Nordic Ski Centre in Bessans

  • Wide view of the Bessans Nordic Ski Center set back from the village, a low timber volume facing groomed trails in the open Haute-Maurienne snowfield.
  • Bessans Nordic Ski Center by Tectoniques: low timber volume with stone-tile roof and rhythmic portals, set against a steep forested Alpine slope.
  • Nordic Ski Center in Bessans, a low timber and glass volume with deep roof overhang, aligned with the open landscape at the foot of the Haute-Maurienne mountains.
  • Nordic Ski Center in Bessans with long timber façade and deep roof overhang facing groomed ski trails, set against a wide snow-covered mountain backdrop.
  • Nordic Ski Center in Bessans with deep timber roof portals, vertical wood cladding and stone-tiled roof set against the open Haute-Maurienne landscape.
  • Nordic Ski Center in Bessans with low stone-tiled roof and rhythmic timber portals, set against a forested Alpine slope along the ski trails.
  • Construction of the Bessans Nordic Ski Center, with a long timber portal structure and sloping roof emerging in an open alpine valley landscape.
    Christian Michel
    Stacks of grey stone tiles for the Bessans Nordic Ski Center roof laid out on site, with the Haute-Maurienne mountain slope rising in the background.
    Christian Michel
  • Nordic Ski Center in Bessans, a low timber volume with glazed façades and deep roof overhang, set against a wide snowy plain and rocky alpine slopes.
    Pierrick Durand-Glouchkoff
    Exterior view of the Bessans Nordic Ski Center, a timber-clad volume with exposed roof beams and glazed façade, set against a steep snowy Alpine slope.
    Pierrick Durand-Glouchkoff
    Timber-framed roof edge of the Nordic Ski Center in Bessans, with snow-laden stone tiles set against the open white plateau and surrounding alpine slopes.
    Pierrick Durand-Glouchkoff
    Timber-framed facade of the Nordic Ski Center in Bessans, with deep roof overhang, glazed ground floor and snow-covered alpine mountains in the background.
    Pierrick Durand-Glouchkoff

    18 years later, in March 2026.

  • Technical drawing of the Bessans Nordic Ski Center, showing longitudinal sections, timber roof structure, stone-clad slope, and axonometric views in the alpine site.

Project description

Set back from the village, facing the ski trails and training loops, the Bessans Nordic ski centre appears as a solitary volume within the wide landscape of Haute-Maurienne. Its simple form is integrated into the site with restraint. To the north, towards the village, a large roof slope clad in grey slate tiles forms a continuous mineral surface; to the south, on the trail side, a series of timber porticoes structures the landscape. The project combines traditional materials with efficient implementation, using prefabricated components.

Project details

  • Address
    Rue du Carreley, Bessans, Savoie
  • Dates
    2006-2008
  • Programme
    Sports facilities
  • Surface area
    800 m2
  • Budget
    1.8 M€
  • Regulatory framework
    RT 2005
  • Energy consumption
    130 kWh/m2/year
  • Notable details
    Alpine wood, slate roof, wood-fired heating system, dual-flow ventilation, ground-coupled heat exchanger
  • Selected media
    Detail, Timber Construction – octobre 2010, AMC hors-série bois – 2011, C3 nº297 – 2009, Séquence bois nº77 – novembre 2009, Tecnica – 2009

Credits

  • Client
    Ville de Bessans
  • Project management
    Tectoniques (architect, lead), Jacques Anglade (timber structure), Sechaud et Boussuyt (cost consultant, electrical engineering, MEP engineering, concrete structure)
  • Photography
    Christian Michel

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