This study analyses the operation of ski areas in France: the sale of lift passes by ski lift operators, and the resort economy that depends on it, from accommodation to equipment rental, ski schools and seasonal employment. It compares market measures that do not add up, drawn from the industry, the specialist press and public statistics. Ski lifts generate around 2 billion euros of revenue in 2024-2025, and France sold 56,1 million skier-days in 2025-2026. Attendance has plateaued since 2008-2009: growth comes from prices, and some sixty large Alpine ski areas account for most of the activity. The study describes the clientele, affluent and one third foreign, how prices are set and a highly capital-intensive business, which invested 555 million euros in 2025, as well as the governance of the owner municipalities, the régies and delegate operator groups such as Compagnie des Alpes. It also examines the ageing stock of beds, housing for seasonal workers, the decline of snow in mid-alti
