Bust up between la Clusaz and the Croix Fry

Over the summer ski resorts have been busy. Improving ski runs modernizing ski lifts and, a key marketing tool, adding links between disparate domains. But not in the Haute Savoie where relations between some resorts have become decidedly frosty, unlike the above average temperatures this January.

Last week we were surprised, when half way down the mountain, to encounter the sign shown above. Our Clusaz lift pass would not be accepted by the Croix-Fry. This is not some far flung outpost of the Clusaz ski domain but an integral part of the Beauregard sector. A great area to head on poor weather days due to the tree lined slopes. The area is full of history, extreme skier Pierre Tardivel learned to ski here.

The Satelc a public/private partnership (SEM) runs 90% of the ski domain at la Clusaz. On the 26th April 2006 they ended the contract with La Clusaz Manigod with the aim of installing a hands-free system to more accurately divide lift pass receipts. The SATELC abandoned this project and in the summer of 2007 proposed what was described as “an unfavourable contract to la Croix Fry” as well as other smaller players. According to the Director this small ski area wants to develop their domain with snow making and new lifts. Last summer they replaced the Grand Crêt drag and lengthened the piste des bois. They don’t just want to be an access point to la Clusaz with a free car-park. (Parking in la Clusaz is payable).

Bizarrely Croix-Fry is on good terms with Merdassier (both privately owned) so it is possible to buy a lift pass covering both la Croix Fry and Merdassier as well as a lift pass for la Clusaz – Merdassier but if you want to ski all the 132km of runs and 55 ski lifts you will need to buy two lifts passes: Clusaz + Croix Fry for a total of 42.30 € (28.50€ + 13.80€). Expensive for a small ski resort. We asked the lift company in la Clusaz for comments but were met with a Gallic shrug.