With winter on the European horizon, at least one more ski resort in France, will be confronting the harsh reality that climate change has made their business physically inoperable due to the predicted lack of snow.
La Sambuy, a charming town nestled near Mont Blanc in the French Alps, renowned for its family-friendly skiing, has made the poignant decision to dismantle its ski lifts. This drastic move is an unfortunate consequence of the relentless advance of global warming, which has drastically shortened La Sambuy’s ski season to just a few meagre weeks, rendering the resort financially unsustainable.
La Sambuy’s mayor, Jacques Dalex, lamented the situation, stating, “Previously, we could count on snowfall from the beginning of December right through to the end of March.” However, during the last winter season, a mere “four weeks of snow, and even then, insufficient amounts” plagued the region. This resulted in the rapid emergence of unforgiving obstacles, such as stones and rocks, on the ski slopes.
Closing operational window
With an operational window reduced to fewer than five weeks during January and February, Dalex disclosed that the resort was staring at an anticipated annual loss of around 500,000 euros ($530,000). The upkeep of the ski lifts alone drained 80,000 euros annually.
Despite its modest size, featuring just three lifts and a handful of ski runs reaching a maximum altitude of 1,850 meters, La Sambuy held appeal for families seeking a quieter Alpine experience at an affordable cost, with slopes catering to both expert skiers (“black” runs) and beginners (“green” runs). The UK snow report website, On The Snow, lauded it as “an idyllic place to visit, with exceptional panoramic views and all the amenities one could desire in a welcoming resort.”
As the crucial planning phase for the winter season loomed this summer, La Sambuy’s town council made the difficult decision to shutter the resort, which they had managed since 2016. Although the skiing infrastructure is set to be disassembled soon, the town aspires to continue drawing visitors.
Dalex envisions a new role for the former ski resort, focusing on “exploring and conserving nature, hiking, and engaging in sports, where possible.”
La Sambuy’s website now carries a message announcing the ski resort’s “permanent closure” on September 10, following the town council’s resolution. It expressed gratitude for the support during the last summer season of 2023 and the wonderful years spent together.
La Sambuy not alone
Regrettably, La Sambuy is not an isolated case among French ski resorts grappling with the consequences of climate change. Last year, Saint-Firmin, another small Alpine ski destination, opted to dismantle its ski lift after witnessing its winter season shrink from months to weeks, a situation also attributed to climate change.
Mountain Wilderness, a French environmental group, reports that it has dismantled 22 ski lifts in France since 2001 and estimates that 106 abandoned ski lifts remain across 59 locations in the country.
A study published in August by the scientific journal Nature Climate Change revealed that 53% of 2,234 surveyed ski resorts in Europe face a “very high risk of reduced snowfall” at 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) of global warming above pre-industrial levels, without the use of artificial snow.
Another report, published in January in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, warned of a “substantial likelihood” of global temperature increases surpassing the 2-degree Celsius threshold by mid-century.
Dalex asserts that “all winter sports resorts in France are grappling with the effects of global warming,” especially those situated at medium mountain altitudes between 1,000 and 1,500 meters.
Nevertheless, not everyone in La Sambuy is prepared to surrender without a fight. An association named “All Together For La Sambuy” (Tous Ensemble Pour La Sambuy) launched a petition this year, urging the preservation of the resort and others like it through the adoption of a more “sustainable” model. Their primary proposal involves operating the chair lift during the summer months to transport visitors up the mountain.
The petition has garnered over 1,900 signatures, and according to Christian Bailly, the association’s president, legal action is being pursued to challenge the town council’s decision.
He contends that the closure is “detrimental” to the local community and region, emphasising that the ski resort is “a social pillar of our small town with 7,500 inhabitants.”
Dalex is resolute in attributing the closure to one unmistakable cause: “Global warming is evidently occurring” and doing so “at a pace even faster than what scientists had predicted.” He maintains that ski resorts are increasingly compelled to adapt to a shifting climate, a daunting challenge that many are now confronting head-on.
