Forget an apres-ski warm-up – Chamonix bans polluting log fires

A BLAZING log fire has long been part of the charm of an Alpine chalet, but the use of open fireplaces is to be banned in the popular ski resort of Chamonix and nearby towns.

In an effort to curb heavy pollution, the ban is to apply from 2022 throughout the picturesque Arve Valley in Savoie, at the foot of Mont Blanc, which has become one of France’s most heavily polluted areas.

Thick smog containing fine particles and nitrogen oxides often hangs over the valley, causing respiratory problems for residents and visitors, and obscuring mountain views. Pierre

Lambert, the prefect of Haute-savoie, said that after hundreds of complaints, the local authority decided it would no longer allow the use of traditional open fireplaces. “Wood fires cause up to 80 per cent of pollution in winter,” he said.

However, they are a selling point for many holiday homes. Muriel Auprince, a spokesman for Coll’air Pur, a residents’ association that campaigns against pollution, said: “Many cottage owners highlight exquisite pictures of traditional Savoyard fireplaces in their advertisements.”

Jean-luc, the owner of a bed-andbreakfast in Saint-gervais, with an elegant fireplace in the main room, said: “Tourists enjoy a log fire. It’s cosy. I won’t be rushing to get rid of my fireplace.”

Successive French governments have offered households financial incentives to replace open wood-burning fireplaces since 2012.

Log fires were banned in Paris that year over concerns about the capital’s frequent spikes in pollution. However, there were so many complaints by residents that it was overturned in 2015.

Many Parisian apartments have open fireplaces but residents generally burn logs only on special occasions such as Christmas Day. Wood may only be used as a main source of heating if they are burned in approved types of closed stoves that limit pollution.