Despite challenging conditions at lower altitudes where many cross country trails are located, the Savoie departments had good ticket sales. In the Haute-Savoie the season lasted from mid December to the end of March with around 100 opening days on most of the 25 sites. The department saw 210,465 pax, up 47% compared to last season with 43,920 school passes sold, up 56%. Turnover at around € 3 million was just shy of the 2021-22 post-Covid record but lift pass sales were higher.
Plateau de Glieres (credit:HSN)
The first real snow fell on the 12th December with continuous cover of 40 to 60cm at 1300 meters altitude and 80 to 100cm above 1600m unti early February. This was followed by rain and a thaw in the middle of the month followed by fresh snow that kept the trails open in a dozen areas to the end of March.
In the Savoie there was snow from mid December to late march on the High Plains and snow farming meant Bessans opened on the 2nd of November 2024. All sites were fully open by the 15th of December. There was strong demand for lift passes with revenue at € 3.2 million, up 9.7 %. Snow cover mirrored that of the Haute Savoie to the end of January but was followed by a thaw. There was a reprieve for one or two areas when snow fell in mid April, closing many roads.
The early stable base got the season going with snow depths around the long term trend through January. School groups were also back to full capacity after the Covid disruption supported by the “Savoir Skier” scheme. The reliable snow cover and € 10 to € 13 day passes continued to attract locals from Annecy, Chambéry and Geneva who had discovered the joys of cross country following the Covid lift closures at a time when lower alpine ski areas were suffering. Cross country requires less snow cover than alpine to operate
Altitude still matters: Sites above 1 400 m (Les Saisies, Plateau des Glières, Bessans, Savoie Grand Revard) offered 100-plus consecutive skiable days; low-lying loipe such as le Semnoz lost around 15 days to thaw/rain.
Product mix evolving: There was strong growth in one-day ticket sales which contrasts with a slower rebound of season Nordic-Passes where pre-sales were hurt by the two previous poor winters.
Snow-farming & early grooming pay off: Bessans’ November loop and Les Saisies’ preserved stock guaranteed pre-Christmas opening for enthusiasts and competitors, drawing federations and tourism revenue weeks before alpine resorts opened.
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