The lack of snow and generall poor conditions are creating conflicts in ski resorts as ski tourers and resort workers clash about access rights to the ski slopes.
In Chamonix a bye-law allows ski tourers to climb pistes between 17 and 22 hours but due to the lack of snow elsewhere there has been an explosion in their numbers this season. Piste basher drivers say they have been unable to do their job - preparing the little, hard snow that is left, by people on the ski runs at night using their headlamps. They've called for the bye-law to be suspended until snow returns and for the 15 days of Christmas holidays. The resort is looking for an alternative route for skiers such as the Trappette path which is not used by descending skiers and is not avalanche prone.