Ski holidays aren't usually budget-friendly, but one resort in the French Alps has found a novel way to attract tourists: free skiing this winter.
Saint-Colomban-des-Villards resort PHOTO: shutterstock
The small village in the Savoie region, located at an altitude of 1,100 meters, took the unprecedented decision not out of generosity, but as a measure to reduce financial losses.
The operational deficit of the ski area reached 1 million euros in 2025, and the uncertainty of snowfall in the area makes the business operate at a loss for almost 25 years, according to mayor Pierre-Yves Bonnivard.
“Nearly 40% of the city's budget was used to cover a loss-making activitye”, said Bonnivard, according to dailymail.
The situation worsened after the closure of the resort of Les Sybelles, of which Saint-Colomban-des-Villards had been part since 2003.
In an attempt to limit costs, the municipality decided to reduce the skiable area and offer free access to certain slopes.
Selling rookie cards would have required staff to operate the ticket offices, with an estimated cost of between €36,000 and €41,000 for the season.
Instead, the income from these cards would have been only 18,000 euros. “It actually costs us less not to charge“, explained the mayor.
In total, the municipality estimates that providing free skiing this season will cost between €150,000 and €200,000, five times less than last season, making the shortfall more manageable.
The results of this experiment will be analyzed at the end of the season, and the decision regarding the continuation of free access will be made in April.
