artouste is located on the massif of the Pic de la Sagette, and connected to the Lac de Fabrèges by the Sagette gondola lift. It is necessary to take another lift to access the snowpark at 2,100 m (6,900 ft), the summit of the resort. The resort

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550-473: The resort. In 2006, the resort was declared bankrupt and was taken over. In 2019, after a year of litigation, an agreement was reached between the commune of Laruns and the resort operator. On 1 April 2019, the commune of Laruns took over the direct management of the resort and the Petit train d'Artouste. Since then, the resort's management has been coordinating the creation of new all-weather activities. In June 2019,

575-476: The surface and the ski as snow, allowing the skier a good side grip, with the same skis used on the snow, and without the need for water. The Neveplast cooling hole has a comparable diameter to the F.I.S. slalom pole standards used for training and competition in both slalom and giant slalom. Neveplast is also used for school camps. This surface is modular and flexible, used frequently also for Urban freestyle parks. A German provider that guarantees year round skiing

600-459: The surface of the run-in slopes of the Training Centre airbag jumps differently from other dry slope surfaces in terms of sliding effect and safety. Its structure, friction, elasticity, safety protection, and simulation effect provide an ideal surface for airbag beginners and high-performance athletes. The surface allows the rider to either carve or skid to aid in speed control or line choice. It

625-404: Was inaugurated on 15 December 1967. The commune managed the resort from its opening. In view of a chronic financial deficit, management of the resort was entrusted to an outside organisation in 1978. In 1984, the village of Fabrèges was created on the shores of the Lac de Fabrèges, at an altitude of 1,250 m (4,100 ft). Fabrèges is located at the base of the Sagette gondola lift leading to

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