French ski resort Saint-Gervais will unveil its Valléen project this winter after several years in the making. The project is a 'soft mobility' initiative which ewill see a two-stage gondolas connect first between the railway station and the resort centre and then between the resort centre and the key on mountain ski slope hub of Bettex above.
Saint-Gervais say the new initiative will reduce traffic and thus CO2 emissions in the area by 12 to 15% whilst improving mobility options not just for skiers but also local people moving around the town year round.
The lower section of the Poma built cable car will depart from the SNCF and bus station of Le Fayet, a major axis where TGV, TER (Paris, Lyon, Annecy, etc.) and Facilibus bus lines (100% ecological and free shuttles/ski buses from Saint-Gervais) stop in summer and winter, and climb 1,800 metres in length and 225 vertical metres to the town centre of Saint Gervais (850m).
A second section from Saint-Gervais to Bettex, following a similar route to the one that led to the creation of the ski area in 1936, will be 2.5km long and climb 600 vertical metres. Two gondola will feature 10-passenger cabins and will meet within a single intermediate station, thus increasing the current capacity of the St Gervais/Le Bettex cable car while smoothing traffic.
Along with delivering an enhanced quality of life for locals who gain mobility in their daily lives, Saint Gervais believe the new lifts will increase the attractiveness of the resort. The heart of the town will be better protected from the nuisances linked to the petrol vehicle traffic and tourist activities will be more accessible throughout the year.