Solidarity on the Ski Slopes: France Pioneers Resort-to-Resort Mentoring

Building on the spirit of mutual support and solidarity that already shapes its policy and its CSR unit, created in 2024, Domaines Skiables de France (DSF), the French ski areas association, is reporting on a new mentoring scheme between volunteer resorts. The aim: to share skills, technical resources and strategic vision in the face of climate and economic challenges. Of the forty or so partnerships now under way, the first pairs – Chamrousse with Saint-Hugues-les-Égaux, and Font-Romeu with Les Estables – were officially launched at the Mountain Planet trade show on 21 April, on the DSF stand, in the presence of the operators concerned. These partnerships reflect the industry’s commitment to hands-on solidarity between resorts in the same mountain range or in complementary ranges, supporting a balanced development of mountain areas.

A hands-on support scheme

The mentoring scheme is built around three main areas:

• Strategic and management support: sharing experience on business models, human resources management, public service concessions, four-season diversification, the energy transition and climate adaptation (tools such as Climsnow, carbon neutrality by 2037, etc.).

• Technical and operational support: introductions to suppliers, and sharing of best practice in slope safety, ski lift operations, grooming, snowmaking, equipment upkeep and preventive maintenance.

• CSR and regional cooperation: support with environmental commitments (carbon footprint, water sharing, biodiversity, dismantling of obsolete installations) and with the solidarity initiatives already run by the industry (Nivalliance, second-hand equipment platforms, staff secondments, etc.).

• Mentor resorts provide expert time, monitoring tools and feedback on their own initiatives (circular economy, refurbished equipment, diversification, etc.), while smaller resorts receive tailored advice on their priority projects.

Opening up new prospects for small resorts

Low-altitude ski areas and local ski sites play a key role in introducing people to skiing, in local life and in the social fabric of mountain valleys. Yet they often have limited room for manoeuvre in the face of rising costs, increasing regulation and variable snow cover. The mentoring scheme is designed to give them leverage: structuring their projects, optimising investment, securing operations and strengthening their place in the mountain tourism economy.

Through this scheme, DSF also aims to encourage wider cooperation between local stakeholders – operators, suppliers, municipalities, ski schools and farmers – building on existing partnerships with the pastoral and farming community on water sharing, the management of mountain pastures and landscape conservation.

“With this mentoring programme, we are building on what is already the strength of our industry: very real solidarity between large ski areas and small resorts. The goal is simple: to make sure no mountain area is left behind in the face of the climate, economic and social challenges affecting the mountains,” says Anne Marty, President of Domaines Skiables de France.

Around forty partnerships already in place, with the first concrete examples:

Ballon d’Alsace mentored by La Rosière

On 8 and 9 September 2026, the La Rosière Domaine Outdoor team visited the team of the Syndicat Mixte Interdépartemental du Ballon d’Alsace on site. This small ski area, in the Vosges mountains, has 7 drag lifts and is equipped with snowmaking. Discussions focused on:

How the ski area is organised,

Identifying areas where support can be provided,

Sharing experience,

Meeting committed and passionate teams. A first initiative has already been agreed, with a reciprocal arrangement between the two ski areas: skiers from Savoie will be able to enjoy 3 days’ skiing at Ballon d’Alsace, and skiers from the Vosges will in turn be able to enjoy the Espace San Bernardo.

Drôme resorts mentored by the Tarentaise

On 7 July 2026, Christian Morin, President of Stations de la Drôme, signed a partnership agreement with Didier Bobillier, CEO of SEVABEL (a Compagnie des Alpes subsidiary operating Les Menuires), and Raphaël Luzy, Deputy CEO of the Régie des pistes des Belleville (Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Les Menuires, Val Thorens). Teams from these two Tarentaise operators travelled to Font d’Urle and Col de Rousset to get to know their counterparts and agree on the main areas of work for the partnership.

In practical terms, the agreement notably provides for:

• technical staff training,

• occasional supplies of spare parts and equipment,

• staff support during key operating periods,

• exchanges of experience and expertise between operators,

• joint communication initiatives.

“A tangible example of the spirit of mountain solidarity,” says Christian Morin, President of Stations de la Drôme, of this partnership, which links family-friendly mid-mountain resorts in the Vercors and Diois with two major Tarentaise operators.

Morzine and Mont Serein: a partnership built on sharing

As part of their partnership, a delegation from Morzine visited Mont Serein for a friendly exchange. The meeting gave the teams an opportunity to share their experience, discuss best practice and strengthen the ties between the two areas.

Beyond this special occasion, the visit was also a chance to discuss the next steps of the partnership and future opportunities for collaboration, with a shared determination to keep this spirit of exchange and cooperation going.

Building on existing solidarity schemes

This mentoring programme extends and structures solidarity schemes already run by DSF:

• Nivalliance: a mutual insurance fund against poor snow conditions that has existed for more than 20 years. Funded entirely by ski areas, it has redistributed more than €23 million since 2005 to the most exposed operators.

• Simplification measures: aimed at the 100 smallest operators, continued as part of DSF’s CSR unit with the support of all DSF working committees.

• Second-hand equipment platform: together with volunteer operations to dismantle obsolete installations, a very practical form of technical solidarity between large and small operators.

The new mentoring scheme thus provides a clearer, more operational framework for a solidarity approach that is already well established in the industry.