Four years after the 16 Eco-Commitments to preserve the mountains came into force, with concrete measures on climate and greenhouse gas emissions, water management, biodiversity protection and landscape preservation, the Domaines Skiables de France (of which Anne Marty is the chairperson) trade association is taking stock of the actions taken by French ski resorts since 2020. The 19,000 employees of the 238 ski lift companies are taking responsibility for the challenges facing our society, and are working hard all year round to achieve the targets they have set themselves, with the aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2037, with zero CO2 emissions.

According to the trade association, the results for each of the 16 commitments show that all the indicators are improving year on year, and that commitment, innovation, technology, team expertise, investment and the renewal of equipment have all helped to reduce the impact of ski areas, whether in terms of fossil fuel energy consumption for snow groomers, the use of carbon-free electricity for equipment and installations, the optimisation of water resources, the planting of vegetation, etc.

When the number of visitors to French ski resorts is taken into account, the level of compliance with eco-commitments is very high (around 90%). In terms of the number of companies, the level of compliance is closer to 75% of companies complying with DSF’s commitments, with the remaining 25% made up of companies with more modest investment and adaptation capacities due to their smaller size. This is why, at its annual congress, DSF announced the creation in autumn 2024 of a CSR unit made up of three committees focusing on ‘employee health and safety’, ‘the environment’ and ‘solidarity’. The aim of this unit is to help and support members who lack the human and financial resources to enable them to achieve 100% of the objectives set out in the Eco-commitments.

Review of eco-commitments

Figures given in number of companies

Deployment of a carbon footprint in all ski areas

48% of ski areas have already implemented their carbon footprint, and 25% are working on doing so in the near future. 27% of companies have not yet planned to do so.

Eco-driving training for drivers

79% of snow groomer drivers are trained in eco-driving. Eco-driving of snow grooming equipment can reduce diesel consumption and carbon emissions by 5 to 10%. 79% of drivers of telehandlers are trained in eco-driving. Eco-driving of ski lifts reduces electricity consumption by 10-20%.

Reasonable use of ski lifts

Of the ski areas with redundant ski lifts (64% of operators), 99% apply the recommendation to close redundant ski lifts outside peak periods.

High altitude retention

Of the ski areas using at least 100,000 m3 of water (i.e. 43% of ski areas): 88% have a high-level reservoir in order to smooth out their water withdrawal from the natural environment over time.

Optimising snow production

Of the ski areas with at least 6 grooming machines, 89% optimise snow production by accurately measuring snow heights at different points in the area.

Provision of water for pastoralism

73% of ski areas with a high-altitude reservoir make water available to their herds in the event of summer drought.

Ecological inventory

69% of ski areas maintain an up-to-date ecological inventory (fauna, flora, wetlands, wintering areas, breeding grounds, etc.).

Revegetation

Among the ski areas that carried out earthworks in 2023: 94% of the work resulted in revegetation of the intervention zones located in grassy areas and 68% of the ski areas used only endemic seeds.

Birdlife and dangerous cables

The ski areas would like to provide greater protection for large birds, in particular black grouse (Alps) and capercaillie (Pyrenees). Only 9% of operators have not yet identified whether they have sections of cable that are dangerous for birdlife. For the 91% who have identified them, 63% of ski areas have reported and equipped their cables that are dangerous for birdlife.

Waste

92% of ski areas organise at least one waste collection operation. 71% of ski areas regularly run awareness campaigns aimed at skiers and walkers to reduce waste.

Dismantling obsolete facilities

After 11 dismantling operations already carried out, this scheme set up by Domaines Skiables de France is being stepped up each year, with the aim of maintaining the rate of at least three installations dismantled per year, so that abandoned installations no longer constitute a risk of endangering people or animals, and are no longer a source of visual pollution. In 2024, 3 ski lifts, a departure hut and a reception chalet were dismantled in the Vosges with the agreement of the communes concerned and removed voluntarily by DSF members.

Domaines Skiables de France and its members aim to dismantle all 41 sites they have identified where old ski lifts or parts of ski lifts still need to be dismantled. By 2 October 2024, DSF teams and sections had identified 70 obsolete ski lifts* (65 surface lifts, 4 chairlifts and 1 chairlift building) at 41 sites in 5 of France’s 6 mountain ranges: the Alps, Pyrenees, Jura, Massif Central and Vosges. Corsica is the only mountain range where no abandoned ski lifts have been recorded.

*This number takes into account the 3 lifts at Collet Retournemer in the Vosges which have been in the process of being dismantled since 30/09/2024 and which will be completely dismantled by the end of November 2024.

Details by mountain range of abandoned ski lifts to be dismantled by 02/10/2024:

  • Alps (North to South): 45 drag lifts (or parts of drag lifts) and 4 chair lifts
  • Pyrenees: 4 drag lifts
  • Jura: 6 drag lifts
  • Massif Central: 6 drag lifts and 1 building of an old chairlift (already dismantled)
  • Vosges: 4 drag lifts
  • Corsica: 0