Skiers arrive laden with gear, enthusiastic and sometimes in a hurry. They put down their skis, take off their boots and adjust their jackets. And without even noticing, they pass one of the resort’s first landmarks: the ski rack. Invisible. Silent. Seemingly insignificant. And yet it says a lot about how a resort welcomes its visitors.
In an industry where the customer experience is scrutinised at every stage, this discreet object plays a crucial role: it organises space, ensures safety, keeps things moving smoothly and expresses – without a word – the attention to detail.
This seemingly innocuous object is a transition between functional space and lived space, a silent player in the customer experience. Sun Conseil sheds light on the ski rack, an object that no one notices but which contributes to enhancing the quality perceived from the moment you arrive at the resort.
The ski rack: a first impression… that plays out on the ground
In front of the entrance to a mountain hotel, on the terrace of a high-altitude restaurant or at the exit of a rental shop, pairs of skis pile up. Dozens of them. Hundreds on busy days. Sometimes lined up haphazardly against a wall, often simply left on the floor, these skis — symbols of leisure and escape — become, during a break or lunch, an eyesore.
This mess isn’t just aesthetic: it’s logistical, safety-related and symbolic. It hinders pedestrian traffic, creates hazardous areas for children, blocks access and gives a negative first impression as soon as you step onto the premises. It’s the kind of detail that few visitors mention out loud… but that everyone notices subconsciously. And in an industry where competition is also based on emotion and the fluidity of the experience, this type of approximation weighs heavily on the overall perception of a stay.
Because yes, the welcome starts at ground level. The attention paid to technical equipment that is visible – or made invisible by its integration – reflects the standards a resort sets for itself in terms of comfort and safety.
An organised space is a reassuring space. A valued space. A space where you feel welcome.
It is precisely at this moment, at this height – that of boots and ski edges – that the ski rack designed by Sun Conseil makes all the difference.
Isabelle Bouleau, manager of Sunconseil, tells us about the origins of this product: “The story of the ski rack began with a very specific need expressed by one of our partners in Andorra. At the time, Ton Naudi, who was responsible for quality and customer service there, used to buy this type of product – ski racks – from a Spanish supplier. Unfortunately, the supplier was unable to weather the economic crisis of the late 2010s. Faced with a lack of reliable solutions on the market, Ton asked us if we could design an alternative product. He sent us a very detailed set of specifications, with the aim of finding a durable, practical and high-quality solution for storing and displaying skis.”
And that’s how the ski rack was born at Sun Conseil. ‘Today, we offer the product in different forms: it can be placed on the floor, fixed to the wall, or even custom-designed to meet specific customer requirements. It is particularly appreciated for its robustness, durability and attractive design.’
The ski rack: discreet furniture that speaks volumes
In the world of tourist accommodation, certain items are still overlooked in the overall design. The ski rack is one of them. Too often relegated to the status of occasional furniture, it is nevertheless one of the few items that comes into direct contact with visitors’ equipment – and therefore, symbolically, with their personal experience.
The free-standing model developed by Sun Conseil challenges this view. It becomes an element of outdoor architecture, designed to interact with the environment, respect traffic flow and contribute to the overall look of the premises. It is an interface between the building and the user, between the landscape and its use.
The result of a design approach applied to mountain constraints, this rack stands out for:
- its minimal visual footprint, which preserves the harmony of the building’s surroundings,
- its recyclable aluminium construction, chosen as much for its mechanical qualities as for its low environmental impact,
- its self-supporting structure, which adapts to sloping or snow-covered ground without the need for anchoring.
Malvina Sculo, internal communications manager at Grand Massif Domaines Skiables, explains: “Within the Grand Massif ski area, the ski racks designed by Sun Conseil were the obvious choice to replace the old wooden models, which were considered less durable and less practical. What particularly appealed to the technical teams was the product’s attractive design, its light weight, which makes it very easy to handle on a daily basis, and its sturdiness, which guarantees durability in the face of intensive use in the resort. Designed for professional use, these racks require no specific maintenance, while offering a high level of customisation to suit different locations. Feedback from the teams in the field has been unanimously positive, highlighting the technical quality and reliability of the equipment.
Designed, cut and assembled in France, it is part of a commitment to local and responsible production. What’s more, each resort can interpret it in its own way, thanks to a simple but effective customisation system: the name of the resort is cut out, transforming the rack into a welcome sign. And all this without any fuss or frills.
It is this ability to reconcile function, aesthetics and discretion that makes the Sun Conseil rack so unique: a practical object, perfectly suited to its purpose, but never intrusive.
“We have received extremely positive feedback: customers don’t just buy the product, they buy it again and again, which is proof of their satisfaction. The ski rack appeals to hotels, tourist residences, condominiums, ski schools, mountain restaurants and ski resorts themselves. It meets a real demand in the field, both for practical reasons and to enhance reception or storage space,” explains Isabelle Bouleau.
The intelligence of responsible furniture
Sustainable equipment is no longer an option: it has become a prerequisite for meeting contemporary expectations. For resorts committed to ambitious environmental policies, every item installed in a public area tells a story. It is the story of a region that is conscious of its impact, attentive to its choices and consistent in its approach.
The Sun Conseil ski rack is part of this demanding approach. Its design is built to last, but also to remain relevant in a changing world.
Designed without composite components and fully recyclable, it is committed to understated aesthetics, local production and simplified maintenance.
Designed to withstand extreme mountain conditions, this ski rack requires no special maintenance, offering a reliable solution with very few constraints for professionals, as Manon Devemy, Marketing Director of the Fahrenheit Seven hotel group based in Val-Thorens, Courchevel and Les Menuires, explains:
“We chose to install Sun Conseil ski racks in our establishments to meet a specific need: to provide storage for the skis of customers having lunch in the restaurant, or to organise the queue outside the ski shop. These are high-quality, effective products that are very easy to move, even when it’s snowing heavily, and above all, they require no maintenance, which is a huge difference compared to the wooden racks we used before. After a full winter of use, there are no signs of wear and tear, which is really important in our environment.
We would definitely recommend this type of solution to other mountain establishments, particularly for the quality of the product and the precision of the laser cutting, which fits perfectly with our brand image. It is a product that is both attractive and durable, and offered at a competitive price.
Furniture that communicates
In the age of narrative signage and environmental scenography, every medium counts. And this ski rack is an editorial surface: it can inform, guide or convey a welcome message. It can remind people of safety rules, highlight a local initiative or promote an event.
“Another of its strengths is its high level of customisation. You can add a touch of visual identity, a logo or a specific colour, which is a real bonus for professionals. More recently, we have been approached by ski equipment rental shops that want to use our ski rack to furnish their sales area. Not only does this allow them to display their skis more effectively, but it also optimises the layout of the space and reinforces their professional image,” explains Isabelle Bouleau.
But above all, it demonstrates one thing: that every element of a resort has meaning. In the mountains, furniture becomes legible, visible, integrated — and deeply aligned with the resort’s identity. Within Grand Massif Domaines Skiables, several partners have chosen the same furniture to maintain a certain visual harmony.
Malvina Sculo explains: ‘The joint adoption of this equipment by several resort partners over the seasons has enabled visual harmonisation of the customer welcome, thereby reinforcing the image of consistency and clarity of the infrastructure throughout the ski area.’
‘We therefore adapt our product to demand on a case-by-case basis, according to space constraints, layout requirements and individual aesthetic objectives. It is a product that was born out of a need in the field and which today has found its place throughout the mountain value chain,’ concludes Isabelle Bouleau.
