• Who says February holidays, says, for about 13% of French people, ski holidays and tan marks around the eyes.

    Finally said.

    With global warming and galloping inflation, the practice of downhill skiing during the winter holidays runs the risk of gradually disappearing.

  • Aware of the danger, the sector, which claims a turnover of 1.5 billion euros per year, is trying to adapt to the expectations of users in the resort and to develop alternatives to all-skiing.

  • Every week until the end of the school holidays for all areas, "20 minutes" questions the future of alpine skiing in France.

    And this Friday, which marks the start of the winter holidays in zone A, it is our Internet users who are speaking out when, inflation obliges, many claim that skiing is over.

"No, I no longer go to the mountains and the reasons are multiple: rising food prices, rising fuel prices and tolls, ski lift prices, ski equipment while some slopes and lifts will remain closed or idling.

Like Isabelle, 61, many French people have seen their holiday budgets melt like snow in the sun.

As confirmed by a study by the Skyscanner flight comparator published at the end of November, a majority of French people reflect the increase in the cost of living in their travel decisions.

So, on the occasion of the start of the winter holidays,

20 Minutes

asked its readers if they were planning to go to the mountains.

And, for many, this winter will be without skiing.

"It's been a long time since inflation pushed us to stop going on ski holidays," writes Olivier, 45.

For this father of three children, “between the price of renting an apartment, transport, renting equipment, ski lifts and clothing”, it is financially unbearable.

With the 6% inflation over the past year, it's too complicated, adds Lydie, 44: “Our salaries do not follow.

We gave up, at five, it's too expensive for a week..." On average, for a family of two adults and two children, a week in the mountains costs 1,450 euros, including only accommodation and equipment rental. and the package, indicates the ski resort comparator Skidata.io.

Our salaries are not keeping up.

We gave up, at five, it's too expensive for a week..."

So for some, like Nathalie, 42, a ski holiday is only possible thanks to family accommodation.

"However, even by paying only the charges, with the increase in prices in general, we are reviewing our activities: cross-country skiing or snowshoeing instead of downhill skiing, and in addition it allows us to discover places inaccessible on foot" , explains the holidaymaker.

“I no longer go skiing for environmental reasons”

The reasons for not going to the snow are not only financial.

“I have decided to cut ski holidays because of the prices and the climate impact,” writes William, 60.

“I chose not to ski anymore, to no longer use the ski lifts and the ski slopes.

This for environmental reasons, even if I am aware that it generates jobs”, confides Arnaud, 49 years old.

According to a study conducted in 2022 by the Utopies agency at the request of several winter sports resorts, a day in the snow has a carbon footprint of 48.9 kg of CO2 on average per person.

Over a week, this is equivalent to a round trip from Paris to Bordeaux by plane.

All this without understanding the journey to the station.

our file on ski resorts

Due to the low snowfall in the resorts, due to very mild temperatures, nearly 20% of the French ski area is closed the day before the winter holidays.

A situation that worries consumers - "there is no reduction depending on weather conditions or closing of slopes", annoys Claudine - and professionals.

A reader could however rejoice in the rise in temperatures, Anne, 60 years old.

The latter wrote a few weeks ago to

20 Minutes

for us

openly sharing their feelings

 :

“I went to winter sports once in my life, I was 10 years old and I was cold.

I will never go again.

»

Planet

The mildness of this winter disrupts the ski season throughout Europe

Economy

Energy crisis: The price of ski passes on the rise in the Drôme

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