The scene is becoming increasingly familiar on the ski slopes. It's just after 5 p.m., the ski lifts are stopping, the cold is setting in, but the holidaymakers aren't heading back inside to warm up right away. They gather on the slopes, eyes in the air and smartphones in hand.
While the traditional torchlight descent by the ski instructors still holds its charm, eyes are now scanning the night sky for a completely different reason. For the past few winters, the mountain's nighttime postcard has been transformed. Gone are the simple fireworks; now it's all about sound and light shows projected by drones.
During February and early March 2026, our Allumee teams – a Lyon-based company – significantly increased their deployments in the Alps. From the Tournée des Neiges in Serre-Chevalier and Auron, to the SKI SHOW in Les Arcs, our flying swarms performed a series of events.
But beyond the technical prowess and the exclamations of the public, why are ski resorts now betting on drone shows?
Deciphering a turning point in events.
Displaying political and territorial ambitions: the 2030 horizon
Flying 300 drones in a winter sky is not just a simple activity to end a day of skiing. It has become a massive communication tool.
The Tournée des Neiges (Snow Tour) is a prime example. Co-organized by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) Region and the Regional Tourism Committee (CRT), the second edition of this traveling event set up its chalets in five resorts during February. The program included ski simulators, tourton tastings, virtual reality experiences, and a choir performance. Behind the scenes, however, the stakes are also political: to prepare public opinion and rally the population around the French Alps' bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics.
Our shows, performed notably in Serre-Chevalier and Auron on February 23rd and 25th respectively, were designed to embody this ambition. The outgoing mayor of Montgenèvre, Guy Hermitte, put it bluntly: the Tour is not just a celebration, it's a «"A living showcase of our mountains, our culture and our identity"». It testifies to a «"A shared desire to promote the Southern Alps by 2030, and well beyond."» For Agnès Rossi, president of the tourism commission of the PACA Region, the objective is clear: «"to revive the Olympic spirit"» which the French were able to experience during the Paris 2024 Olympics. It was necessary to revive «"The conviviality, the sharing, the joy between the spectators and the athletes"».
What could be more effective in imprinting this "Olympic momentum" than drawing the rings or winter sports in 3D, nearly 100 meters above the ground?
The drone show has become a preferred media platform for local elected officials.
Keep the skier on the snow front
While the region aims for 2030, the resorts themselves manage the day-to-day operations of the season.
Their immediate challenge? Après-ski: the crux of the matter. As a member of the CRT Paca confides, they need to capture the public's attention. «"At the point where people start to stop skiing"», and hold them until the «"Beginning of the aperitif"».
This is where the dramaturgy of a well-crafted event comes into play, and the programming of Les Arcs 1800 is the perfect illustration of this.
On February 26th and March 5th, the resort organized its iconic SKI SHOW. The formula is tried and tested, but remarkably effective. From 5:30 pm onwards, on the Vagère snow front, the atmosphere is gradually built up:
- The showcase of professions: Demonstrations of snow groomers, trackers and their avalanche dogs.
- The sports show: All forms of gliding are represented (snowboard, telemark, monoski, skwal, handiski), culminating in the "360°" and "backflips" of the youngsters from the Freeski Academy.
- The light transition: As night falls, the ESF instructors take over in luminous suits for synchronized skiing, followed by the traditional torchlight descent.
And it is precisely at this moment, when the audience might think the show is over, that the Allumee creation Conquest of the Peaks takes over.
A spectacular finale with our pyrotechnic drones setting the Les Arcs logo ablaze. The audience's reaction is immediate and a thunderous applause erupts.
More than 250 drones take off simultaneously to enhance the sky with a narrative and thematic story about the mountain, enhanced with scenes customized to the resort.
Satisfied holidaymakers extend their stay in the heart of the resort.
The marketing equation: social media, ecology and customer loyalty
Behind the visual spectacle, the calculations of tourist offices are pragmatic. Incurring expenses for a drone show is subject to very strict specifications regarding economic impact and image.
The reward for virality
Today, if an event isn't "Instagrammable," it doesn't exist. And drone choreography is tailor-made for social media. The vertical formats of smartphones, whether for TikTok or Instagram Reels, are perfectly suited to these aerial displays. Every vacationer who films the spectacle at Serre-Chevalier or Les Arcs and posts it on their social networks becomes, in effect, an ambassador for the resort. It's a massive organic advertising campaign, generated for free by the public.
Local tourism to be cherished
Getting skiers to return year after year is an obsession. The figures given by Agnès Rossi during the Tournée des Neiges remind us of a reality that is often forgotten: «"More than 50 % of holidaymakers are from the region, 20 to 25 % are from outside the region, and slightly less than 20% are foreigners."». This local audience, familiar with the Southern Alps, is demanding. You have to surprise them to make them come back. A unique show featuring 300 drones is a compelling argument to convince people from Provence to come up to the resort for a weekend.
An eco-friendly entertainment option
It's an argument rarely voiced, but one that carries significant weight in town hall meetings: the environment. High-altitude resorts are regularly criticized for their environmental impact. In this tense climate, traditional fireworks displays are increasingly viewed negatively. Noise pollution disturbs local wildlife, and cardboard and gunpowder residue often ends up in the snow, then in the soil when the ice melts. Drone fleets offer the advantage of clean entertainment: no waste, no explosions. This has become a decisive argument for municipalities.
Formats destined to grow
The market is still in its infancy. At the CRT Paca (Regional Tourism Committee of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur), Valérie Mérali, Deputy Director for Quality of Life, assures us: she is aiming for a «"Ramp-up"» events between now and 2030. «"It's already pretty good, but we want it to grow."», she warns.
Allumee's ambition goes hand in hand with that of the stations
We are keen to emphasize that the advantage of our sound and light shows lies in their modularity.
From 200 to over 2000 drones, we design immersive experiences for all types of budgets. We easily integrate multimedia formats, including lasers, fireworks or other pyrotechnic effects.
A vast range of possibilities is therefore open to ski resorts to create unique moments that reflect their image.
Our goal is the same as theirs: to continue to surprise the public.
When the mountain dictates its law
Operating in an alpine environment demands a good dose of humility. The downside is managing batteries in sub-zero temperatures, and above all, the wind. This was the case on February 17th in Montgenèvre.
While everything was ready for the show, the gusts of wind unfortunately forced flight control to make the only possible decision: cancel the takeoff. Public safety is never negotiable, and while the absence of the 300 drones disappointed some, the festivities were far from over. Bundled up warmly, the vacationers enjoyed the activities in the chalets and were treated to performances by the choir Le Chœur du Sud and DJ Le Pedre. As one observer philosophically summarized that evening, «"The wind grounded the drones, but not the Olympic spirit."».
This weather cancellation ultimately serves as a reminder of a fundamental truth about the mountains: nature always has the last word. This reality only makes the successful shows, on evenings with clear, glassy skies, even more precious in the eyes of the public. These are exceptional evenings where, for a few brief moments, technology manages to steal the show from the snow-capped peaks.
