{"id":2037766,"date":"2026-07-10T22:04:07","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T19:04:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2037766"},"modified":"2026-07-10T22:04:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T19:04:07","slug":"lac-blanc-ski-resort-france-will-shut-down-its-ski-lifts-as-a-result-of-climate-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2037766","title":{"rendered":"Lac Blanc Ski Resort, France, Will Shut Down its Ski Lifts As a Result of Climate Change"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_415621\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-415621\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-415621 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAGqAQMAAACh3GetAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADhJREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T20ON6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD4NobKAAFhB0TLAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\"Lac Blanc\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc.jpg?resize=640%2C426&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc.jpg?resize=1200%2C799&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc.jpg?resize=1536%2C1023&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"426\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-415621\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc.jpg?resize=640%2C426&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Lac Blanc\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-415621\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lac Blanc Ski Resort, located in the Vosges Mountains of France, announced it would end its winter operations. | Credit: Vall\u00e9e de Kaysersberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-1\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;display: block;clear: both\">\n<!-- GAM 71161633\/SNWBR_snowbrains\/article_hrec_1 --><\/p>\n<div data-fuse=\"article_hrec_1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>It is a difficult time for ski enthusiasts in the Vosges Region of France, as Lac Blanc Ski Resort <a href=\"https:\/\/pokaa.fr\/2026\/07\/02\/alsace-face-au-rechauffement-climatique-la-station-du-lac-blanc-abandonne-le-ski\/\">announced<\/a> it would be permanently shutting down its ski lifts starting the 2026-27 season. <\/strong>The reason? Climate change has created unpredictable winters for the resort, and the resort can no longer meet the requirements to operate. It made the call to close in a statement released on July 1, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<strong>Having examined the management arrangements for activities starting in the 2026-2027 season, it also noted that the conditions necessary for direct operation were not met,\u201d the resort said in its statement, according to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/france3-regions.franceinfo.fr\/grand-est\/haut-rhin\/cette-station-emblematique-des-vosges-annonce-definitivement-arreter-le-ski-3379849.html\">FranceInfo<\/a><\/em>.<\/strong> \u201cThe joint committee acknowledges the effects of climate change on the site. The decrease in natural snowfall, the reduction in days with usable snow cover, and the increasing uncertainty of winters are weakening the historical model based on alpine skiing.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/after-3-years-without-snow-hautacam-french-ski-area-is-closing-slopes-for-good\/\">After 3 Years Without Snow, French Ski Area is Closing Slopes For Good<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Climate Change Hitting European Resorts<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Lac Blanc is not the only European ski resort to announce its closure in the past few months.\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sportbahnen-braunwald.ch\/de\/\">Sportbahnen Braunwald<\/a> in Linthal, Switzerland, announced its <a href=\"https:\/\/braunwald.ch\/de\/service\/medien\/detail\/braunwald-lanciert-gemeinsamen-zukunftsprozess.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">closing<\/a> on June 19, 2026. Like Lac Blanc, Braunwald cited rising temperatures and declining snowfall as its reason for shutting down its lifts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<strong>Alpine tourism is under pressure,\u201d the resort wrote in its closure <a href=\"https:\/\/braunwald.ch\/de\/service\/medien\/detail\/braunwald-lanciert-gemeinsamen-zukunftsprozess.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">announcement<\/a>. <\/strong>\u201cClimate change and shifting consumer behavior are challenging the entire industry.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-16\" style=\"margin: 8px 0;clear: both\">\n<div id=\"sb-newsletter\" style=\"background:#2B2E3A;border-top:3px solid #D7424E;padding:26px 24px 22px;margin:28px 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;width:100%;display:block\">\n<p>    @media (max-width:600px) {<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter { padding:18px 20px 14px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter h3 { font-size:14px !important; white-space:nowrap; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-body { font-size:12px !important; margin-bottom:8px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-proof { font-size:11px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-form-row { flex-wrap:nowrap !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-form-row input { font-size:12px !important; padding:9px 10px !important; }<br \/>\n      #sb-newsletter .sb-form-row button { font-size:12px !important; padding:9px 12px !important; }<br \/>\n    }<\/p>\n<div id=\"sb-form-wrap\">\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:2px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#D7424E;margin:0 0 9px 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">SnowBrains Newsletter<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:19px;font-weight:700;margin:0 0 6px 0;line-height:1.25;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">The snowsports journalism skiers trust.<\/h3>\n<p class=\"sb-body\" style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:13px;margin:0 0 8px 0;line-height:1.5;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">Award-winning journalism, resort reports, powder forecasts and industry deep dives from the world&#8217;s largest independent snowsports outlet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sb-proof\" style=\"color:#9ca3af;font-size:12px;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 12px 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">Join thousands of snow lovers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sb-form-row\" style=\"display:flex;gap:8px;flex-wrap:wrap\">\n<p>      <button style=\"background:#D7424E;color:#fff;border:none;border-radius:4px;padding:10px 20px;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;cursor:pointer;white-space:nowrap\">Subscribe free \u2192<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:11px;margin:10px 0 0 0;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">No spam. Unsubscribe any time.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"sb-success\" style=\"display:none\">\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:26px;font-weight:700;margin:0 0 8px 0;line-height:1.2;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">You&#8217;re in!<\/p>\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:15px;margin:0;line-height:1.5;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">Thanks for signing up. The best ski news is on its way.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>function sbSubscribe() {<br \/>\n  var email = document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-email&#8217;).value;<br \/>\n  if (!email || !email.includes(&#8216;@&#8217;)) {<br \/>\n    document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-email&#8217;).style.borderColor = &#8216;#D7424E&#8217;;<br \/>\n    return;<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n  var url = &#8216;https:\/\/snowbrains.us5.list-manage.com\/subscribe\/post?u=1f247afab0a546e393c022f9a&amp;id=bcbf6caf6b&amp;f_id=003bf2e0f0&#8217;;<br \/>\n  var data = new FormData();<br \/>\n  data.append(&#8216;EMAIL&#8217;, email);<br \/>\n  data.append(&#8216;tags&#8217;, &#8216;2188762&#8217;);<br \/>\n  data.append(&#8216;b_1f247afab0a546e393c022f9a_bcbf6caf6b&#8217;, &#8221;);<br \/>\n  fetch(url, { method: &#8216;POST&#8217;, body: data, mode: &#8216;no-cors&#8217; });<br \/>\n  document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-form-wrap&#8217;).style.display = &#8216;none&#8217;;<br \/>\n  document.getElementById(&#8216;sb-success&#8217;).style.display = &#8216;block&#8217;;<br \/>\n}\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>According to Florian Pappenberger, Director-General of the <a href=\"https:\/\/wmo.int\/news\/media-centre\/european-state-of-climate-2025-record-heatwaves-from-mediterranean-arctic-while-glaciers-shrink-and\">European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts<\/a> (ECMWF), Europe specifically is experiencing significant effects of climate change. <\/strong>EMCWF reported that at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures in 2025, with heatwaves extending from the Arctic to the Mediterranean. Glaciers across the continent have also felt the effects of climate change, with glaciers in all European regions experiencing a net mass loss, along with snow cover falling 31% below average in 2025.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cEurope is the fastest-warming continent, and the impacts are already severe.<\/strong> Almost the whole region has seen above-average annual temperatures,\u201d Pappenberger said in a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) article.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The WMO\u2019s 2025 report also showed a continuing trend of rapid warming across Europe\u2019s coldest regions, including in the Arctic and the Alps.\u00a0<\/strong>For low-elevation Alpine resorts like Lac Blanc, which sits between 900 and 1,200 meters, even small temperature fluctuations can do a lot of damage. Just a small temperature change can quickly turn snowfall into rain. Snowmaking windows also become smaller, and over time, operational challenges make it increasingly difficult to stay afloat.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/slippery-slopes-climate-change-threatens-the-future-of-skiing-in-north-america\/\">Slippery Slopes: Climate Change Threatens the Future of Skiing in North America<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Lac Blanc and the Vosges<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Lac Blanc was established in 1970 and has been one of the most recognizable ski destinations in the Vosges.\u00a0<\/strong>The resort was ideal for family holidays, offering a range of activities such as downhill and cross-country skiing, tobogganing, and snowshoeing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The resort had undergone dozens of upgrades over the years, including new lifts, snowparks, snowmaking upgrades, restaurants, and bars.\u00a0<\/strong>With its closure, it leaves behind eight chairlifts and 15 slopes across 165 acres of skiable terrain.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Closing Despite a Recent Grant<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>The resort\u2019s closure comes just one year after it was approved to receive a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lalsace.fr\/environnement\/2025\/03\/28\/un-million-d-euros-pour-l-enneigement-du-lac-blanc-polemique-comprise\">\u20ac788,000<\/a> ($900,000) grant from the European Collectivity of Alsace to modernize Lac Blanc\u2019s snowmaking equipment.\u00a0<\/strong>While this vote drew criticism, given the context of the resort\u2019s climate struggles, the investment appeared to do little to change the resort\u2019s decision to close.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The Future of Lac Blanc<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Rather than shutting down entirely, Lac Blanc is adapting to the situation by focusing on warm-weather activities.\u00a0<\/strong>The resort has been slowly increasing its spring and summer offerings, starting with the opening of its bike park in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lac-blanc.com\/en\/winter\/winter-blog-holidays-vosges\/history-of-the-lac-blanc-ski-resort\/\">2007<\/a>. The resort also has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lac-blanc.com\/en\/summer\/\">hiking trails<\/a>, cycling routes, and a one-kilometer rail sled.<\/p>\n<p><strong>By increasing its summer offerings, Lac Blanc hopes to secure its long-term future without relying on snowfall.\u00a0<\/strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/france3-regions.franceinfo.fr\/grand-est\/haut-rhin\/cette-station-emblematique-des-vosges-annonce-definitivement-arreter-le-ski-3379849.html\">FranceInfo<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>reports that roughly 50% of the resort\u2019s revenue is generated in the offseason, already setting the resort apart from others that typically generate most of their revenues during the winter season.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Moving forward, the resort will look to continue operating on the site while exploring new avenues for non-skiing activities. <\/strong>Fortunately for Lac Blanc, it now has a nice \u20ac788,000 to play with.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_415630\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-415630\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-415630 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAGrAQMAAABqgLQIAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADhJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T+1tB6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADgDIcbAAEnbF1FAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\"lac blanc\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc-snowshoeing.jpg?resize=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc-snowshoeing.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc-snowshoeing.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc-snowshoeing.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc-snowshoeing.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc-snowshoeing.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc-snowshoeing.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"427\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-415630\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lac-blanc-snowshoeing.jpg?resize=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"lac blanc\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-415630\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In the future, Lac Blanc hopes to operate using non-skiing activities like snowshoeing. | Credit: Vall\u00e9e de Kaysersberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!-- CONTENT END 1 -->\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lac Blanc Ski Resort, located in the Vosges Mountains of France, announced it would end its winter operations. | Credit: Vall\u00e9e de Kaysersberg It is a difficult time for ski enthusiasts in the Vosges Region of France, as Lac Blanc Ski Resort announced it would be permanently shutting down its ski lifts starting the 2026-27 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-2037766","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2037766","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2037766"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2037766\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2037766"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2037766"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2037766"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}