Second homes have been the subject of a lot of research in recent decades. These studies have regularly focused on the positive and negative consequences of this type of accommodation, most often highlighting economic, social and environmental issues. More recently, some studies have focused on the management of second homes by analyzing the strategies for promoting this type of accommodation or the need to adapt laws and regulations following their expansion.

In this proliferation of articles, few researchers have focused on the place and role of second home owners in local governance. These owners are nevertheless significant actors given their large numbers, their financial resources and their address books. In addition, there seems to be a desire on the part of some owners to become more involved in the resort.

In this thesis, I wish to follow up on these reflections by studying to what extent and in what way second home owners participate in the governance of mountain resorts. The study has been separated into two distinct parts. The first part deals with the evolution of the participation of these owners in the governance and the factors influencing this evolution. The second part aims to analyze the profile of owners who participate in governance.