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Smoking on the ski slopes: what you need to know before skiing this winter
Fines, resort rules, and the real impact of cigarette butts on the snow – here’s what every parent should know.
I remember the first shift.
It was February 2007 when France banned smoking indoors. Overnight, the smoky haze that used to hang in every après-ski bar vanished. But it didn’t smell of pine and fresh snow. It smelled of sweaty ski bodies, beer, and urine.
Fast forward to today – France is rolling out another major smoking change, and if you're planning a family ski holiday this winter, it could impact where and how you light up, vape, or let your kids run around in the snow.
Here’s what’s changing, what’s already happening in some ski resorts, and why it matters for your family.
The new national smoking ban – what’s actually banned?
From 1 July 2025, France will ban smoking in certain outdoor public spaces where children are present. That includes:
- School entrances
- Crèches and playgrounds
- Bus stations
- Public parks and benches
- Sports stadiums
- Beaches
The fine? €135 if you’re caught lighting up in these areas.
It’s worth nothing that café terraces are not included, so you’ll still be able to smoke while sipping your post-ski vin chaud outdoors.
Also, vaping is currently not covered under the national outdoor ban, though that may change in future.
What about smoking in ski resorts?
“Tobacco must disappear where there are children.” French Health Minister Catherine Vautrin
This is where things get murkier. The national law doesn’t specifically mention ski resorts – but some resorts have already taken action on their own.
Since 17 December 2022, Les Gets has enforced a local smoking ban, making it the first ski resort in France with smoke-free slopes.
- No smoking on ski lifts or slopes
- Only five designated smoking areas across the entire resort
Fines start at €22 and can rise to €150 for repeat offences. The resort made the move after collecting over 3,000 cigarette butts in a single mountain clean-up day.
Are there designated smoking areas in ski resorts?
If you or someone in your group smokes, you might be wondering: “Can I smoke in a ski resort?” The short answer: it depends on where you are – and the resort’s local rules.
Some resorts, like Les Gets, have introduced clearly signposted designated smoking areas, usually away from lifts, slopes, and children’s zones. Les Gets has 5 designated smoking areas, and they are noted on the piste maps. These areas are the only places you can legally smoke in the resort, with fines in place elsewhere.
In La Plagne, there is no formal slope-wide smoking ban (yet), but you may still find signage or be advised to use specific zones near lift stations or café terraces. It’s always a good idea to ask at your accommodation or lift pass officeif there are smoking restrictions in place during your stay.
If you're travelling with a smoker, packing a pocket-sized travel ashtray is a smart and respectful move – it’s better for the environment, and it could help avoid fines for littering. For skiing, I think anything you can clip to you so it doesn't get dropped is a great idea – like this travel ash tray.
La Plagne: Still playing catch-up?
While La Plagne hasn’t officially banned smoking on its slopes (yet), there’s growing pressure. They are enforcing no-smoking bans around the local school, crèches and public areas. We’ve seen the posters around the resort already this summer. I’ll be interested to see if this spreads to places like ski school meeting points – locations where lots of families and children gather.
So while there’s no outright slope ban in La Plagne yet, the growing awareness around environmental damage and child-friendly spaces might nudge local authorities to take a firmer stance.
Mountain waste: How bad is it really?
Every year, locals and volunteers take part in the Mountain Riders “Zéro Déchet” clean-up days – a campaign to clear ski resorts of post-season litter.
In 2024, the top three most collected items across clean-up sites included:
- 58,676 cigarette butts
- 13,723 food packaging items
- 9,175 plastic wrappers and hard plastics
That makes cigarette butts by far the most common form of litter found in the French Alps.
To put it in perspective: one cigarette butt can pollute up to 500 litres of water or snow.
(Source: Mountain Riders)
This waste doesn’t just affect the scenery – it damages ecosystems, pollutes drinking water sources, and leaves a lasting footprint on the very mountains we escape to for their clean air and beauty.
Après Ski Like a Local
Free Recipe Book for Chalet-Style Drinks at Home
Inspired by Alpine ski bars across Europe. This free mini book gives you all the warm, cosy, and boozy drinks you’ll want after a long day (even if it was just the school run).
What’s Inside:
- Chalet-style drink recipes inspired by après bars across the Alps
- No fancy kit required. Just warm mugs, simple ingredients, and a touch of mountain magic
- Tips on how to host a ski night at home (or turn your garden into a ski terrace)
Perfect For:
- First-time skiers dreaming of their trip
- Mountain lovers needing a snow fix
- Anyone who believes après is a lifestyle, not just a location
Ski resorts leading the way on sustainability
As more families become environmentally conscious, ski resorts are being pushed to raise their game. Some are already setting a strong example.
La Plagne holds the prestigious Flocon Vert label – a certification awarded to mountain destinations that show real commitment to sustainable development. While La Plagne hasn’t banned slope smoking (yet), its annual participation in the Mountain Riders Zéro Déchet clean-up days shows it’s taking steps to protect the mountain environment.
These clean-up campaigns aren’t just symbolic. In each rubbish collection day we have participated in today, La Plagne volunteers have collected over 1 tonne of rubbish and waste from around the mountains.
It’s a reminder that even one careless moment – like dropping a cigarette in the snow – can leave a lasting mark on the landscape we all come to enjoy.
For families travelling with kids, supporting eco-conscious resorts is a great way to model positive behaviour, reduce your holiday footprint, and feel good about where your money goes.
Why it matters for families
Let’s be honest. Most of us aren’t heavy smokers. But plenty of families still travel with older teens, grandparents or group members who smoke or vape. And even if you don’t, these changes affect:
- Where you can rest or picnic with kids (no lighting up in snow play areas or outside ski school meeting points)
- Environmental impact – especially if your kids are learning to ski and picking things up off the ground
- Holiday fines – nobody wants to spend €135 on a holiday mistake
There’s also the question of role modelling. Resorts like Les Gets are shifting towards a smoke-free culture. If your children grow up skiing in these environments, they’ll associate skiing with fresh air – not smoke clouds at the lift queue.
What you should do before your ski holiday
Here’s a quick checklist for smart ski parents:
✔ Check your resort’s smoking policy – Especially for slope areas, lift queues and ski school zones
✔ Pack a travel ashtray – if someone in your party smokes, it’s a respectful and fine-saving essential.
✔ Teach your kids about slope etiquette – Not just for safety, but for eco-awareness too.
The future of smoking in ski resorts: What families should expect
France is moving towards a smoke-free future – and that includes its ski resorts. While not every resort has banned smoking yet, the trend is clear: less smoke, more snow.
Whether you're a smoker, travelling with one, or just want to breathe easy in a lift queue with your kids – understanding the rules now can save you money, awkward moments, and help protect the mountains we all love.
And hey – if your après bar now smells like feet and beer instead of stale Gauloises… well, progress isn’t always fragrant.
