A lack of snow in the Alps has left some ski resorts facing the worst conditions seen in the past quarter century, a leading industry representative has said.
French Mountains, which promotes mountain tourism in France, this week said only 40 of some 200 skiing stations were open across the country.
The hardest-hit area has been the northern Alps - home to popular resorts including Val Thorens, Courchevel and Meribel - where resorts have been forced to keep pistes closed and even ration ski passes.
In the Trois Vallees - the largest ski area in the world - only around a third of the 6,000km of runs have been opened to skiers.
Resort webcams show skiers trying to make the best of poor conditions, making their way down slopes that have almost more patches of green than white.
Pierre Lestas, president of Domaines Skiables de France, the industry body for ski resort operators, told French news network BFMTV: "The situation is difficult in Haute-Savoie. We haven't seen this since 1988-89."
French weather forecasters say such light snowfall is seen only once every five to 10 years, with the last comparable season coming in 2006.
The lack of snow has been compounded by unseasonably warm temperatures preventing the use of artificial snow cannons, which are only effective at -2C or lower.
The conditions could result in a 20%-30% drop in revenues for ski resorts over the Christmas period, Mr Lestas told BFMTV.
One resort in the region that has been lucky enough to have snow is imposing quotas this weekend to prevent chaos at its ski lifts.
"Conditions are exceptional. As we are nearly the only station open in the Haute-Savoie region, we are expecting serious crowds," said Stephane Lerendu, director of the tourism office at the Avoriaz ski station.
Located at an altitude of 6,000ft, Avoriaz has been able to open most of its pistes - but the regional snow drought could lead to more than the resort's capacity of 12,000 skiers hitting the slopes.
Holidaymakers will be issued with priority ski passes, while a quota will apply to everyone else until neighbouring areas have enough snow to open.
Austria and Switzerland, which along with France are home to some of Europe's most coveted ski slopes, are also waiting anxiously for snow as the key Christmas holiday season arrives.
