Devastated by Storm Alex in October 2020, the Roya Valley (Alpes-Maritimes) is stagnant in terms of tourism, with a historically low summer season for the area. Almost a year after the disaster, tourism begins again timidly, to the delight of vacationers and professionals in the place.
Ten months after Storm Alex, which left 10 dead and 8 missing throughout the department, tourism professionals are delighted with the reopening of the Roya Valley to the curious. To illustrate this resumption of activity, the Merveilles Panoramic train has seen a 26% increase in daytime visitors.
However, the storm left its mark on the regional landscape, directly impacting certain tourist activities, such as kayaking or canyoning in the Semite Bath, located in the Bendola canyon. “Everything has changed so there is very little shade and then there is nowhere with the bottom, whereas before we were full of pools. So there’s not much interest in canyoning here, ”explained Matthieu Bresson, the head of the“ Mat et Eau ”rafting and canyoning company.