On 24 and 25 September 2026, the Domaines Skiables de France Congress will bring together the leading French stakeholders in the ski resort and mountain sectors in Valence. Resort operators, manufacturers, suppliers, elected representatives and institutional figures will gather for two days at the Jacques Chirac Conference and Exhibition Centre. Nearly 800 professionals are traditionally expected to attend this annual industry event.
With just a few weeks to go before the phased opening of the 2026–2027 winter season, Valence will, for two days, become one of the key hubs for dialogue within the French mountain industry. The annual conference of Domaines Skiables de France (DSF) will take place on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 September 2026 at the Jacques Chirac Conference and Exhibition Centre.
Every year, the event brings together nearly 800 participants from all over the French mountains: executives from ski lift companies and ski resorts, equipment manufacturers, service providers, construction firms, engineering consultancies, elected representatives, government officials and institutional stakeholders in tourism and the mountain economy.
A trade event at a crucial time for ski resorts
The 2026 season comes at a particularly promising time for the industry. Following a buoyant 2024–2025 season, French ski resorts recorded 54.8 million skier-days, an increase of 5.5 per cent compared with the previous winter. This level of visitor numbers enabled France to retain its position as the world’s second-largest ski market, behind the United States and ahead of Austria.
At the same time, the level of investment remains very high. According to figures published by Domaines Skiables de France, French operators invested 555 million euros in 2025, a figure 50 per cent higher than the average over the last decade. Over the period 2016–2025, nearly 3.96 billion euros were spent on the maintenance and development of French ski resorts.
These figures add a whole new dimension to the talks to be held in Valencia
Behind the investments in ski lifts lie much broader issues: adapting facilities, optimising energy use, snow management, diversifying activities, changing customer expectations, the transformation of the industry, recruiting and retaining seasonal workers, and finding new economic balances for mountain regions.
The detailed programme of talks and presentations for the 2026 Congress has yet to be finalised by Domaines Skiables de France, but the two days will, as every year, be devoted to key issues and current affairs in the mountain sector, attended by the industry’s institutional partners and numerous prominent figures.
The DSF Congress: a meeting place for mountain business operators and the mountain industry
One of the distinctive features of the Domaines Skiables de France Congress is the diversity of participants in attendance. Alongside ski resort operators, a major Exhibition and Networking Event enables industry suppliers to showcase their equipment, technologies and services.
Around a hundred companies traditionally take part in this trade fair.
For manufacturers of ski lifts, snowmaking specialists, snow grooming companies, digital solutions providers, engineering consultancies, and organisations specialising in energy, safety, ticketing and the customer experience, these two days therefore offer a unique opportunity to meet operators face to face.
The event in Valence will also provide an opportunity to meet Anne Marty, President of Domaines Skiables de France since 2024 and Deputy Managing Director of Altiservice. Her presidency coincides with a period of significant transformation for the industry, with particular focus on the adaptability of ski resorts, investment, and environmental, social and safety issues. From the very start of her term of office, DSF has notably reinforced this momentum with the creation of a CSR division structured around several committees dedicated to the environment, employee health and safety, and solidarity amongst operators.
This concentration of decision-makers explains why the DSF Congress now goes far beyond the scope of a trade union congress. It also serves as a forum for monitoring technological and economic changes in French television stations.
Inno’ Pitch 2026: eight innovations presented to professionals in the ski resort sector
Innovation will also take centre stage in Valence with the return of the Pitch Inno’, organised in partnership with the Cluster Montagne. The aim is to give a number of companies the opportunity to present a recent solution—one likely to meet the needs of ski resort operators—directly to decision-makers in the mountain sector.
For the 2026 edition, eight companies will be showcased in a format combining video and on-stage presentations.
Eligible innovations must, in particular, be products or services that have already been developed and have been available for commercialisation for less than three years. They must be distinctive in nature and meet a need likely to be of interest to ski lift and ski resort operators.
This format illustrates an interesting development in major professional mountain events: moving beyond the traditional exhibition format, these events now seek to facilitate direct interaction between innovation, practical application and decision-makers.
For the selected companies, the benefits go beyond simply presenting on stage. The scheme also includes participation in the Exhibition and Networking Event, as well as promotion through the networks of Domaines Skiables de France and the Mountain Cluster.
Domaines Skiables de France, a sector that plays a significant role in the local economy
The influence of Domaines Skiables de France also serves to highlight the significance of the Valence event. The trade association brings together around 380 members, including some 230 ski lift and ski area operators and around 150 partner companies and organisations: manufacturers, suppliers, training organisations, contractors and service providers.
Ski resort operators currently employ around 18,500 staff, across some twenty different roles. Ski patrollers, ski lift operators, snow technicians, snow groomers, maintenance technicians, reception staff and operations managers make up a particularly diverse professional sector.
However, the economic impact extends far beyond ski lift operators alone.
Domaines Skiables de France estimates that more than 120,000 jobs in the French mountain ranges depend each winter on the opening of the ski areas, including, in particular, accommodation, shops, ski schools and the various services available in the resorts. Every year, around 10 million tourists visit French resorts during the winter.
Two days to observe the changes taking place in the French mountains
For professionals in the sector, the DSF Congress is therefore as much a networking event as it is an opportunity to gauge the industry’s pulse ahead of the winter season. The two-day gathering of executives from ski resorts, manufacturers, start-ups, local authorities, professional bodies and government representatives also helps to identify trends that sometimes extend far beyond the day-to-day running of ski lifts.
The central question has gradually come to be that of the model for mountain resorts and mountain regions of the future.
How can we maintain a high level of investment whilst improving the economic resilience of farms? How can we incorporate climate change into land-use planning strategies? How can we make use of new technologies and artificial intelligence? How can we develop the sector and attract new skills? And to what extent should we diversify activities without losing the economic coherence that still relies heavily on the winter season?
These are all questions currently facing businesses and local authorities in mountain regions. Against this backdrop, the 2026 Domaines Skiables de France Congress is once again set to be one of the key opportunities to observe developments in the French ski industry.
I Love Ski will be covering the 2026 event in Valence and will report on the key announcements, innovations and trends that emerge over the two days.
Practical information – DSF 2026 Conference
Dates: Thursday 24 and Friday 25 September 2026
Venue: Jacques Chirac Conference and Exhibition Centre
Address: 16 Avenue Georges Clemenceau, 26000 Valence
Organiser: Domaines Skiables de France
Expected number of participants: nearly 800 professionals
Registration deadline: 9 September 2026
A launch event is also scheduled for Wednesday 23 September, ahead of the official opening of the Congress, whilst the gala evening will take place on Thursday 24 September. The full programme and registration details are available on the official website of the Domaines Skiables de France Congress.
