The curtain falls on the 25 kilometres of pistes on the Hautacam. In the Hautes-Pyrénées, this small family resort, perched at an altitude of 1,500 metres, has announced the definitive end of its downhill skiing activities. It is a powerful symbol of the climatic shift that the mid-range mountains are undergoing.
After three consecutive winters without sufficient snow cover, the figures have finally spoken. The Syndicat Mixte du Hautacam, supported by the Communauté de Communes Pyrénées Vallées des Gaves and Lourdes Town Hall, can no longer make up the shortfall.
Once again this year, €1.44 million would have been needed to keep the business afloat. This compares with around €630,000 in previous years. The gap has become unsustainable.
"An economy that no longer winters".
This difficult decision reflects a wider upheaval. Like other mid-altitude ski areas, Hautacam is feeling the full effects of global warming.
Without guaranteed snow, without the possibility of artificial snow on such a fragile base, and with the season getting drastically shorter, the economic model for alpine skiing is becoming a losing bet.
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Despite this, mountain activity is not coming to a halt. The Hautacam site, which has already embarked on a transition to "four-season" tourism, will continue to welcome visitors and families, even without skis on.
Rail sledging, tobogganing, panoramic walks... So many alternatives that help maintain a link with the region. These projects have been made possible thanks to combined support from the State, the region, the département and Europe.
A beginners' area, snow permitting
In the event of exceptional snow conditions, a small introductory ski area could be set up temporarily. But this will no longer be the resort's DNA.
This turnaround marks the end of an era, when small ski resorts like Hautacam could still rely on the regularity of the seasons.
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Emotions are running high in the resort. A local shopkeeper has launched a petition entitled "No to the closure of the Hautacam ski resort".
Nearly 1,200 signatures have already been collected, demonstrating a strong attachment to a family resort on a human scale, offering a gentle alternative to mass tourism.