EDF: The Killjoys of Summer Rafting

Summer’s here, the rafts are out, and the Dranse should be charging,except it isn’t. Adventure-hungry rafters are sitting on the riverbank like it’s the standpipe summer of 1976, waiting for the water to arrive. But it’s not a drought keeping them dry. It’s EDF.

Where’s the Whitewater Gone?

Across Europe, river users are clashing with hydropower priorities. In the French Alps, projects like EDF’s Romanche-Gavet dam have reshaped flow patterns in entire valleys. Canoe and kayak clubs in places like the Durance and Ubaye regularly negotiate for timed releases just to get on the water. And Europe-wide, environmental groups have flagged how hydropower disrupts rivers not only ecologically but recreationally too. The story on the Dranse fits a bigger pattern,energy over access.

Why It Matters

Rafting needs flow, literally. By law, there must be at least 8 cubic metres of water per second for commercial rafting to be permitted. Rafters usually prefer a bit more and aim to launch with around 10 cubic metres. In the past, EDF honoured this minimum, even during droughts,though often only for short windows. But those narrow margins have taken their toll: half the rafting bases on the Dranse have shut down. For an outfit to stay viable, it needs to run three trips a day. Lately, that’s dropped to two, sometimes just one, especially by late August.

What’s Going On This Year

Despite a wet spring, EDF has decided to release most of the Dranse’s water during the night, when electricity prices are higher. From mid-June, this has meant just four hours of raftable flow from 8am to midday. The rest of the water, up to 18 cubic metres per second, is slipping away under cover of darkness. And then there’s the full dam shutdown from 23 June to 3 July for maintenance. That means zero raftable flow: trips cancelled, guides grounded.

Who’s Feeling the Hit?

Frogs Rafting, a small outfit based on the lower Dranse, has been leading trips here for years. Their stretch of river is fed mostly by the Morzine side, but it all hinges on when EDF opens the floodgates. “We’ve been forced to cut down to two or even one trip daily, especially in late August,” they say. “To stay viable, we need at least three trips per day.”

Small Frogs, Big Pond

It’s a tough pill to swallow when it’s not just nature they’re up against. EDF is a public-private giant with no real incentive to bend for niche tourism. “We’re negotiating,” says Frogs, “but we’re very small and not holding out hope that we have much sway.” It’s a familiar tune for small adventure businesses trying to coexist with big energy.

When Water Becomes Politics

Snow can’t be summoned, but at least it’s no one’s fault when it doesn’t fall. This is different. The wait for July’s updated release schedule isn’t about nature; it’s about economics. And it’s EDF that gets to decide if the river runs or not.

New Flows, New Adventures

Still, Frogs isn’t giving up. With the dam shut down in the afternoons, the previously un-runnable upper Dranse has opened up for exploration. They’re launching gorge walking trips, think of it as canyoning lite. “You’ll swim rapids, climb rock formations and leap into pools,” they say. It’s €50 a head and suitable for anyone aged 8 and up.

River Rats Will Always Find a Way

There’s something special about rivers in summer, wild, cool, alive. And whether you’re paddling hard or scrambling through a gorge, that spirit doesn’t go quietly. Fall Line editor Nicky, based in Morzine, says: “I’ll definitely be taking the chance to explore the upper Dranse with my friends at Frogs Rafting. It’s too good to miss.”