Historical - Valberg and Environment

Valberg didn't wait for the charter to show interest in environmental issues. Besides,  it is greatly appreciated for its well preserved living environment.

Urbanisation has always been under control : small units with noble materials like wood and stone, development of  spaces for children, removing the more visible snow cannons during Summer, numerous partnerships with the Mercantour, National Park creation of themes trails to increase the people's environment awareness , etc.

Today new challenges must be addressed: climate change,  equipment, reversible activities, energy, transportation, as well as social issues. Responses to be developped are probably not unique. Thus, Valberg decided to give itself an innovative tool : « the national charter in favour of sustainable development in the mountain resorts ».

Valberg devient Ecow'Actrice !

La station adopte les bons geste énergie pour bien passer l'hiver !

En avril 2011, le Syndicat Intercommunal de Valberg a signé la Charte Ecowatt.

Cette initiative lancée par RTE, la Préfecture de la région  Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, le Conseil Général du Var, le Conseil Général des Alpes-Maritimes, la Principauté de Monaco, ERDF et l'ADEME, vise à mobiliser la population, les collectivités et entreprises, afin qu'elles réduisent leur consommation électrique les jours critiques en période hivernale (à partir du 14 novembre au mois de mars) entre 18h et 20h, afin de contribuer à la sécurité du réseau électrique et éviter toutes coupures.

Ainsi la station de Valberg devient « Ecow'actrice », et avec l'aide de son «Ambassadrice Ecowatt » Charlotte Colleu, s'engage à informer l'ensemble de la population des jours d'alerte et des gestes à adopter comme baisser le chauffage de quelques degrés, ne pas laisser les appareils électriques en veille, éteindre les lumières superflues…

Afin de diffuser l'information au plus grand nombre, Valberg a décidé de mettre en œuvre divers moyens de communication :

• Messages d'alerte par SMS envoyés sur les portables de tous les agents de la collectivité
• Note sur la démarche Ecowatt sur le site Valberg.com
• Encarts sur le bulletin d'informations hebdomadaire de la station, distribué par l'OT
• Diffusion de messages d'alerte sur les panneaux d'informations
• Spot d'alerte diffusé sur Radio Oxygène.

En adhérant à la Charte Ecowatt, Valberg poursuit son engagement pour l'environnement, fidèle à la Charte des stations de montagne en faveur du Développement Durable signée en 2007.

Informations et conseils sur : http://www.ecowatt-provence-azur.fr/

Cians-Var - Selective Sorting explained to the population

In the County of Guillaumes, selective sorting entered its communication phase. Two Sorting Ambassadors were hired by the Cians Var Community in order to demystify selective sorting and answer all questions from storekeepers and/or individuals.

With a specialized background, Myriam Alix and Bastien Ranuzzi now cover every square inch of the County's nine districts villages as apostle of Selective Sorting.

Explanation of the new functioning and its constraints (distance of collection points) or  distribution of the Selective Sorting User Guide, they have in hand all they need to helps us be good eco-citizens. An approach which meets a good support, as the County's inhabitants are very  open to protect their natural environment. 

Beyond the door-to-door, promoting sorting is achieved  through a communication campaign  including attendance at all local events.  And for detailed questions,  public meetings are organized « allowing to easily meet more people », the two ambassadors said. Main concern of the population : distance of the collection containers. On that front, the Community decided  to involve Home Helpers as part of their social role. Inhabitants who do not benefit from that service, will not let be down since territorial solidarity will play its role.

Following their tour around the County, the Sorting Ambassadors  continue their communication mission on a daily basis. The Selective Sorting will begin from November.

For more information, contact the Sorting Ambassadors at 0800 008 689 or by e-mail ambassadeursdutri@valberg.com

Click the link below to download your Selective Sorting Guide.

Valberg rationalise l'allumage de son éclairage public : 1/3 d'énergie économisée !

Depuis juillet 2010, afin de maîtriser ses consommations d'énergie, de limiter ses émissions de CO2 et de diminuer la pollution lumineuse, Valberg réduit les périodes d'allumage et baisse l'intensité de son éclairage public sur certaines zones.

 L’éclairage public représente environ 40% des consommations d’électricité du patrimoine géré par la Syndicat Intercommunal de Valberg (SIV) et 30% des coûts associés. Par ailleurs, en 2009 lors de la réalisation du Bilan Carbone de la station, les émissions liées à ce poste ont été évaluées à 23 Teq CO2 par an. Enfin, le territoire étant un pôle d’excellence rurale astronomie et situé aux abords du Parc National du Mercantour, la diminution de la pollution lumineuse a également fait partie des motivations. 

July 2010 - 150 persons, 148 kilos of trash collected and Christmas trees replanted, all that in only one day !

As part of the « Slopes Big Cleaning » initiative, organized by the Storekeepers & Craftmen of Valberg Association, under the leadership of Annie Chopinez, with the partnership of Mountain Riders, Nicolas Hulot Foundation, the ONF, and the Péone-Valberg commune, a hundred of children and adults scanned the Valberg Ski Area.

Goal : remove all the trash left by skiers during the Winter season. An educational day with the partnership of the SIV, the French Ski School, the Ski Lifts, the Sport Club, the Snow District School, the Elementary Schools of Valberg and Beuil represented by Mrs. Corso and Pinson, teachers.

First meeting in the morning for a bin liners and gloves distribution. Then, in the afternoon, trees were replanted around the Senateur Lake, under the ONF’s directives, before collected trash be weighed. Net result: 148 kilos of papers, cans, and trash of any sort. That initiative allows to realize how significant pollution is. “The goal is to reduce the quantity of trash along years”, said Eric Daugu, from Mountain Riders, highlighting Valberg’s role model.

January 2010 : the Natura 2000 web site is online

Concerned by the Natura 2000 des Entraunes Web Site, the commune of Péone is an exceptional environmental territory, part of which belongs to the Mercantour National Park.

Facing complex challenges, where the need to protect environment, to develop a reasonable tourist economy  and to preserve the quality of life of the populations, Peone and the Cians Var Community took the initiative to put together  the site objectives, an ambitious program that you can discover in detail on this new web site entirely dedicated to the subject.

Visit as of now : http://entraunes-daluis.n2000.fr

Valberg uses biobased cleaning products

Since beginning of Decembre 2009, as part of its commitment to sustainable development , the resort of Valberg decided to use « Eco-Label » cleaning products.

From season 2009/2010,  community appartments will benefit from biobased cleaning products.

For communication purpose, promotional inserts and  technical information on the products will be distributed to tenants of all 4-star appartments.

November 2009 – Hiring an Energy Representative

The Cians Var Community is aware of what needs to be done to reduce its impact on global warming and involves itself, together with 20 other PACA territories, in an ambitious programme aiming at controlling the demand for energy. An energy representative, especially hired, will be responsible for this 4-objective project:
-    Potential analysis of sustainable energy production, and several feasibility studies of photovoltaics solar farms and rehabilitation of hydroelectric plants
-    Setting up of a work method and associated tools to deploy an MDE approach on the local patrimony : in Valberg the Désiré Clary meeting room, the swimming pool , the club house, etc., are impacted
-    Setting up of an MDE and sustainable construction Council,  as well as production aid tools , for professionals (essentially lodgers and property developers) and for individuals
-    Promotion of actions and accomplishments, and involvement of local players through communication initiatives

June 2009 – Individual Compost Bins for People

340 individual compost bins, capacity of 400 liters, are available to primary  or secondary residents of the Cians Var community, cost is  19 euros (60% of the total cost is funded by ADEME and the city). As of today, 93 units have been distributed  together with a practical installation guide.

June 2009 – Inaugurating the HQE Nursery School

Valberg, your sustainable resort, cares about your daily life. Thus, on June 20, 2009, the Valberg Community Nursery School, built in compliance with HQE (High Quality Environment) standards in the heart of the idyllic "Parc des Oursons" was inaugurated.

This new structure offers room for 25 kids living permanently or temporarily  in Valberg and operates since December 2008.

Michèle Dessens, president of the "Caisse d’Allocations Familiales des Alpes-Maritimes", sponsor of the project together with the "Conseil Général", insisted during the inauguration, on the high needs in terms of Child Care in this part of the territory. Those needs are linked to the demographic growth as well as the high quality of the site.

After one year of activity, the local demand is even higher. Since July 1st, 2009, the occupancy rate is above 97%.
« Children from the Guillaumes County fill almost all of the seats during Summer », explains the Director.

The Community Nursery School is closed to its environment : the Piou-Piou  Club in Winter, and an educational trail to discover flora and wild life during Summer. The resort wishes to build also a  « bare foot trail ».

Summer 2008 : publication of the Var & Cians Valleys Farm Producers Guide

Because produce and eat "local" is an eco-citizen gesture, the Community of the Cians Var Villages, in partnership with the Var & Cians High Valleys GEDAR, publishes the Farm Producers Pocket Guide. It includes good adresses to enjoy local specialties: cheese, honey, herbs, but also the calendar of the main agricultural celebrations: Transhumance Celebration, Tardons Fair, Truffle Market. Enjoy! 

Download the guide.