There may be over a meter of snow on the slopes of many Pyrenean ski resorts but only Cauterets, Piau-Engaly and les Angles are still open and then only to this week-end (14/15th April). Local skiers are frustrated to see the lifts shut although the touring season should last well into May this year.
Les Angles was scheduled to shut at the start of April but decided to stay open to the middle of the month. An exception, most resorts will shut on schedule. The extra 15 days work is appreciated by season workers.
The director at Ax Trois Domaines explains the economics. "We had nearly 10 meters of snowfall this season, which was a record, but it meant a lot of extra work. The lifts cost 15,000 euros a day to run. If we don't sell 800 lift passes we make a loss, at the end of March we had just 200 skiers on the slopes."
The record snowfall has its downsides. The mayor of St Lary Soulan says that the bill for snow clearing is three times a normal winter. They've spent nearly half a million euros keeping roads open and car parks and pavement clear. The snowfall was accompanied by poor weather and lower visitor numbers. The cost of avalanche control is also much higher than normal.