French farmer protests: February half-term skiing holidays under threat as fears mount farmers will blockade roads to ski resorts

Half-term skiing holidays in the Alps could be under threat due to motorway blockades by French farmers. The farmers are complaining of falling income and increasing bureaucracy, and have already blocked more than 70 roads in France including the main A43 from Grenoble airport to several major ski areas.

Both the A7 and A9 from Lyon to the Spanish border were closed for a total of 400 kilometres which caused severe delays for skiers flying into Lyon and Toulouse and heading over the border to ski in Andorra. Some skiers had to make lengthy detours to avoid the blockades, adding several hours to their journeys. Travel to and from other gateway airports, including Geneva, was also affected.

Ski resort bosses are growing increasingly concerned that the farmers will target roads leading to resorts during the French half-term period which begins on 10 February. British schools’ half-term break also coincides with the first week of the French holidays. Most schools in the UK break up for a week on Friday 9 February so the majority of families heading for the Alps will be leaving on Saturday, February 10 or Sunday, February 11.

Blockages by the farmers would be even more disruptive over February as more people will be on the roads - and it is the busiest period for French ski resorts. The Times reports that local leaders in Alpine regions are considering contingency measures such as putting sports halls on standby in the event that drivers are unable to reach their destinations.

Skiworld, one of the largest ski operators to France, said it was able to re-route most of its transfer coaches off the motorways to avoid the recent protests. No Skiworld customers missed their flights as the operator brought forward departures from resorts to negate the effects of diversions around Grenoble.

The French farmers say they are being strangled by EU and French bureaucracy and regulations and claim the traditional way of rural life is facing collapse. They are demanding fairer prices for produce, the continuation of subsidies on the agricultural diesel used to run their tractors and other vehicles, and financial aid for organic farmers. Clément Torpier, the president of the Île de France Young Farmers, told BFMTV: “The aim is not to annoy the public but to get answers from the government to come up with further measures."