This French Ski Resort Made Skiing Free for a Shocking Reason

WooGlobe

Skiing in the French Alps usually comes with a high price tag. But this winter, one alpine village is offering skiing completely free.  In Saint-Colomban-des-Villards, a small ski resort in the French Alps, lift passes cost nothing not as a promotion but as a last resort to survive. After decades of financial losses, unreliable snowfall, and rising costs, the town made a shocking decision. Charging skiers would actually cost more than letting everyone ski for free.  This video explains why the resort stopped selling lift passes, how climate change is reshaping alpine tourism, and what this bold experiment could mean for the future of mountain villages across Europe.  It’s a story about money, snow, survival, and reinvention in the Alps. Watch till the end to see why free skiing might be the start of something much bigger. WooGlobe Ref : WGA304838 For licensing and to use this video, please email licensing@wooglobe.com

Transcript

00:00Imagine skiing in the French Alps without paying a single euro.

00:03Sounds impossible.

00:05But this winter, it's real.

00:07In the heart of the Alps, the village of Saint-Colombin-des-Villars is offering free skiing for everyone.

00:13Not as a gift, but as a survival move.

00:16Lift pass prices across Europe keep rising.

00:19But here, charging skiers would actually cost more money.

00:23This tiny resort has been losing money for nearly 25 years.

00:27Unreliable snowfall, rising costs.

00:30And a yearly deficit that hit 1 million euros.

00:33With a town budget of just 2.7 million, it became impossible to continue.

00:38Even the link to Les Sibels had to close.

00:40So the town made a shocking choice.

00:42No ticket offices.

00:44No passes.

00:45Just free access to a smaller ski area.

00:47Two drag lifts.

00:49One children's belt.

00:50Perfect for beginners and families.

00:52By not charging, the village saves hundreds of thousands of euros.

00:56Less skiing, but less loss.

00:58The mayor says alpine skiing here is slowly disappearing.

01:02Climate change is moving faster than expected.

01:05This winter is a test.

01:07A pause.

01:08And maybe the start of a new future beyond skiing.

01:11Free slopes today.

01:12Reinvention tomorrow.

01:13Hello.

01:13I'm going to go.

01:14I'm going to go.

01:15I'm going to go.

01:16Hello.

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