On his twitter feed, Chatel town mayor Nicolas Rubin said: “Lack of listening, of consultation, decision taken too early, France decides to close its ski areas when its neighbor takes another position.

“Symbolically, the Town Hall of Chatel was decked out in the colours of Switzerland.”

Switzerland is looking to capitalise on the fact that French resorts are closed by keeping its borders open to attract skiers from neighbouring countries.

A major ski resort in Switzerland is even organising a shuttle-bus service for French skiers to visit its slopes.

This move is stoking tensions in the town of Chatel as the shuttle bus will pick up skiers from there.

Enrique Caballero, director of the Portes du Soleil Switzerland said: “We plan to pick up the skiers near Châtel and the other French resorts by bus.