The Alpe du Grand Serre ski resort near Grenoble will open this winter after local officials reversed an earlier decision to close it. A community fundraising effort raised nearly 200,000 euros, along with state and local financial support, prompting the vote to continue operations despite a substantial deficit last season. While the resort faces challenges from climate change and aging infrastructure, plans for a new four-season model are underway to ensure its future viability.
This winter, the Alpe du Grand Serre ski resort in La Morte (Isère), close to Grenoble, will welcome back skiers as its chairlifts and grooming equipment will be operational. Local elected officials voted on Tuesday, October 22, to postpone the resort’s closure until September 2025, reversing an earlier decision to shut it down.
On October 4, these officials had expressed intentions to cease operations under the régie intéressée model in partnership with the Sata Group, which manages several regional ski areas, including Alpe d’Huez and Les 2 Alpes. However, after reevaluating financial data, considering state financial support, contributions from the La Morte municipality, various industry stakeholders, and a citizen-led fund that gathered nearly 200,000 euros, the decision shifted.
Addressing a 350,000 Euro Deficit
“We’ve received a tremendous amount of encouragement and support from across France,” shared Domitille Hocq, a representative from La Morte Vivante, a group that unites local residents and supporters of the resort. They initiated the fundraising effort following the October 4 vote. “We cannot ignore the dedication shown by so many,” added Coraline Saurat, president of the Matheysine communauté de communes, which oversees the resort. She emphasized, “We shouldn’t allow the budget concerns to overshadow the broader picture,” even though the resort reported a deficit of 350,000 euros last season.
Following a decisive vote among local officials, the continuation of winter and summer operations was overwhelmingly approved, witnessed by around 150 locals and industry stakeholders. “It’s a relief that we’ve avoided disaster, but we have a tight timeline ahead,” remarked César Ghaouti, president of La Morte Vivante, post-vote. “We urgently need a sustainable plan for medium-altitude resorts so we can lessen our dependency on snowfall,” he emphasized.
Exploring New Operational Models
Marie-Noëlle Battistel, a Member of Parliament committed to this cause, urged for immediate action to establish a viable future model for the resort. A 24 million euro project had been proposed to transition the resort into a year-round destination, including the possibility of an expensive new ski lift designed to facilitate summer mountain biking. “We might need to reevaluate this project to make it more practical,” admitted Battistel.
Situated at a relatively low altitude, ranging from 1,368 to 2,183 meters, the resort, like many others, faces challenges stemming from climate change, including reduced snowfall. The resort’s aging infrastructure, comprising 14 lifts, including three chairlifts, complicates matters further. The nearby Saint-Honoré 1500 resort, which was connected to Alpe du Grand Serre in the late 1980s, had already permanently closed in 2004.
In recent times, several ski resorts have announced their definitive closures due to inadequate snow and unsustainable business models, including Grand-Puy (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) and Notre-Dame-du-Pré (Savoie). Additionally, Métabief (Doubs), the largest ski area in the Jura Massif, has declared a reduction of 30% of its skiable terrain.