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15 September 2026
New gondolas, modernised ski lifts, redesigned beginner areas and new experiences on the slopes: French ski resorts are preparing many new features for the winter of 2026-2027.
As every year, ski areas are using the off-season to modernise their equipment. Here is our roundup of what's new in ski resorts for 2026-2027. The aim is no longer just to increase lift capacity. New projects also seek to make getting around easier, improve skier comfort, make certain areas more accessible and offer new mountain experiences.
So, What are the new features of the ski resorts for the 2026-2027 season? Overview of the main projects announced in the French ski resort sector.
Article updated in September 2026. The 2026-2027 ski resort updates presented correspond to the information available at that time. Some modifications may change before or during the season.
Among the changes to be noted this season, several directly affect the ski lifts.
La Clusaz is notably transforming its Balme sector, while Valmorel is improving access from Doucy. On the side of Alpe d’Huez, the vast Altitude 3300 program continues to modernize the links within the resort.
The 3 Vallées also has many projects in the pipeline. Courchevel, Méribel, Les Menuires and Val Thorens are preparing various improvements aimed at improving travel or the experience on the slopes.
Here are the new features to discover this winter.
Courchevel is one of the resorts that are undergoing significant changes for the 2026-2027 winter season.
The La Tania connection has undergone significant modernization.
The new lift is set to offer 8-seat panoramic cabins and improve comfort during the climb.
The modernisation also aims to improve flow. The new cabins make boarding easier and carry skiers more efficiently in this strategic sector of the ski area.
Another new feature in Courchevel: a 300 m² panoramic wooden terrace is set to open at the top of Chenus.
Accessible to skiers as well as pedestrians, it will offer a new space to take a break at altitude and observe the surrounding peaks.
The resort therefore relies not only on the performance of its ski lifts; it is also developing areas designed to enjoy the resort in a different way.
The sledging run that connects Courchevel 1850 to Courchevel Village is also changing.
A new themed experience called Fera Lumia will accompany visitors throughout their descent.
Light effects integrated into the forest will create a different atmosphere, especially during nighttime descents.
Méribel is also continuing to modernize its resort.
The transformation of the Rhodos gondola is entering its final phase.
After the departure and intermediate stations, the cabins and various technical equipment, the work now concerns the arrival station.
The quays and facades have been redesigned, and new toilets and a space dedicated to ski schools complete the project.
The goal is simple: to improve both the operation of the lift and the reception of skiers.
In Méribel-Mottaret, the Châtelet detachable chairlift is set to return to service during the 2026-2027 winter.
Its return will make the snowpark easier to use. Skiers will be able to reach the top of the sector more easily and do more laps without always having to go back down to the base area.
The Plattières gondola is also getting a new look.
The French artist Lucas Beaufort intervenes in certain cabins in order to transform the ascent into a true artistic medium.
The mountains thus become a place where snow sports, landscape and contemporary art meet.
The Snowpark of Méribel-Mottaret is also adopting a new visual identity.
The signage has been redesigned to make it easier to read the different areas and for riders to find their way around.
Beginners are not forgotten among the new arrivals of the winter season.
In Les Menuires, a new space for beginners is set to open at the top of Roc 1.
The idea is particularly interesting for new skiers. Learning areas are traditionally located at the bottom of the slopes. Here, beginners will be able to discover skiing directly at altitude.
They will thus benefit more from the mountain environment and the views of the domain, while at the same time learning in an area designed for learning.
The resort's fun areas are also set to receive new facilities.
Skiing instruction is also evolving in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville.
The children's snow garden is getting a new Biolley 2 magic carpet.
More modern, this equipment should make it easier for young skiers to get back up the slope and let them do their first exercises in better conditions.
This new feature illustrates a fundamental trend in French ski resorts: modernizing the smaller equipment used by beginners as well, and not just the large ski lifts.
Val Thorens is also continuing to modernize its infrastructure.
Among the notable projects is a new gondola designed to improve access to the high-altitude sector and traffic towards Orelle.
The station is also working on its major infrastructure in order to maintain efficient connections on the highest sectors of the domain.
These developments take on particular importance in Val Thorens. Located at 2,300 meters, the resort relies heavily on its altitude sectors and its connection with Orelle to offer a vast ski area.
The Combe de Balme constitutes one of the major modernization projects in La Clusaz.
The former fixed four-seater chairlift installed in the early 1990s has given way to a new six-seater chairlift at the Col de Balme.
The change should be particularly noticeable for skiers.
The ride time is set to drop from about 14 to 7 minutes, i.e. half the time spent on the lift.
However, the project is not limited to the ski lift.
Several slopes in the sector, including Bergerie, Blanchot, Crintiaux and Tête Blanche, are undergoing work. A new snowmaking network and a preventive avalanche-triggering system are also part of the sector's transformation.
The new ski lift is also intended to make it easier for intermediate skiers to reach the summit of Balme.
Finally, pedestrians will also be able to reach the pass and its footbridge.
Megève is also renewing one of its facilities.
In the sector of Radaz, the old fixed-grip four-seater chairlift is to be replaced by a six-seater chairlift more efficient.
Capacity is set to increase from about 2,000 to 2,700 people per hour.
Above all, the time required to reach the summit must be reduced by almost half.
The resort also plans to redesign the bottom station to make access and boarding easier.
For skiers, the benefit will therefore be twofold: less waiting time and a faster ascent.
Another important project of the season: the transformation of the connection from Doucy.
The new Combelouvière gondola replaces a four-seater detachable chairlift dating from 1987.
It will have cabins for 10 seats.
This installation also has a technical peculiarity. Its design must allow for a slight change in direction directly on the line, without building an intermediate station.
The aim is in particular to reach the top station of the Celliers gondola while avoiding flying over certain plots of land.
For holidaymakers staying in Doucy, the change will be particularly noticeable, as the resort now announces a connection to Grand Domaine by cable car for the winter of 2026-2027.
In Alpe d’Huez, the changes are part of a much broader program called Altitude 3300.
The project spans several years and aims to modernize the connections between Alpe d’Huez, Oz 3300, Vaujany, Villard-Reculas and the various sectors of the resort.
For the stage to be held in 2026, the Villarais chairlift is being replaced by a 10-seater gondola.
This new development should improve the connection between Villard-Reculas and the rest of the area.
The station located at 2,700 metres on the Pic Blanc axis is also being renovated.
The programme also includes replacing the Lièvre Blanc chairlift with a 10-seater gondola during the 2026-2027 period.
However, please note that not all of the Altitude 3300 infrastructure will be completed this winter. The new Sarenne gondola and the final phase of the project will come later, with completion announced for the 2027-2028 winter.
The new features of a resort are no longer limited to the slopes and lifts.
In Méribel, the sector of La Chaudanne is, for example, getting new facilities. An additional toilet block and self-service ski pass kiosks should improve the welcome at the main departure point of the ski area.
In Brides-les-Bains, the calendar is also changing.
For the first time, the station plans to open as early as December 5, 2026, i.e. one week earlier. The opening will thus be aligned with that of Méribel.
Thanks to the Olympe gondola, skiers staying in Brides-les-Bains will be able to access the ski area from the start of the season.
The investments do not only concern experienced skiers.
The resorts are increasingly developing spaces for children, beginners and families.
The new magic carpets in the snow gardens, the high-altitude learning areas and the fun trails all reflect this trend.
Some resorts also offer non-skiing activities so that the whole family can enjoy the mountains.
This diversification is becoming an important element of the experience at the resort. A stay in the snow is no longer based solely on the number of skiable kilometers available.
A large part of the investments announced for 2026-2027 concerns the replacement of existing facilities.
Several reasons explain this trend.
First, the new vehicles generally carry more people. This means they can reduce waiting times on some very busy routes.
Then, modern cable cars improve comfort and often make it easier for pedestrians, families, or certain audiences who do not necessarily want to ski to access the slopes.
Operators are also seeking to simplify connections between the various sectors.
Finally, replacing an aging lift can help reduce operational constraints and provide equipment better suited to the current uses of the mountain.
The projects underway for 2026-2027 show an interesting evolution in the French ski areas.
For a long time, the investments were primarily aimed at transporting skiers to the slopes ever faster.
This logic still exists, but it is now accompanied by other objectives.
The resorts are looking to improve accessibility, beginner areas, panoramic experiences, and activities offered to non-skiers.
The modernization of La Clusaz, for example, is part of a long-term reflection on the Balme sector. At Alpe d’Huez, Altitude 3300 seeks to create simpler connections between several villages and sectors of the resort.
The cable car thus gradually becomes a means of mobility in the mountains as well as a simple way to access the slopes.
The winter 2026-2027 promises to be particularly interesting for seeing how French ski areas are changing.
Skiers will discover, among other things, new ski lifts in La Clusaz, Megève, Valmorel and in the Alpe d’Huez ski area.
In the 3 Vallées, Courchevel and Méribel are also continuing to modernize their infrastructures, while new areas for beginners and families are emerging.
Other new features will probably be announced as the ski areas get ready to open.
The resorts are gradually publishing their programmes during the autumn. This selection will therefore evolve as official announcements are made.
Several French ski resorts are renewing their ski lifts. La Clusaz is modernizing the Balme sector, Valmorel is improving the connection from Doucy, and Alpe d’Huez is continuing its Altitude 3300 project. Courchevel and Méribel are also announcing several new features in the 3 Vallées.
Several new installations are planned, including the six-seater chairlift at the Col de Balme in La Clusaz, the six-seater chairlift at Radaz in Megève, and the Combelouvière gondola in Valmorel. Other ski areas are also renewing their installations.
Courchevel’s plans include the modernisation of the La Tania gondola, a new 300 m² panoramic terrace at the summit of Chenus and a new themed design for the toboggan run between Courchevel 1850 and Courchevel Village.
Méribel has completed the renovation of the Rhodos gondola. The Châtelet chairlift in Méribel-Mottaret is also back in service. The snowpark has adopted a new visual identity, and the Plattières gondola features an artwork by Lucas Beaufort.
Altitude 3300 is a vast programme to modernise the lifts and connections of the Alpe d’Huez ski area. Several installations are being replaced or renovated between 2025 and 2027 in order to improve the connections between the different sectors and access to Pic Blanc.
Yes. The resorts are gradually communicating their new features until the season opens. Some new activities, slopes, play areas, or experiences may therefore be unveiled during the autumn of 2026.
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