According to la Depeche there is a lack of snow in the ski resorts of the Ariege but there may be hope in sight with fresh snow for the New Year. Axe Bonascre has 30cm at the bottom of the pistes, 40cm at the summit. Four pistes were closed yesterday due to lack of snow. Ascou has similar snow levels with 70% of the area open. Mijanes has 20 to 30 cm of snow with 11 of 13 pistes open. Things are much worse at Guzet with just 16% of the ski area open with a thin 10-20cm of snow.
In the Southern Alpes the resorts of Pra-Loup, le Sauze-Super-Sauze and Sainte-Anne-la-Condamine are nearly 100% for the New Year with 28,000 people staying in the Ubaye valley. Restaurants in the area are saying they’ve seen a 5% increase in turnover for the Christmas period. The poor weather has also seen the cinema, bowling and wellness centers increasing visitors. Despite yoyo temperatures snow levels are above average in the area.
Low mountain areas have been badly hit. In the Vercors and Chartreuse no ski area is operating normally. Méaudre has just 3 out of 16 pistes open, Lans en Vercors has 2 out of 17 pistes open and the biggest resort in the Chartreuse, Saint Pierre de Chartreuse is closed.
Bad luck for small resorts should bring a smile to the big, high altitude areas. Compagnie des Alpes resorts Chamonix Mont-Blanc has 48 of 68 runs open. La Plagne 76/130, Les 2 Alpes 81/94, Tignes and Val d’Isere 138/156.
More info about the Pyrenees: http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2009/12/31/746686-Situation-mitigee-dans-les-stations.html - link in French