French ski areas invest in lifts, access and all-season mountain experiences

French mountain resorts are entering the 2026–27 winter season with a broad programme of lift replacements, beginner-area upgrades, new accommodation, family facilities and non-ski attractions. The investment reflects a changing mountain holiday market in which comfort, accessibility, year-round use and environmental transition are becoming as important as additional ski terrain.

France Montagnes says French ski areas invested €555 million in 2025, equivalent to 32% of sector turnover excluding tax and nine percentage points above the average of the previous decade. The organisation says that momentum will continue this winter, with resorts directing spending towards modernised lift systems, improved services, reduced energy use and better access for pedestrians and adaptive skiers.

New lifts reshape the skiing experience

The most substantial projects involve replacing ageing lifts with faster, more comfortable and more versatile installations.

At Le Dévoluy, a new 10-seater Jas gondola will replace a historic chairlift dating from 1989. The €12.5 million project is expected to halve journey time while improving access for skiers and pedestrians. The new installation has also been designed to reduce energy consumption and maintenance requirements.

Valmorel is replacing both a four-seater chairlift and a drag lift with the 10-seater Combelouvière gondola. The project will reduce the number of pylons by 17, improving the lift’s integration into the landscape, while a new beginner area at the top will provide a safer progression space for novices. The gondola will also improve access for adaptive skiers and pedestrians heading towards the Crêtes de Doucy trail and La Vache Orange mountain restaurant.

Courchevel’s La Tania gondola is receiving a complete overhaul, including 52 new panoramic eight-seater cabins, smoother boarding and upgraded mechanical equipment. The lift is one of the resort’s most heavily used gateways, recording almost 400,000 journeys in a typical winter. Increased capacity is intended to handle additional demand linked to the new Barma development at La Tania.

At Les Contamines-Montjoie, the new Notre-Dame de la Gorge gondola will double transport capacity with 10-seater cabins and provide easier access to the Tappes plateau. The installation will be fully accessible to people with reduced mobility and will include automatic ski lockers. Designed for year-round operation, it will also support summer hiking and mountain-biking activity.

Peisey-Vallandry is replacing its iconic Lonzagne village lift with a 10-seater gondola scheduled to open in December 2026. After 43 years of service, the red baskets closed in April 2026. The new Vallandry gondola will halve the ascent time and carry up to 900 people per hour.

Reuse becomes part of lift modernisation

Several projects combine improved service with a stronger focus on reusing existing equipment.

Val Cenis is replacing two drag lifts with the detachable six-seater Grand Coin chairlift, much of which is made from reused components. The resort says this approach will halve the project’s greenhouse-gas emissions compared with a wholly new installation.

The same resort is also converting the Ramasse chairlift into a combined gondola-chairlift by adding 18 cabins. The change is intended to make access to the Mont-Cenis plateau more comfortable for both skiers and pedestrians. Together, the projects illustrate a move towards extending the useful life of lift components rather than automatically replacing every element with newly manufactured equipment.

La Rosière is taking a similar approach on a smaller scale with its Petit-Bois chairlift. The existing lift is being replaced by a more efficient four-seater installation with capacity for 1,400 people per hour. The €4.8 million project includes recycling the former chairs through a solidarity programme benefiting the environmental organisation Mountain Riders.

At Le Grand Tourmalet, the Tournaboup chairlift is being replaced by a 10-person gondola serving La Laquette and its renovated mountain restaurant. The new cabins are designed to shorten the journey and improve comfort for both skiers and pedestrians.

A new chapter at Les Grands Montets

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is preparing to reopen the first section of the rebuilt Les Grands Montets sector in December 2026. The ski area has been recovering from the 2018 fire that destroyed much of its lift infrastructure.

The first section of a new gondola between Argentière and Lognan is due to open alongside a beginner area and new food-and-beverage facilities. The project marks an important stage in the resort’s attempt to restore one of the valley’s most significant high-mountain ski areas.

The redevelopment also reflects the wider trend towards designing ski infrastructure for multiple user groups. New gondola systems can carry pedestrians, summer hikers and mountain bikers as well as skiers, helping resorts generate activity beyond the traditional winter season.

Electric snow grooming enters testing

La Plagne and Val d’Isère are among the pilot resorts testing Prinoth’s first electric LTE-Motion snow groomers during the 2026–27 winter. The machines are designed to operate more quietly, produce no fine-particle emissions at the point of use, cost around half as much to operate and require 20% less maintenance, according to the press material.

The trials will allow piste teams to assess performance in real operating conditions and provide feedback before the technology is developed for wider use. If the machines can deliver the traction, battery endurance and snow-finishing quality required by large ski areas, electric grooming could become one of the most consequential infrastructure changes of the decade.

Piste machines are among the most visible sources of fuel consumption at a ski resort, operating overnight and covering large areas throughout the season. Electrification could therefore reduce local emissions and noise, although the overall environmental benefit will depend on energy sources, battery production and the operational range achieved in demanding mountain conditions.

New ways to move through the mountains

The 2026–27 programme extends beyond conventional skiing. Resorts are adding experiences that use the landscape without depending entirely on ski lifts or downhill pistes.

At Saint-Sorlin-d’Arves, SlalomFly will offer a 987-metre zip line with 360-degree and 720-degree turns. Described as Europe’s longest zip line with bends, it will operate during winter after launching in summer 2026.

La Toussuire is introducing snow karting as an après-ski activity. The three-wheeled, all-terrain karts run solely by gravity and require no engine, making them accessible to children from the age of 10 when accompanied by an adult.

Val Thorens is launching Mountain Kart Xperience, a three-wheeled snow vehicle designed for controlled drifts and cornering. At Alpe du Grand Serre, a “Pisteurs Sunset Aperitif” will combine a chairlift ascent, local food, games and a night descent by headlamp on freshly groomed slopes.

Other additions include the two-kilometre Gréo’Luge rail coaster at Gréolières-les-Neiges, entering its first winter season, and the “Fera Lumia” immersive lighting and sound treatment for the Courchevel Sled run between Courchevel 1850 and Courchevel Village.

Making beginner areas easier and safer

Beginner infrastructure is a major theme across the French mountains. Les Rousses is adding a covered conveyor belt, while Chabanon is replacing a historic drag lift with a conveyor belt in a redesigned learning area. The new lighting at Chabanon will also allow night skiing.

Chamrousse is expanding its beginner offer with a double covered conveyor belt and larger learning zone in the Lauze sector. At La Norma, the resort’s new Famille Plus accreditation accompanies a programme of family activities, including a farm, winter via ferrata, night snow-karting and a rail luge.

Les 2 Alpes is replacing the Champamé drag lift as part of a wider snow-front modernisation project. The objective is to improve loading, smooth visitor movement and make learning safer for families and new skiers.

The resorts are also widening the definition of beginner skiing. At Les Angles, the new Cécile Hernandez boardercross will provide an accessible fun course named after the French Paralympic medallist. In Nordic skiing, the Piou-Piou Nordic Club is expanding to Chamrousse and Pralognan-la-Vanoise, introducing young children to gliding, turning and stopping through games and structured activities.

More space for non-skiers and scenic access

New panoramic spaces are being created for visitors who want to enjoy the mountain without spending the whole day skiing.

Vars is adding two panoramic areas with hammocks, loungers and interpretation tables at the tops of the Chabrières gondola-chairlift and Vars Speed Master chairlift. Val Cenis is creating a 126-metre treetop walkway at Replat des Canons, at an altitude of 2,100 metres. The route will feature themed areas devoted to biodiversity, alpine landscapes, glaciers and relaxation, together with interactive installations and a suspended net.

Courchevel is adding a 300-square-metre panoramic terrace at the top of Chenus. The wooden area will face the Saulire and sit near a new self-service picnic room, creating a high-altitude rest point for skiers and walkers.

These projects show how ski areas are adapting to a broader visitor mix. Scenic lifts, interpretation trails and mountain terraces provide value for pedestrians, families, non-skiers and visitors taking rest days, while helping resorts generate more activity from each lift journey.

Accommodation shifts towards lifestyle and workforce housing

The coming winter will bring a range of new hotels and residences, from high-end developments to projects aimed at seasonal workers.

Les Menuires will welcome the sixth property in the °Fahrenheit Seven collection on 11 December 2026. The four-star, ski-in/ski-out hotel will have 51 rooms, a spa with indoor pool, sauna and hammam, a ski shop, restaurant and south-facing terrace with après-ski programming.

Chamonix is preparing two hotel openings. The Morgane is being transformed into a five-star hotel with 54 rooms and balconies overlooking the mountains, while the former Excelsior in Les Tines will reopen as Hotel Lizzie, with 74 rooms and a new identity inspired by mountaineer and photographer Elizabeth Le Blond.

Méribel is expanding its premium accommodation with the Le Lac Bleu Residence, Les Chalets d’Ourea and the 650-square-metre Chalet Montclair. The projects add ski-in/ski-out apartments, wellness facilities, pools, spas and high-capacity chalet accommodation in the Three Valleys.

At the other end of the market, Briançon’s Daffy hotel is scheduled to open in December in a former barracks. The three-star lifestyle property will include 51 rooms, 33 apartments and almost 600 square metres of shared food and social space.

Tignes is taking a different approach by investing €17 million in Le Seyjoun, a 70-home residence for seasonal workers. Due for delivery in mid-November 2026, the project is intended to provide more sustainable and inclusive staff housing in a resort where accommodation shortages have become a major operational issue.

Wellness, food and après-ski broaden the offer

Valmorel is opening Kanopé, a new aquatic and wellness centre with a 120-square-metre indoor balneotherapy and leisure pool, hammam, massage rooms, panoramic saunas and fitness facilities. Valloire is launching the redesigned Grand Spa Valform, including four themed hammams, two outdoor saunas, a Kneipp circuit, relaxation areas and an upgraded gym.

Food and après-ski are also receiving major investment. Méribel will welcome Nomad, a venue designed to move from breakfast and daytime dining to DJ-led après-ski and evening restaurant service. The resort will also add Cucucina, a 150-seat Italian restaurant at La Folie Douce.

In the Jura, chef Matthias Marc will open Maison des Cimes in Malbuisson, combining a ten-room property with fine dining, a bistro and an immersive experience focused on forests, wood-fired cooking and local produce. Les Menuires will offer visits to the cheese-maturing cellar at Chez Pépé Nicolas, while Arc 1800 will gain La Descente, a wine and Champagne bar run by two growers from the Marne region.

Culture becomes part of the ski holiday

Several resorts are placing local history, art and science at the centre of their winter programming.

Chamrousse is opening a new 1968 Olympic Games Heritage Space in the former meteorological building at the summit. The immersive exhibition will use archives, objects and educational activities to explore the legacy of the Grenoble Olympics.

Tignes will host what the press kit describes as a world-first underwater exhibition beneath and beside the frozen Lake Tignes. “Ici commence l’océan” will combine artistic, scientific and educational perspectives on the cryosphere, running beneath the lake from 15 December 2026 to 13 February 2027 and then on its shores until 30 April.

At Les 7 Laux, a new art trail at Espace Beldina will bring three installations into the winter landscape. In Méribel, artist Lucas Beaufort will decorate several Plattières gondola cabins with designs inspired by mountains, surfing and snow-sports culture.

The winter calendar will also include new sporting events. Tignes will host two Ski and Snowboard Big Air World Cups from 18 to 22 January 2027 as part of the Mountain Shaker festival, followed by the World Para Alpine Skiing Championships from 7 to 19 March.

Family focus remains central

Family services remain a major part of the development programme. France Montagnes says 42 destinations now carry the Famille Plus label, which requires resorts and partners to meet standards covering family accommodation, age-appropriate activities, safety, hospitality and environmental awareness. La Norma became the latest destination to receive the label in summer 2026.

Les Orres is introducing a Baby Pass for children aged three and four, covering pedestrian lifts, the ice rink, cinema and one visit to the kids’ park. Le Corbier will add a weekly balance-bike race on snow, escape games and children’s activities linked to the arrival of La Grande Odyssée VVF.

Orcières is replacing its former Palais des Sports with the 10,000-square-metre Orcières Arena 1850, bringing together a pool with aqua-play area, spa, salt cave, sensory showers, treatments, fitness facilities, bowling, karaoke, arcades and interactive games. The project is designed as a four-season facility for families and mixed groups.

At Chamrousse, La Croisette will become a multi-leisure hub with tubing, a Big Air Bag, play areas and discovery trails, while La Montagne de Téo will expand with new fun zones. Saint-Lary will open a treetop adventure park in winter, and La Rosière will keep its Eucherts sledging area open after the ski slopes close.

A season built around adaptation

France’s 2026–27 resort developments suggest that the future of the ski holiday will be defined by more than new pistes. Investment is flowing into lifts that can serve skiers and pedestrians, facilities that operate in summer as well as winter, beginner areas that improve progression, and experiences designed for visitors who may spend only part of the day on skis.

Environmental transition is also becoming more visible in the infrastructure itself. Reused lift components at Val Cenis, recycled chairs at La Rosière and trials of electric grooming machines at La Plagne and Val d’Isère indicate how resorts are beginning to address emissions and resource use through practical operational changes.

The direction is not uniform, and the press kit largely presents resort-backed claims rather than independent assessments of the projects’ environmental performance. Nevertheless, the breadth of the programme is notable. French mountain destinations are investing simultaneously in lift capacity, accessibility, family services, staff housing, wellness, culture and non-ski activities.

For winter 2026–27, the message is clear: French resorts are trying to make the mountains easier to reach, easier to enjoy and more relevant to a wider range of visitors—while adapting the traditional ski-area model to a warmer climate and a more varied tourism economy..