Low-Altitude French Ski Resort Seignus d'Allos Secures One More Season

After a period of uncertainty and a narrowly-divided local referendum, the Val d'Allos–Le Seignus ski resort has been granted a reprieve, with local and regional leaders deciding it will operate for the 2025-26 season. The decision, announced by the Syndicat Mixte du Seignus d'Allos (SMSA) on August 1st, delays what many observers consider the inevitable closure of the 90-year-old resort, which has struggled with financial losses and unreliable snow due to its low altitude.

The fate of the resort had been in jeopardy following a non-binding June referendum in which residents of the village of Allos voted 50.1% in favor of ending ski operations. The SMSA, which has been managing the resort since May 2024, cited chronic operating deficits as the main reason for the potential closure. The resort has lost over €1.3 million in each of the last two seasons, with the shortfalls being covered by the municipality and the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Department.

The reprieve comes with conditions, however. While the resort is planning to open partially, it may only operate its Gros Tapy and Autapie sectors on weekends and during school holidays. This is contingent on a pre-sale target of 1,200 season passes being met by September 30th. Passes are priced at €420.

n 2024, €1,387,804 of public funds were used to balance the resort's operation alone, not including the various investments and loans currently in progress. In 2025, after a winter with plenty of snow, €1,300,298 were once again needed to balance operations while deferring expenses as much as possible. The municipality finds itself in a very difficult budgetary situation.

The municipality of Allos thus surveyed its constituents at the beginning of summer 2025 to determine the majority's preference for the future of the resort. The scenario of ending winter operations received the most votes.

In this context and with all these elements, the Syndicat Mixte du Seignus d'Allos has nevertheless decided to take the time to reflect on the future: unanimously, it has confirmed the continued operation of the ski area for the winter of 2025/2026. The resort will be able to celebrate its 90th anniversary with dignity.

Assuming annual pre-sales of 1,200 "season" passes for Seignus, the union will implement, if weather and snow conditions permit, the opening of the "Gros Tapy" and "Autapie" sectors during school holidays and weekends throughout the season. A decision will be made in this regard on September 30th in light of actual sales.

At the end of the season, in a spirit of responsibility, the Seignus d'Allos Joint Syndicate will draw up an operating report, in order to calmly prepare for the future of the resort. Thus, in the face of evolving customer needs, practices, changes related to the climate and financial impacts, a refounding project will be collectively proposed. Within this framework, the aim will be to develop the best scenario for the future of the Seignus. This scenario will be supported by the Joint and Departmental Syndicate until the statutory term of the syndicate.

The Department reaffirms its commitment to supporting the region in its pursuit of a structuring, coordinated, sustainable, and lasting future project. True to its commitments, it will continue to support the Allos region for a project carried out in Seignus until 2028.

For many loyal visitors and residents, the news offers a bittersweet pause. Le Seignus, located at 1,500 meters (4,920 feet), has been a community fixture since its first ski lift was built in 1936. However, rising temperatures and a shorter winter season have made it heavily dependent on expensive and water-intensive artificial snowmaking.

Following the upcoming season, the SMSA plans to release a full operational report and begin a "re-seeding" project to determine the long-term future of the ski area. This initiative aims to adapt the resort to shifting tourist habits and the growing challenges of climate change, with the department pledging its support through 2028. While the ski season is saved for now, the long-term future of Le Seignus remains uncertain, a sentiment echoed by many low-altitude resorts across the French Alps.