Apprehension of avalanche risk and decision making process in a medium- high mountain range. The case of the Vosges (France)

ABSTRACT: Mentioning avalanche risk in the Vosges generally causes a certain incredulity for this range of modest height and its irregular snowfalls. However, in January and February 2000, fifteen people were victims of avalanches and three of them died. These accidents suddenly drew people’s attention to the fact that avalanche risks are underestimated. Indeed, this geo-historical research shows that more than two hundred and seventy events have occurred since the end of the eighteenth century. So, our choice was to study the risk factors associated with the apprehension of the avalanche risk in the Vosges. This apprehension participates to the process of decision-making that leads recreationists to expose themselves to avalanche risk