Compagnie des Alpes (CDA) has just won a major public service contract in the French Alps. The municipal council of the commune of Pralognan-la-Vanoise, in Savoie, has officially appointed the group as the delegatee for the development and operation of its mountain resort. This contract covers the alpine ski area, the Nordic ski area and the tourist booking centre. The contract, which will take effect on 1 November 2025, will run for 25 years.
In an official statement, Dominique Thillaud, CEO of Compagnie des Alpes, welcomed the decision: “We would like to thank the municipality of Pralognan-la-Vanoise for its trust. It is a great source of pride for Compagnie des Alpes and its teams to see our project selected to operate this magnificent ski area over the next 25 years. It is also a wonderful recognition of our expertise in the mountain sector and our commitment to meeting the expectations of the regions as best we can.”
Pralognan-la-Vanoise: an Alpine gem with great potential
Located at an altitude of 1,400 metres, Pralognan-la-Vanoise is the natural gateway to the Vanoise National Park. The village resort charms visitors with its authenticity, majestic landscapes and four-season appeal. Nicknamed ‘Little Chamonix’, the municipality has around 740 year-round residents but offers more than 9,600 tourist beds, proof of its well-established infrastructure for welcoming a diverse clientele. The resort attracts significant visitor numbers in summer, with more than 40% of annual overnight stays recorded during the summer season, demonstrating the strength of its economic model outside the winter period.
A comprehensive and resilient ski area
The Pralognan-la-Vanoise ski area extends up to an altitude of 2,400 metres and currently comprises 31 slopes, offering 26 km of downhill skiing, plus 27 km of cross-country trails. The resort also has hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails in summer, enhancing its appeal throughout the year.
Thanks to its topography and orientation, the resort enjoys particularly favourable natural snow conditions, making it less dependent on artificial snow. This is a major advantage in the context of climate change, where the sustainability of low- and medium-altitude resorts is increasingly under scrutiny.
Significant added value for CDA
This new DSP represents a strategic development opportunity for Compagnie des Alpes. The group has announced that the integration of Pralognan-la-Vanoise will add an estimated £300 million to its backlog (cumulative turnover over the term of the contract). This figure confirms the importance of this new partnership in the group’s economic roadmap.
With this acquisition, CDA continues to expand its portfolio of ski areas. David Ponson, Director of the Ski Areas and Outdoor Activities Division at Compagnie des Alpes, said: “With this new public service delegation, the Group is now expanding its presence in mountain areas. Pralognan-la-Vanoise, a region offering a wide range of experiences, has many assets that often complement those of our other resorts. We are delighted to welcome the resort’s employees to our Group. Thanks to our expertise, we have everything we need to strengthen and develop the appeal of this destination.”
This move is part of a broader strategy to adapt the group to new societal expectations: sustainable tourism, diversification of activities, longer seasons and support for mountain regions undergoing change.
A new stage for Pralognan-la-Vanoise and the CDA
With this strategic decision, the municipality of Pralognan-la-Vanoise is affirming its desire to structure its future in tourism by joining forces with a recognised operator capable of investing, innovating and supporting the transitions necessary for the mountains of the 21st century.
For its part, Compagnie des Alpes is confirming its leading role in the operation of ski areas in Europe by focusing on a territorial, sustainable and innovative vision based on the promotion of local identities and economic performance.
Compagnie des Alpes has gradually strengthened its commitment to sustainable development through concrete initiatives such as reducing the carbon footprint of its ski lifts, renovating its buildings to make them more energy efficient and controlling water consumption for snowmaking. In Pralognan-la-Vanoise, these commitments should result in targeted investments to preserve the environmental quality of the site while enhancing its attractiveness. In addition, the operation of the booking centre by CDA will enable better integration of the tourist offering, facilitating multi-product bookings (accommodation, activities, ski passes) and enhancing the resort’s digital visibility.
