Absolutely right - I have just got back from a few days in the Chatel area. Our chalet host was telling us that the local authorities pay the lift company to run the lift system for a set period, around mid December to late April. However, if the day before the lifts are due to shut there is a major dump of snow and people queueing up to ski on it, the lifts shut anyway. I guess it gives certainty for the town and the workers but is must be frustrating for the local businesses if, like last year, there is an abundance of late snow.