Hikers whose “risky behaviour” gets them into trouble on French mountains may soon have to pay for rescue services under proposals from the country’s finance auditor.
An inquiry by the country’s spending watchdog, the Cour des Comptes, recommended “better measuring the effectiveness and costs of mountain rescue.”
According to the body, 17 per cent of people rescued in 2024 were foreign nationals.
The Cour des Comptes added that several countries, including Austria, Germany and Switzerland, often bill foreign nationals after rescuing them. French citizens who failed to observe safety rules would also be required to reimburse emergency services under the new proposals.
Currently in France, mountain rescue services are generally funded by the state, with the exception of some resort-based ski rescues.
The court also suggested “clarifying the conditions for using helicopters and initiating changes to the regulatory framework to allow, where appropriate, for billing of interventions and more effective penalties for risky behaviour and misuse of rescue services.”
Helicopter rescues cost an estimated €10,780 (£9,444) per intervention in 2024, with the Cour des Comptes putting the total cost of mountain rescue services at nearly €107 million (£93.7m) that year, a 55 per cent increase since 2012.
Many mountain rescuers wish to retain the state-funded services, however.
Yannick Vallençant, the head of the SIM union representing mountain guides, told the Times: “Why should mountain sports enthusiasts be treated any differently from people who have road accidents? Why question the principle of free mountain rescues when there are many more victims of drowning? And what about health problems caused by smoking? Smokers aren’t forced to take out insurance to continue smoking.”
“We shouldn’t forget that holidaymakers from across the country go hiking in the mountains. It’s not just a few from the elite. Mountain rescues only cost each French citizen €1.50 (£1.30) a year,” he added.
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