Perched between 1,050 and 1,160 metres above sea level, nestling in the heart of the Monts de la Madeleine, Loge des Gardes could well be changing hands. This small resort in the Allier department, located in Laprugne on the border between the Loire and Puy-de-Dôme, is officially up for sale. After more than ten years at the helm, its owners are looking for a buyer capable of giving it a new lease of life.
With four ski lifts, two kilometres of downhill ski runs and fifteen kilometres of cross-country ski runs, The Guards' Lodge is not one of the big resorts in the Alps or the Pyrenees. However, this resort, which was created in the 1960s, has long attracted local skiers and families looking for an intimate, accessible setting.
But over the years, snow has become rarer. Climate change and fickle winters have forced the resort to reinvent its business model.
Too much personal commitment
Under the impetus of Philippe and Valérie Chevrier, a Parisian couple who bought it in 2013 via an advert on Leboncoin, the Loge des Gardes has diversified its offer by proposing summer activities: tree climbing, zip wires, mountain biking... A successful transition, but one that requires constant commitment.
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Now aged 68 and 59, the owners wish to hand over the reins. After more than a decade of efforts to keep the resort in business, they feel it is time to make way for a new project owner.
"The station requires an enormous amount of time and energy". they confide in the columns of Le Parisien. Although visitor numbers have held up thanks to non-skiing activities, the resort's future now depends on finding a buyer willing to take up the challenge.
A future in limbo
The sale of the station is being carried out with the utmost discretion. No information has yet been released about any potential buyers, leaving the residents of Laprugne to wait and see. "We're all informed, but not about much! admits a deputy mayor, while a local regrets the closure of the ski area this winter, when the snow was finally here.
So, what does the future hold for the Loge des Gardes? Could the resort be given a new lease of life by an investor ready to invest in a year-round conversion? At a time when many mid-range mountain resorts are fighting for their survivalThe Loge des Gardes is an emblematic example of the challenges ahead: how can we keep these areas alive when white gold is in short supply?
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