Avalanches en moyenne montagne : des représentations à l’occultation du risque

In France, in medium-high mountains, avalanche risk appears as totally missed out whereas avalanche hazard and elements at risk truly exist. This article shows that this paradox results from images that go beyond the sole physical process. The predominance of the alpine archetype (the European Alps...

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Main Authors: Giacona Florie, Martin Brice, Eckert Nicolas
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Éditions en environnement VertigO
Series:VertigO
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/20525
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author Giacona Florie
Martin Brice
Eckert Nicolas
author_facet Giacona Florie
Martin Brice
Eckert Nicolas
author_sort Giacona Florie
collection DOAJ
description In France, in medium-high mountains, avalanche risk appears as totally missed out whereas avalanche hazard and elements at risk truly exist. This article shows that this paradox results from images that go beyond the sole physical process. The predominance of the alpine archetype (the European Alps remaining the model of mountains) as well as the construction of the medium-high mountain concept in opposition to high mountains make medium-high mountains a distinct space characterized by its “tenderly mountainous”2 nature. In this context, the territorial anchorage in high mountains of snow avalanches and of the related risk can be found up to the scientific and institutional spheres. This results, in terms of operational risk management, in two distinct systems, the one devoted to medium-high mountains being characterized by the absence of numerous specific tools and actors. Finally, the characteristics and images associated to the snow avalanche and mountain concepts implicitly or explicitly lead to occulting the risk in medium high mountains, and, hence, to the non-emergence of the avalanche problem in this space. The archetypal case of the Vosges massif illustrates the demonstration.
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spelling doaj.art-f1dae685dbce4489a95ef02d5be1a69c2024-04-04T09:08:17ZfraÉditions en environnement VertigOVertigO1492-844218210.4000/vertigo.20525Avalanches en moyenne montagne : des représentations à l’occultation du risqueGiacona FlorieMartin BriceEckert NicolasIn France, in medium-high mountains, avalanche risk appears as totally missed out whereas avalanche hazard and elements at risk truly exist. This article shows that this paradox results from images that go beyond the sole physical process. The predominance of the alpine archetype (the European Alps remaining the model of mountains) as well as the construction of the medium-high mountain concept in opposition to high mountains make medium-high mountains a distinct space characterized by its “tenderly mountainous”2 nature. In this context, the territorial anchorage in high mountains of snow avalanches and of the related risk can be found up to the scientific and institutional spheres. This results, in terms of operational risk management, in two distinct systems, the one devoted to medium-high mountains being characterized by the absence of numerous specific tools and actors. Finally, the characteristics and images associated to the snow avalanche and mountain concepts implicitly or explicitly lead to occulting the risk in medium high mountains, and, hence, to the non-emergence of the avalanche problem in this space. The archetypal case of the Vosges massif illustrates the demonstration.https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/20525risk managementrisk perceptionmountainavalanche hazard Vosges Massif
spellingShingle Giacona Florie
Martin Brice
Eckert Nicolas
Avalanches en moyenne montagne : des représentations à l’occultation du risque
VertigO
risk management
risk perception
mountain
avalanche hazard
 Vosges Massif
title Avalanches en moyenne montagne : des représentations à l’occultation du risque
title_full Avalanches en moyenne montagne : des représentations à l’occultation du risque
title_fullStr Avalanches en moyenne montagne : des représentations à l’occultation du risque
title_full_unstemmed Avalanches en moyenne montagne : des représentations à l’occultation du risque
title_short Avalanches en moyenne montagne : des représentations à l’occultation du risque
title_sort avalanches en moyenne montagne des representations a l occultation du risque
topic risk management
risk perception
mountain
avalanche hazard
 Vosges Massif
url https://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/20525
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