Chastreix-Sancy
Encyclopedia
Chastreix-Sancy is a small ski resort
situated above the village of Chastreix
in central France
. The resort is the smallest of the three main resorts situated in the Monts Dore and has no skiable link to the other two resorts. The main activities offered at the resort are alpine skiing
, cross-country skiing
, snowshoeing, ski touring
, dog sledding
and hiking
. It is a calm resort popular with families and locals, as it boasts gentle runs, panoramic views and short queues.
, built on and between the Puy de Chabane and Mont Redon, on the west side of the Puy de Sancy
, which is part of an ancient stratovolcano
which has been dormant
for 220,000 years. It is within the Parc naturel régional des volcans d'Auvergne and the commune
of Chastreix
in the Puy-de-Dôme
département of the Auvergne
région
. It is about 40km south west of the préfecture of the Puy-de-Dôme
département Clermont-Ferrand
, also capital of the Auvergne. The resort is sandwiched between the Cirque de la Fontaine Salée to the south-east and the Val d'Enfer, or Valley of Hell in English, to the north-east. Both of these have left the resort with no formal links to the other two resorts in the Massif du Sancy ski area.
with a gap of 16 years between their respective constructions, with Les Carrières 1 being built first in 1969 and Les Carrières 2 being built afterwards in 1985. They both follow the same route with their pylons similarly spaced along the lines, and both have the motor placed at the bottom station, at an elevation of 1406m, and the tension applied at the top station, at an elevation of 1466m, with a vertical gain of 60m and a length of 402m. However their differences are that, due to the terrain, Les Carrières 2 has a slightly steeper maximum slope at 22% rather than the 20% of Les Carrières 1. In addition, with Les Carrières 2 being newer, it is faster. Les Carrières 2 has an operating speed of 3.6 m/s and a throughput of 900 people per hour, compared with the slower 3.5 m/s operating speed and 600 people per hour throughput of Les Carrières 1. Both the motors spin so that the passengers travel to the right of the pylons on their upwards journey.
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
situated above the village of Chastreix
Chastreix
Chastreix is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.To the northeast of Chastreix is the small ski resort of Chastreix-Sancy.-References:*...
in central France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The resort is the smallest of the three main resorts situated in the Monts Dore and has no skiable link to the other two resorts. The main activities offered at the resort are alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, snowshoeing, ski touring
Ski touring
Ski touring is a form of backcountry skiing involving traveling over the winter landscape on skis under human power rather than through the assistance of ski lifts or snow vehicles. It can take place in terrain ranging from perfectly flat to extremely steep...
, dog sledding
Mushing
Mushing is a general term for a sport or transport method powered by dogs, and includes carting, pulka, scootering, sled dog racing, skijoring, freighting, and weight pulling. More specifically, it implies the use of one or more dogs to pull a sled on snow or a rig on dry land...
and hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
. It is a calm resort popular with families and locals, as it boasts gentle runs, panoramic views and short queues.
Geography
The resort is situated at an altitude of 1400m in the Monts Dore mountain range within the Massif CentralMassif Central
The Massif Central is an elevated region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaux....
, built on and between the Puy de Chabane and Mont Redon, on the west side of the Puy de Sancy
Puy de Sancy
Puy de Sancy is the highest mountain in the Massif Central and therefore the highest mountain in central France ....
, which is part of an ancient stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
which has been dormant
Dormant
Dormant means lacking activity. It can refer to:*Dormancy in an organism's life cycle*Dormant volcano, a volcano that is inactive but may become active in the future...
for 220,000 years. It is within the Parc naturel régional des volcans d'Auvergne and the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Chastreix
Chastreix
Chastreix is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.To the northeast of Chastreix is the small ski resort of Chastreix-Sancy.-References:*...
in the Puy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme is a department in the centre of France named after the famous dormant volcano, the Puy-de-Dôme.Inhabitants were called Puydedomois until December 2005...
département of the Auvergne
Auvergne (région)
Auvergne is one of the 27 administrative regions of France. It comprises the 4 departments of Allier, Puy de Dome, Cantal and Haute Loire.The current administrative region of Auvergne is larger than the historical province of Auvergne, and includes provinces and areas that historically were not...
région
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
. It is about 40km south west of the préfecture of the Puy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme is a department in the centre of France named after the famous dormant volcano, the Puy-de-Dôme.Inhabitants were called Puydedomois until December 2005...
département Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
, also capital of the Auvergne. The resort is sandwiched between the Cirque de la Fontaine Salée to the south-east and the Val d'Enfer, or Valley of Hell in English, to the north-east. Both of these have left the resort with no formal links to the other two resorts in the Massif du Sancy ski area.
Les Carrières 1 & 2
Les Carrières 1 & 2 are a pair of green button lifts used primarily by beginners to access the two green runs, Les Carrières and Les Marmottes, that start from their top stations during the winter season. They were built by Gimar Montaz MautinoGimar Montaz Mautino
Gimar Montaz Mautino is a French manufacturer of aerial lifts and surface ski lifts. They are headquartered in Échirolles near Grenoble. Originally known as Montaz Mautino had the best success of any lift company in the 70s and 80s constructing 2-3 men chairlifts especially in France...
with a gap of 16 years between their respective constructions, with Les Carrières 1 being built first in 1969 and Les Carrières 2 being built afterwards in 1985. They both follow the same route with their pylons similarly spaced along the lines, and both have the motor placed at the bottom station, at an elevation of 1406m, and the tension applied at the top station, at an elevation of 1466m, with a vertical gain of 60m and a length of 402m. However their differences are that, due to the terrain, Les Carrières 2 has a slightly steeper maximum slope at 22% rather than the 20% of Les Carrières 1. In addition, with Les Carrières 2 being newer, it is faster. Les Carrières 2 has an operating speed of 3.6 m/s and a throughput of 900 people per hour, compared with the slower 3.5 m/s operating speed and 600 people per hour throughput of Les Carrières 1. Both the motors spin so that the passengers travel to the right of the pylons on their upwards journey.