About the business side, there is also another factor. Somehow, during the last 2 or 3 decades, people have been nudged to believe that snow and ski times are

About the business side, there is also another factor. Somehow, during the last 2 or 3 decades, people have been nudged to believe that snow and ski times are February and Christmas/new-year holidays. Only. Easter has disappeared from the picture: now what is sold for Easter is a holiday in the sun, a stay by the sea (and nowadays, it means flying abroad, not trying your luck on your national shores). And that is stupid, because people come for Christmas when in fact there are 50% chances that there is no snow at that time of the year, and leave disappointed because the White Christmas thingie they were sold didn't exist; and they don't come any more around Easter, while there is basically always snow (soft snow, admittedly, but with a sufficient stock accumulated along the whole winter to enjoy). So basically the only time left to make money for a ski resort is February: can't open around Christmas because there is no snow, can't open around Easter because there are no customers.