About
What snowcode is
An unconventional, free, not-for-profit, invitation-only developer conference held each year in a chalet in a French ski resort.
Snowcode has run since 2010 — 8 seasons on the record and counting. It is not a conference in any conventional sense: there is no venue hire, no exhibition hall, no badge scanning. Instead, between sixteen and twenty developers, entrepreneurs, angel investors, hackers and partners share a luxury catered chalet for a week.
What a week looks like
Mornings are for the mountain. Snowcode happens in ski resorts, and the lift pass is part of the point. Afternoons and evenings are for building things, arguing about architecture, pairing on something half-finished, and cooking for each other. Sessions are informal and decided on the first evening — the un-conference format means nobody arrives with a slide deck.
Why it is invitation-only
Twenty people is the ceiling, and a shared chalet is an intimate setting. The group has to work: people who are good company, who are curious, and who will contribute rather than spectate. That is not something you can filter for with a ticket page, so entry is by invitation.
Cost
Snowcode is free in the sense that nobody profits from it. Attendees split the cost of the chalet, catering and the logistics — there is no margin, no sponsor paying for a stage, and no organiser taking a cut. You pay your own travel.
Who organises it
Snowcode is organised by Goblinfactory Limited. Past sponsors have included Skills Matter and The Agile Workshop. If you would like to support a future season, get in touch via the register form and say so.
Where and when
Venue and dates are shared inside the private group chat after you are invited. That is deliberate: a small chalet cannot absorb a public announcement, and the group needs to be settled before logistics are locked in.