The Alpe du Grand Serre ski resort in southeastern France has announced its closure, becoming another casualty of the climate crisis, CNN reports.
The resort, situated near the popular Alpe d’Huez, was unable to secure funding to transform its pistes into year-round attractions, a plan deemed necessary to combat declining snowfalls.
After a vote by the local council, the contract with ski lift operator SATA Group was terminated, effectively ending operations. The decision, which saw 47 council members vote against funding, comes after years of investment in the “Alpe de Grande Serre 2050” project, aimed at diversifying the resort’s offerings for both summer and winter activities.
Council President Coraline Saurat cited the increasing unreliability of winter snowfall as the primary reason for the closure.
The closure of Alpe du Grand Serre is a stark warning to other mid-sized alpine ski stations grappling with similar challenges. The Grand Puy station in France’s Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region also closed permanently on Sunday after a public referendum, while La Sambuy, a family skiing destination near Mont Blanc, dismantled its ski lifts last year due to a severely shortened winter season.
Snow expert Carlo Carmagnola from Météo France, who studies the impact of climate change on ski resorts, warns that the situation is alarming.
