French Ski Resorts Invested €568m In 2024

The total investment for 2024, as determined by the annual survey conducted by Montagne Leaders magazine in partnership with Atout France and Domaines Skiables de France, amounts to €568M across all French ski resorts. This represents a slight increase compared to 2023 (€546M). Given the persistent inflationary context, this level of investment deserves careful analysis.

With €568M invested in 2024, French operators have reinvested nearly 34% of their pre-tax revenue, which is 9 percentage points above the ten-year average. These figures reflect the determination of mountain resorts and their commitment to offering more services and continuously renewed experiences by improving both snow-based and non-snow-based activities for all visitors.

"What other tourism sector reinvests 34% of its revenue, as French ski resort operators are doing this year? This is a well-thought-out choice, also guided by Climsnow® studies, which simulate snow conditions for 2050 and 2080 to help direct investments and adapt to the future." – Anne Marty, President of Domaines Skiables de France

Investment distribution by mountain region:

• Savoie: €279.4M
• Haute-Savoie: €115.2M
• Isère: €88M
• Southern Alps: €44M
• Pyrenees: €37.8M
• Vosges: €1.9M
• Jura: €1.3M
• Massif Central: €1.3M

Geographically, these figures reflect the challenges faced by mid-altitude mountain regions during winter 2023/24.

Investment focus

A detailed breakdown of these investments reveals that the €568M total includes major ski lift projects, such as:

• The completion of the Jandri gondola in Les 2 Alpes,
• The restructuring of the TransArc gondola in Les Arcs,
• The new Valléen and Alpin gondolas in Saint-Gervais.

Additionally, €71M has been allocated to constructing new buildings aimed at improving customer services. Notably, the number of newly built ski lifts has decreased significantly, from 39 lifts in 2016 to just 22 in 2024.

This year has also been marked by a record number of new conveyor belts. A total of 36 new installations have been built to modernize beginner areas—three times the ten-year average.

"These investments reflect the need to respond to a growing number of beginner skiers, a trend that aligns perfectly with the findings of the first Montagne Hiver Barometer, unveiled by Atout France and its partners on January 27 at the Destination Montagnes trade fair in Grenoble." said  Damien Zisswiller, Atout France

Indeed, young people are overrepresented among mountain visitors:

• 18-24 age group: +4 percentage points
• 25-34 age group: +9 percentage points

The same trend is seen among alpine skiers and snowboarders, with a notable increase among the 35-49 age group (+8 points). For cross-country skiers, the rise is even more significant:

• 18-24 age group: +6 points
• 25-34 age group: +11 points

Steady growth in leisure investments

Investments in leisure infrastructure continue to rise:

• +24% compared to the five-year average
• +56% compared to ten years ago

This proves that diversification has been underway for several years. To illustrate:

• From 2015 to 2024, €109M was invested in leisure activities.
• In the previous decade (2005–2014), the total was just €44M.

This trend goes hand in hand with investments in ski lifts, which are now designed for both winter and summer use. This facilitates access for hikers and supports summer activities like mountain biking.

Overall, this investment dynamic is a major asset for the economic and social vitality of mountain regions, particularly in the lead-up to the 2030 Winter Olympics.