Weather sends a shiver through alpine economy

With memories of a bumper winter fading, empty terraces, torrential downpours and March-like temperatures are busy keeping the tourists away, according to today's Dauphiné Libéré.

The paper carries an interview with the somewhat inappopriately names Mr l'Heureux (President of a syndicat for hotel owners and the like), who bemoans the beginning of the summer of discontent.

"The worst start in 26 years," he gripes.

Add to the weather the weak Swiss Franc (which encourages the Swiss to stay at home), the weak pound against the Euro and the storm clouds of recession dissuading the usually travel-mad Brits, never mind the French and their unresolved problems with the pouvoir d'achat, it's not shaping up to be the best ever.

Harbingers of doom may take some cheer from an improved forecast for the end of this week and even if the bad weather continues, the silver-lining is the air quality, which owes it's unusually good readings to the unseasonal conditions.