With the widespread introduction of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) ski passes across its entire domain, Serre Chevalier is taking a major step forward in the digital transformation of mountain resorts. Starting this winter, smartphones will become ski passes, allowing completely contactless access to the area’s 59 ski lifts. This is a first on this scale for a large European ski area, positioning Serre Chevalier as a leader in connected ski resorts.
Following a successful trial phase conducted last winter, the Compagnie des Alpes’s resort has decided to roll out BLE technology across its entire infrastructure. This strategic choice is not just a publicity stunt: it is part of a long-term vision aimed at streamlining the customer experience, modernising practices and reducing the environmental footprint of skiing.
A hands-free experience designed for the field
In practical terms, the system is very simple for skiers to use. Once the pass has been purchased and activated via the resort’s official app, it is stored directly on the smartphone. Thanks to Bluetooth Low Energy, the new gates automatically detect the phone as it passes through. The smartphone can remain stored in an inside or side pocket, without any particular orientation or deliberate action on the part of the user: detection is automatic and transparent.
This fluidity transforms the relationship with the ski pass gate, long perceived as a point of friction in the skiing day. Passage becomes almost imperceptible, which not only reduces slowdowns, but also the micro-tensions associated with waiting, repeated beeps or reading failures. For families, groups or occasional skiers, who are often less comfortable with the automatic features of traditional systems, this ease of use is a real factor in comfort and peace of mind.
From an operational perspective, this more reliable and consistent reading contributes to more natural flow regulation, particularly on the resort’s strategic routes and during peak hours. Teams on the ground are less busy with technical interventions and can focus more on welcoming, ensuring the safety of and assisting customers, while also benefiting from a clearer overview of skier traffic.
An innovation developed in collaboration with ALFI
The rollout of the Bluetooth Low Energy package at Serre Chevalier Vallée is the result of extensive work carried out over a long period of time, far from a simple “turnkey” integration. To guarantee the reliability of a system designed to operate on a large scale, the resort chose to rely on ALFI, a leading player in ski area access control, with a resolutely collaborative approach.
For more than three years, the technical, operational and IT teams of both partners worked together in a spirit of continuous improvement. The gates incorporating BLE technology were tested and adjusted directly in the field, in contact with the specific realities of the mountains: sub-zero temperatures, humidity, snow, variations in visitor numbers, but also the heterogeneity of customers’ uses and mobile equipment.
This co-construction phase made it possible to rethink the ergonomics of the gates, the quality and stability of detection, the speed of digital media recognition, and the overall robustness of the system in atypical situations. The objective was clear: to offer a solution mature enough to be rolled out across the board without compromising the customer experience or increasing the workload of the operations teams.
The smartphone at the heart of the station ecosystem
The official app for Serre Chevalier Vallée brings together all the services and information you need for your stay, providing continuity between your preparations, your skiing and your life in the resort.
In real time, skiers have a clear and up-to-date view of the ski area: trail and lift openings and closures, weather conditions, snow quality, safety messages and alerts. This data, accessible at any time from a mobile phone, allows skiers to plan their trips, optimise their choice of areas and better adapt their day to the current conditions, without having to rely exclusively on on-site displays.
The app also serves as a service interface, facilitating all aspects of skiing. From booking parking and renting equipment to accessing catering options and discovering entertainment and commercial benefits, smartphones accompany skiers far beyond the slopes, simplifying procedures and streamlining “non-skiing” time, which is often perceived as restrictive.
Compatible with all mobile environments on the market, the application caters to a wide range of uses and customer profiles, from occasional skiers to regular practitioners.
Simple technology suited to mountain environments
Often viewed with caution in mountain environments, mobile technology finds a particularly well-controlled application here. The choice of Bluetooth Low Energy precisely meets this requirement. Designed to operate through brief, targeted exchanges, this technology limits smartphone usage to only when necessary, mainly when passing through the gates.
Over a full day of skiing, the impact on the battery remains extremely low, around 1 to 2%, which is almost negligible compared to typical phone usage: viewing the screen, GPS navigation, photos, videos or connecting to the mobile network. This energy efficiency means you can use your digital ski pass with peace of mind, even during long days on the slopes or in sub-zero temperatures, which are often more demanding on batteries.
A concrete lever for environmental transition
The gradual move towards paperless ski passes also represents tangible progress in terms of environmental protection. By reducing the production of plastic cards and microchips, as well as the associated logistics, the resort is limiting the material impact of its activities. This approach is fully in line with the overall environmental strategy of Serre Chevalier Vallée, already recognised for its commitment: the resort is notably the first and only one in the world to self-produce 34% of its electricity consumption thanks to its renewable energy installations, and has been running an ambitious circular economy programme for several years.
A clear vision for the station of tomorrow
For Patrick Arnaud, Managing Director of Serre Chevalier Vallée, “This innovation is part of the drive for excellence and modernisation led by Serre Chevalier Vallée and Compagnie des Alpes to make the mountain experience ever more seamless, sustainable and connected. This large-scale roll-out confirms our ambition: to offer skiers an ever simpler and more innovative experience, while preparing for a future of connected resorts that are as sustainable as possible.”
With its 250 kilometres of slopes, Serre Chevalier remains the largest ski area in the Southern Alps and one of the largest in Europe. By rolling out the BLE ski pass, the resort is demonstrating that a large playground can also be a testing ground, where technology, customer comfort and environmental responsibility go hand in hand.
