Mountain life in Swedish style

From Next magazine issue 2/2010. Text by Antti Laiho

Tourism in Åre is nearly as old as that in the Alps. It dates back to the late 19th century and the newly constructed railroad, which greatly improved connections. It gave a boost to winter travel in particular. Tourists wanted to escape the pollution of industrializing cities and enjoy the vast landscape of Åre – just like they do today.

Åre became known worldwide in 1954 when it arranged the world championships in alpine skiing. The Norwegian Stein Eriksen won three gold medals at the event. This, at the very least, convinced the public that the slopes and views of Central Sweden could compete on an equal footing with those of the Alps. Åre hosted the World Championships again in 2007.

The village has continued to grow in the last 15 to 20 years. Big investments, such as Holiday Club, the Mix Megapol Arena, and new ski lifts, have made Åre bustle with activity. They have also enabled tourism to take greater advantage of the snowless season.

What makes summer in this small village at the foot of the mountain so attractive? A good person to answer this question is Mattias Fredriksson, a photographer from Åre, who over the years has visited numerous ski resorts and mountain villages all around the world, in both the winter and the summer.

“People who have only been to Åre in the skiing season ask me this all the time,” says Mattias. “I prefer Åre outside the skiing season. Life in the village is calmer then. Your friends on the street actually have time for a chat. In the winter, everyone is busy.”

Fall is Mattias’s favorite time in Åre. “The skiing here is great too, but we don’t get quite as much powder snow as the Alps, Japan or Canada. Instead, mountain biking, paragliding, fishing, and other summer activities are world-class. This is also a great place for horseback riders and whitewater rafters. In the summer, Åre’s beautiful nature really offers a lot to do.”

Mattias especially likes mountain biking, which has brought a great deal of summer activity to the village. The local bike club, Åre Bergscyklister, is an active one, and the bike scene has grown strongly. This summer’s main bike event will be Åre Bike Festival on 5–11 July.

The Åre ski resort came to look at mountain biking as a serious summer activity 15 years ago, when it hosted the village's first World Cup race in downhill mountain biking.

Goal-oriented development began at the end of the millennium. In 1999, Åre arranged the World Championships in mountain biking and has ever since invested a great deal in developing its downhill and freeride trails. The popularity of cross-country mountain biking has also increased recently.

Incredible versatility considering the size of the village

Åre is not just a destination for active vacation, it’s a truly lively and vibrant little town. Its population has been on the rise since 2003.

“The stressful urban lifestyle does not attract everyone. People are looking for a better quality of life, which is why I believe Åre will continue to grow,” says Mattias.

“There are all kinds of people here. I suppose we share some characteristics though: we love mountain life and are ready to do without a number of other things to enjoy it. Can you imagine a better place for a young family to raise their kids than Åre and its mountain village atmosphere,” asks Mattias.

Erik Ahlström, Salomon’s trail running community manager, agrees with Åre being an excellent place of residence. He organizes the Swedish Trail Tour series of races and actively participates in the trail running community’s activities online. Erik acts as a feeler for Salomon on trail running paths.

Over the years he has run and hiked all around Åre’s mountains and arranged numerous races in adventure sports and mountain running. This has also acquainted him with the finest running paths in the mountains.

“There are so many treats here that I’m glad to share them with others. To my mind, the best running trails are found in the southern Åre mountains, around Vålådalen, and up in the mountains,” says Erik. Åre’s running and hiking trails continue to be improved by marking new routes and updating maps.

“For me, Åre is an obvious choice to live in because it still resembles a mountain village, even though it really functions like a small town,” he says.

Åre offers enough to do all year round, and its services are much better than those usually available in villages of this size. The range of shops and restaurants beats that of many big cities.

Many outdoor sports companies have chosen to make the town their home. Three of Sweden’s leading outdoor magazines, Åka Skidor, Utemagasinet, and Magasin Åre, are all published in Åre. The town is also a favorite among entrepreneurs and creative people, such as photographers, authors, and designers. Åre residents pursue many activities, and the town is home to world-class athletes in many mountain sports.

Åre has an undeniable influence on the sector’s trends and their spread in the Nordic countries. In addition to the town’s own media, Åre also gets a great deal of visibility elsewhere. This makes it an important place for Amer Sports brands as well.

“We find it important to present our products in their natural surroundings,” says Christer Lidgren from Amer Sports Sweden.

Year-round activities in the town are especially well suited to Salomon, which has a shop-in-shop in Åre’s Stadium sports store.

According to Christer, the superior media visibility given to Åre also has its flip side. “Åre residents have a huge responsibility since their doings, both good and bad, reflect on the whole sector,” he says.

What is definitely great about Åre is the strong sense of people pulling together.

“We work in teams and also market the area together. Many other resorts could learn a lot from Åre,” says Mattias.