The La Sambuy Seythenex resort in southeastern France is set to halt its chairlift operations on September 15, following a municipal decision, leaving residents and tourism professionals

grappling with the painful reality.

This chairlift holds immense significance for the community. For just a few more days, this colossal 1,800-meter-long lifeline, ascending nearly 700 meters, will ferry visitors from the resort's parking lot in Haute-Savoie to the 1,850-meter summit within a mere 25 minutes. It stands as the sole chairlift in the resort and has been a part of the local heritage since the late 1980s. This small resort, often described as "a creation of the locals," features five shops, as highlighted by Christian Bailly, the president of the organization Tous ensemble pour La Sambuy.

Despite the impending closure on Friday, September 15, locals, tourists, and industry experts have rallied to save "their" resort. In June, after extensive public consultations, Jacques Dalex, the mayor of Faverges-Seythenex, where the resort is situated, voted alongside the municipal council to dismantle the chairlift, with 22 out of 33 votes in favor. Tous ensemble pour La Sambuy's summary appeal, filed with the Grenoble administrative court to contest this decision, was subsequently rejected on August 24.

"The resort has consistently operated at a loss," the mayor explained, "with the town continuously providing financial support. We can accommodate an annual deficit of €150,000 to €200,000, but exceeding that threshold becomes challenging." Photo by Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, Wikimedia commons.