Ski stations in Pyrénées close early due to lack of snow
Major resort shut doors two weeks early as rain and storms made it too dangerous to ski
Rain, storms - but little snow - has caused resorts to close early. Photo for illustrative purposes only
Peter Gudella/Shutterstock
A ski station in the Pyrénées has been forced to close early due to a lack of snow on the mountain range, mirroring several other early closures this season.
Le Mourtis, a popular resort in the Haute-Garonne department, was aiming to stay open until March 23, but was forced to close its doors on Sunday (March 9).
“The last southerly gust of wind which brought rain, was fatal to the snow base,” said ski resort manager Baptiste Rabasse (quoted in French media Actu).
“On Sunday, the snow product was no longer of high quality and no longer guaranteed skiers' safety, which is of paramount importance to us,” he added.
Further storms are expected across the Pyrénées this week, but are unlikely to bring snow to the area.
Read more: A week of storms ahead for France: weather outlook March 10 - 14
On the same day the Guzet resort in neighbouring Ariège also ended the season early due to a lack of snow.
Good year despite closure
Despite the early closure of Le Mourtis, Mr Rabasse was satisfied with attendance figures, as the slopes remained open for longer than the previous year.
“This season, we were permanently open from December 14 to March 9. This hadn't happened since 2022. We had a peak in attendance at Christmas, and attendance was well spread over the four weeks of the winter vacations,” he said.
During the festive peak, nearly 16,000 ski passes at the resort were registered, roughly 1,000 per day.
Read more: French Alps ski resort uses AI piste to teach beginners
Criticisms over pricing structure
Several well-wishers left positive social media comments when the station announced its early closure, however some criticised the resort for continuing to charge full-price for a ski pass when many pistes were unavailable.
“We just got back. Full price, 1/4 of the resort open this week… If you want to keep the regulars who've been coming for decades, you have to make a bit more effort. A little disappointed, but it wasn't much better elsewhere,” said one person on Facebook.
In response, Mr Rabasse said “the pricing policy of the Syndicat Haute Garonne Montagne is to offer a single, rather low price compared with other resorts.”
“We think the proposed price [was] fair, especially as the ticket is not nominative and not dated, which offers flexibility… no matter how many runs we open, we have to run ski lifts and a chairlift, which means we have to spend money on energy and staff.”
Read more: Letters: Out-of-control youths are ruining French ski slopes
Changing climate harms ski season
Both Le Mourtis and Guzet are scheduled to open for the next winter season, where they hope more snow will fall to prolong their active period and the number of pistes open during this time.
The comparative lack of snow this year also caused Bourg d'Oueil – the only resort to offer free ski passes – to close early.
A changing climate is one of several factors impacting resorts in France, alongside economic challenges, reliance on public funds, and ease of access.
The issues are affecting not only small, family-run resorts but larger commercial slopes.
Read more: France’s only free ski slope closes: Which other resorts are considered at risk?
