From the 1930s until 1992, the town of Chréa had a unique and charming ski resort located in the Atlas Mountain Range of Northern Africa.
This mountain village is located 70 km from Algiers, the capital of the country, at an altitude of 1,458 meters (4,783 ft) above sea level. It is situated in the Blida Province, Ouled Yaïch District, near the city of Blida, and within the Chréa National Park, which is one of the largest national parks in Algeria. The park is located in a mountainous area known as the Blidean Atlas, which is part of the Tell Atlas, and covers an area of 36,985 hectares. It was founded in 1997.
The national park is home to over 1,240 plant and animal species, including the Atlas cedar (Cedrus Atlantica) and the Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus), one of the few remaining populations of this endangered primate species. The Barbary macaque originally had a much wider range in Northern Algeria and Morocco.
The Chréa ski resort has a history of turbulence. Between 1992 and 2002, the slopes lay barren and quiet, and the stores and hotels that once flourished with visitors and tourists were demolished. All the joy, excitement, and family holiday fun that were synonymous with Chréa were replaced by armed groups, military vehicles, and the brutal leaders of the GIA (Armed Islamic Group). Most of the 3,000 residents of Chréa fled the area. The armed groups have now been chased from Chréa, and soldiers protect the area and keep a watchful eye on the ski area from towers and barracks constructed on nearby hilltops.
Today, the mountain echoes with the shrieks of laughing children playing in the snow, and skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts crowd the slopes, while sleighs come past every now and then. It is the majestic mountain forest landscapes, the undisturbed beauty of nature, and the vast variety of wildlife that remained isolated from the public eye for ten years that draw them.
The town of Chréa and the ski area are slowly picking up the pieces and rebuilding this spectacular holiday hideaway. Locals are beginning to return to the town, and the people of Algeria have begun to live and plan for the future again. The Chréa ski area is a wonderful escape from city life and a rare opportunity to go skiing in Africa.
Sources: www.algeria.com
