French Ski Resort Alpe du Grand Serre Saved from Closure and Reopening This Winter

French ski resort Alpe du Grand Serre in the Isère region will reopen for the winter season after the La Morte municipal council unanimously approved a management agreement with a SATA Group subsidiary on September 28, 2026, averting a threatened closure and targeting a December opening.

The Council Vote and the SATA Group Agreement

The municipal council of La Morte voted unanimously on September 28, 2026, to approve a management contract known as a délégation de service public (DSP). Under this arrangement, a subsidiary of SATA Group takes over the resort’s operations. SATA Group previously operated the ski lifts during the preceding winter season.

The formal signing of the DSP with SATA was scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026. This administrative step finalizes the rescue effort for the resort, which is located in the Matheysine region south of Grenoble.

Relief Among Local Stakeholders and the ESF Ski School

The unanimous vote brought immediate relief to the area. The local ski school, ESF de l’Alpe du Grand Serre, characterized the agreement as the start of a “new history” for the resort.

Despite the optimism, the municipal administration of La Morte declined to provide further comments to local media outlet actu Grenoble ahead of the official contract signing on September 30, 2026.

Timeline of Alpe du Grand Serre Closures and Reopenings

Date	Event
Fall 2024	Definitve closure announced, then quickly reversed
July 2026	Matheysine community of municipalities (CCM) votes to stop lifts after September 28, 2026
Winter 2025/2026	Recorded as the best season ever for the ski resort by operator SATA
September 28, 2026	La Morte municipal council unanimously approves the SATA Group DSP agreement
September 30, 2026	Scheduled formal signing of the management contract
December 2026	Targeted reopening for the upcoming winter season

Operational Outlook and Piste Statistics Ahead of December

While the winter of 2025–2026 marked the best operational season ever recorded for the site according to SATA, the resort has repeatedly hovered on the brink of permanent shutdown.

The Matheysine community of municipalities (CCM) had voted in early July to halt lift operations following September 28, 2026. An earlier closure announcement in the autumn of 2024 was similarly reversed at the eleventh hour.

With the DSP now taking effect, Alpe du Grand Serre prepares for a December launch across its approximately 55 kilometers of ski slopes. Known for its accessibility via public transportation in the Isère department, the resort enters this upcoming season with renewed administrative backing, though future financial stability remains contingent on the success of the new management arrangement.