No Immediate Cable Car Replacement for Chamonix's Les Grands Montets

ChrisC

Well-known member
I was reading some Chamonix snow reports, and it looks like Les Grands Montets was never able to recover from the fire, and its cable cars are permanently offline/out of commission. It's like skiing Jackson Hole without the tram.

https://snowbrains.com/chamonix-area-ca ... fire-open/

They took the trams off the list on the snow report and put a big yellow construction sign on the trams on the live map.

https://www.chamonix.com/snow-report,89,en.html

And some up-to-date info:

https://www.facebook.com/16302577205759 ... 31?sfns=cl
 
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ChrisC":1xpn6jd7 said:
Like skiing Jackson Hole without the tram.
Never been to Chamonix so I can't comment on the comparison; however, I'd argue that JH is very skiable without using the tram. Certainly a lot less efficient to do T2B laps, but still.
 
This is much worse than Jackson without its tram. On my best ski day at Jackson I never set foot on the tram because there was powder to be had everywhere and I didn't want to waste 45+ minutes in a tram line. The only terrain you lose without it is Rendezvous Bowl. I skied the Hobacks twice on that day from Sublette. http://bestsnow.net/TRsFTO/20060129Jackson.html

The Lognan fire took out two trams, an access tram from the valley floor and the 4,000 vertical tram to the highest point of Grands-Montets. The lower Plan Joran gondola can probably handle the access traffic adequately. But the upper tram is the only access to the Argentiere Glacier. On the other side, the upper Bochard gondola rises 2,700 vertical.

So I'm glad Liz got to experience Grands-Montets in full operation last January. viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12572
 
Tony Crocker":2gpltaxk said:
This is much worse than Jackson without its tram.

Agreed. The upper tram was/is a huge part of the Grand Montets. The glacier side runs off the upper tram are spectacular. Reference this pics-post on my TR there in 2012 for Tram pics.

http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=10070&p=64793&hilit=grand+montets#p64721

Super sad to hear of the fire and resulting damage. Seems like a hugely reduced season for them. Hopefully they were insured.
 
Tony Crocker":ll8ch7r9 said:
This is much worse than Jackson without its tram.

Agree too. I guess Kicking Horse with its gondola offline would be worse? :-(

I was lucky to ski Grands Montets last April and able to lap the tram without lines. (Never understood how the tram reservations worked?) Definitely one of the most iconic lifts in the Alps/World - along with the Aiguille du Midi cable car.

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Interesting update for the Les Grands Montets trams - 3 more years.

https://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/ ... s-montets/

“We now hear that the lift company ‘hopes’ to have the replacement completed three years from now – though it’s worth noting that ‘the precise timeline is still dependent on negotiations with one of the three insurance companies involved’. Hmmm.“

“The project to replace the lifts, which will involve a complete redesign of the Lognan area, has been placed in the hands of the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano, designer of the Shard in London; he also had a hand in the Georges Pompidou Centre in Paris. So no expense spared; “

“The new lift from the valley will be another cable car, with its base station ‘in a better location for public transport users, to include a direct access to and from Argentière village and train station’. “

“The upper lift will ‘probably’ be a 3-cable gondola; but don’t get too excited about an end to the queues – we’re told that the hourly capacity will be only ‘moderately’ increased, according to the lift company. (This may be eco-political spin, though: other sources suggest the new lift will carry 1800/hour, more than double the very modest 700/hour capacity of the old lift.)”

Sounds like an S3 super gondola would be a great addition - eliminating reservations in mid winter!
 
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I'm assuming an S3 gondola would be like the 20-24 person capacity gondolas we used out of the Bellevarde and Avoriaz base areas.

This is a long time without that lift at Grands Montets. Jackson was only 2 years without its tram and it installed a temporary lift in Rendezvous Bowl then. FYI Jackson's tram will run at 25% capacity in 2020-21.
 
Saw the plans for the new Grands Montets tram and S3 gondola. Impressive: Here

First Images of the new Grands Montets Lifts released​

Written by Iain Published: 08 February 2023
The first images of the designs for the new Grands Montets gondola – by famous architect Renzo Piano - have been released…and they look stunning.

BASE STATION, ARGENTIÈRE (1230M)

The base station in the valley at Argentière will move slightly further back than the previous lift and will have a smaller footprint.
The existing station will be removed and the car park reduced in size, to encouraged increased use of buses and trains.
23_mont-new1.jpg

MID STATION, LOGNON (1970M)

The mid-station at Lognon will be slightly lower and smaller than the previous one, with a new exit area designed to improve the flow of skiers.
The lift has been closed since the fire at the mid-station in September 2018. The loss incurred by the Companie du Mont Blanc has been estimated at EUR95 million.
23_mont-new2.jpg

TOP STATION, GRANDS MONTETS (3300M)

The top station will be cube-shaped, with dimensions of 20m x 20m, and offer superb views. It will be integrated into the side of the Aiguille des Grands Montets.
A 70m tunnel will replace the current steps to reach the Col des Grands Montets and the existing staircase will be dismantled.
The lift from Lognan to Grands Montets will be a 3S-style lift, with significantly more comfort than the previous lift, making it more accessible to pedestrians and tourists.
23_mont-new3.jpg

DESIGN CONCEPT

There is a concept tying the three gondola stations together, relating to pyrites, a mineral found in the mountains. The construction will be modular with wooden frames for the lower two stations and steel for the top station.

 
Some movement on the Grands Monsters cable car replacement. Ground-breaking this spring/summer 2024. :):eusa-clap::eusa-wall:

Assume it will take a few years. Maybe Winter 2026-27??!!!

Link
 
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