With thesignificant increase in the use of electric vehicles (EVs) in recent years, French ski resorts have no choice but to adapt to meet the needs of holidaymakers. They are looking for infrastructures that allow them to combine the pleasures of the mountains with sustainable mobility. A recent study by the Danish start-up Monta, which specialises in the management of electric recharging, highlights the ski resorts with the best-equipped recharging points in tourist accommodation.
The ski resorts with the best electric vehicle charging points
More and more ski resorts are adapting to the needs of electric vehicle drivers by installing charging points, either in public car parks or directly in accommodation, making it easier for you to get around and stay in the mountains.
Public charging points: an alternative for EV drivers
In addition to accommodation facilities, public charging points play a crucial role for electric vehicle owners. The figures come from resort tourist offices, town hall websites and Mappy. Here’s an overview of the best-equipped resorts in terms of charging points accessible to all:
- Chamonix Mont-Blanc: around sixty plugs spread across 16 charging points, one of the best options in the Alps in terms of public infrastructure. (Source: Mappy – December 2024)
- Les Arcs: 49 electric charging points are available to visitors throughout the Les Arcs Bourg Saint Maurice destination (Source: Les Arcs Bourg Saint Maurice Tourisme).
- Serre-Chevalier: 16 charging points are available for users of electric vehicles, all with 2 or 3 sockets. (Source: Serre-Chevalier website – December 2024)
- Megève: 24 charging points spread over several underground and outdoor parking spaces, a solid alternative for visitors. (Source: Megève Tourist Office – December 2024)
- Val Thorens: with its 22 public charging points, the resort combines public and private infrastructures for easy recharging (Source: 3 Vallées website – December 2024)
- Val d’Isère: 14 charging points, including fast charging points available in the heart of the resort. (Source: Val d’Isère Tourist Office – December 2024)
- Les Orres: 13 public charging points in 3 locations (2 in Les Orres 1800, 2 in the centre of Les Orres, and 9 in underground car parks). (Source: Les Orres Tourist Office – December 2024)
- Isola 2000: The network is adapted to local needs, with 10 charging points available: 4 in car parks, 4 in the resort centre, and 3 made available by a 4-star hotel for private use. (Source: Isola 2000 Tourist Office – December 2024)
- SuperDévoluy / La Joue-du-Loup: 4 public charging points available and 2 others planned. (Source: SuperDévoluy Tourist Office – December 2024)
- Tignes: 3 fast charging points with 6 sockets spread throughout the resort. (Source: Tignes Tourist Office website – December 2024)
Classification of accommodation with charging points
According to a study carried out by Monta, the following figures reflect the percentage of accommodation equipped with charging points among the options available in the resorts, providing a clear picture for holidaymakers looking for convenient recharging at their place of stay. The resorts with the best coverage of charging solutions within their accommodation are :
Focus on the best ski resorts for electric vehicle owners
Some resorts stand out not only for their number of charging points, but also for their accessibility:
- Val Thorens: with its excellent coverage, public plugs and high proportion of equipped accommodation, it’s the ideal resort for electric vehicle owners.
- Chamonix Mont-Blanc : its extensive public network and large number of fully-equipped accommodation facilities make it a benchmark.
- Serre-Chevalier : ideal for demanding drivers thanks to its sixty or so public plug sockets.
- Megève : with its many public charging points and well-equipped accommodation (6%), it’s the perfect place to stay.
- Les Orres : a well-balanced resort in terms of public and private options, visitors can count on charging points spread across several strategic locations.
- SuperDévoluy / La Joue-du-Loup: 14.9% of accommodation with charging points and plans underway to extend the infrastructure. This is a promising resort for the coming years.
Initiatives by stations to install charging points for electric vehicles
Some resorts are developing public charging facilities to offer holidaymakers and local residents a practical solution for accessing the resort, without having to book accommodation with facilities for electric vehicles.
Chamrousse has 22 kW public charging points in its shopping arcade, which can be recharged in around an hour. Les Gets, an eco-responsible resort, offers several charging points in its main car park, in line with its commitment to sustainable tourism. The 3 Vallées resorts (Les Menuires, Méribel, Courchevel, etc.) also have several charging points available to visitors.
At the same time, a number of projects are under way to make up for the lack of facilities in the resorts. An ultra-fast recharging station is under construction at Moûtiers, a strategic access point to many resorts in the Alps, with 300 kW charging stations planned for early 2025. Despite these advances, some resorts have few or no charging points, limiting the number of electric vehicles they can accommodate.
What about electric car hire?
Car hire services at airports such as Geneva and Lyon-Saint-Exupéry now offer electric vehicles, providing a practical and environmentally-friendly solution for accessing ski resorts. Resorts close to these airports, and well equipped with recharging facilities, are becoming particularly attractive to holidaymakers.
Chamonix Mont-Blanc, for example, located around an hour from Geneva airport, stands out for its many public recharging facilities. Megève and Les Arcs, which are also easily accessible from these airports, offer a combination of public charging points and fully-equipped accommodation, making it easier for electric vehicle drivers to enjoy their holiday. This makes the Alps even more attractive to tourists looking to combine sustainable mobility with the pleasures of the mountains.
Distances between resorts and airports
Impact of cold weather on electric vehicles
Climatic conditions in the mountains have a major impact on the performance of electric vehicles (EVs). When temperatures fall,EV range can be reduced by 20-30%. There are two main reasons for this: firstly, the batteries’ thermal management system has to maintain the optimum temperature for their operation, which consumes energy. Secondly, the intensive use of heating can reduce range by up to 40% in extreme cold conditions.
Electric vehicle recharging requirements
As well as reducing range, the cold also affects the speed with which batteries can be recharged. At low temperatures, recharging is slower and less efficient, because battery chemistry functions optimally in a moderate temperature range. What’s more, even when stationary, an electric vehicle can lose energy, at a rate of around 1 km of range per hour, due to the effort required to maintain the batteries at a functional temperature.
These constraints make the presence of charging stations in mountain areas all the more crucial. Drivers need to be able to recharge their vehicles regularly to compensate for the loss of range. This underlines the importance of well-equipped resorts that are able to meet the growing energy needs of their visitors, while taking account of local climatic conditions. Discover the top 10 cars for skiing in 2024.
Ski resorts : the future of charging points for electric vehicles
Theextension of charging infrastructure is a crucial issue for resorts in order to support the transition to sustainable mobility in mountain environments. Although significant progress has been made, it is essential to continue efforts to ensure adequate coverage of charging stations in all French ski resorts, in order to meet the growing demand from electric vehicle drivers.
In addition to solutions for transporting holidaymakers, some ski resorts are strengthening their commitment to electric mobility by adopting electric snow groomers, thereby reducing their carbon footprint while preserving the quality of their slopes.
