Argentiere Page 1 of 3 Introduction The population of Argentière la Bessée is 2500 and in the nearby service area there are about another 1500 people, mainly living in the villages of Vallouise and Pelvoux. Argentière la Bessée lies at the doorway of the Ecrins National Park, a high mountain wilderness, with peaks over 4000 metres in altitude. The region has an important tourist clientele offering more than 130,000 tourist beds. Most of the visitors come to the region mainly because of skiing and other mountain sports it offers. Tourist plan for Argentière la Bessée There are 6 features affecting the future tourist development of Argentière la Bessée. These are :- · residential and service function · an excellent climate · a nodal location · specific geomorphology · mining heritage · local accessibility Settlement function The land uses in Argentière la Bessée are shown in Figure . There are a wide range of facilities, open all the year round. There is now an increasing local demand for accommodation in Argentière la Bessée, as it is much cheaper here than in Briançon, kilometres away. The strength of Argentière is as a service centre and this should encourage tourism. The closure of the Pechiney aluminium works has created a more attractive and appealing environment. Smoke emissions are no longer released making it a more attractive residential area. The improved image of the town should enable it to develop during the years to come. | 1 | 2 | 3 | Page 1 of 3