On Friday, August 28, heavy rainfall from a thunderstorm caused the Saint-Pierre torrent to overflow, damaging the road that links Ailefroide to the Pré de Madame Carle, a popular site in the Écrins National Park and a key location for alpinism in the area. This road, usually closed during winter months, was severely damaged, cutting off the village of Ailefroide from the Pré de Madame Carle and disrupting the balance of the Vallouise valley. The parking lot at Pré de Madame Carle is a major entry point to the Blanc and Noir glaciers and serves as a vital economic resource for the Vallouise-Pelvoux commune. Four days after the incident, the local municipal council decided against rebuilding the road in its original form, sparking discussions about future access to the site. Gaëlle Moreau, the mayor of Vallouise-Pelvoux, mentioned that this is the third natural disaster in four years and emphasized the need for a new approach. "These events used to occur every 10, 20, or even 50 years, but now it's clear that the current high-altitude parking system must change," she said. An emergency plan involving an unpaved path and a shuttle system to allow visitors to approach the Pré de Madame Carle as closely as possible is under consideration. However, Cyril Victoria, the guardian of the Pré de Madame Carle refuge, criticized the decision as hasty, noting that it was made without proper consultation or studies on the economic impact on the valley or the professional activities in the area. He expressed concern that the decision was based on no technical or financial analysis. The topic of rewilding the Pré de Madame Carle parking lot has been discussed in the SCoT (Territorial Cohesion Scheme) of the Pays des Écrins intercommunality, with a public inquiry set to close on September 21. The proposed project involves rewilding about 2 hectares of the parking area. However, some residents are concerned about the lack of reflection and consultation on such major projects. The decision not to rebuild the road has raised concerns about overcrowding and risk prevention. Before the road's destruction, there were plans to move the parking lot closer to Ailefroide to reduce pressure on the Pré de Madame Carle. In 2023, La Passa, a local organization, suggested abandoning the road between Ailefroide and Pré de Madame Carle and using shuttles instead to improve the quality of life for both residents and tourists. Gaëlle Moreau highlighted the link between overcrowding and risk prevention, noting that the road's destruction had prevented the evacuation of over 200 people. However, the Vallouise-Pelvoux citizen collective argued that closing the road and parking would not eliminate all visitors and raised concerns about urbanizing and rewilding another area when the existing parking is already left to nature for six months of the year. From the perspective of the Écrins refuge, whose traditional access is via the Pré de Madame Carle, guardian Damien Haxaire sees the change as an opportunity. He believes the shift to foot access could allow for a more authentic night in the refuge and potentially attract more climbers heading to the Blanc Glacier. However, he is concerned about the impact on the Blanc Glacier refuge, which experiences heavy daily traffic. Beyond the ecological and economic aspects, the debate reflects two contrasting views on tourism in Vallouise. On one side are those who want to maintain access and support new ecological models, while on the other are those who worry about the valley losing its tourists.