The French mountain village of Saint-Colomban-des-Villards has taken an unprecedented step by making all ski lifts and slopes free to use, responding to mounting financial losses and the growing impact of climate change on low-altitude winter sports.
Located in the French Alps at an altitude of 1,100 metres, the village has struggled for decades to sustain traditional downhill skiing. Municipal authorities revealed that simply operating ticket offices and sales systems would cost the resort between €36,000 and €41,000 per season, while projected revenue from ski pass sales would reach only €18,000. The resort has been running at a loss for nearly 25 years.
In 2025, the operating deficit reached €1 million, accounting for almost 40 percent of the municipality’s total annual budget. Faced with the choice between permanent closure and a radical rethink, local authorities opted to eliminate ski pass fees altogether while dramatically reducing the size of the ski area.
Under the new model, the resort will operate as a compact “mini ski zone” featuring two drag lifts and a children’s slope, primarily aimed at beginners and families. By scaling back operations and removing ticketing costs, officials estimate losses for the current season can be reduced to between €150,000 and €200,000.
The decision reflects a broader reality facing many lower-altitude Alpine resorts, where snowfall at elevations around 1,100 metres has become increasingly unreliable. Rather than continuing to invest in traditional alpine skiing, Saint-Colomban-des-Villards is officially shifting its long-term strategy toward a more diversified and climate-resilient form of mountain tourism.
Visitors are now encouraged to experience what the municipality describes as a more authentic Alpine winter. New offerings focus on snowshoe walking routes, winter hiking on sun-exposed slopes, and nature-based outdoor activities in an environmentally preserved valley, moving away from dependence on ski infrastructure alone.
Further details on the operation of the free ski lifts and the newly developed winter routes are available via the official tourism platform of the Savoie region, which is promoting the initiative as part of a broader reimagining of sustainable mountain tourism in the French Alps.
