The Courmayeur Mont Blanc Funivie S.p.A lift company which runs the ski lifts around Courmayeur has announced that a remarkable, four year, 110 million Euro project to rebuild lift access to Point Helbronner on the Italian side of Mont Blanc is, pretty much, complete. The company says that the installations will open to the public next month on a date still to be announced.
Work to replace the lifts began in 2011 after more than a decade of planning. Originally a three-stage cable car connection the new lifts are in two stages which operate much faster and with a much higher capacity.
There are many remarkable aspects to the project and the result. These include the fact that the new cable car's cabins revolve through 360 degrees on the ascent and that the new upper station has been built to be energy self-sufficient.
In addition the Torino Hut, which is no longer directly accessed by the cable car, is instead accessed by a 154m long horizontal tunnel and a 70m vertical elevator, from Point Helbronner.
All three cable car stations have been completely re-built to designs by award winning architects.
Starting from the bottom. The all new base station is at an all new location, Entrèves (1,300m), and is a ribbed stainless steel structure with wood frames and an abundance of glass to optimize the use of natural light. It is located next to the Mont Blanc Tunnel with direct access to the A5 motorway. There is extensive underground parking (more than 330 spaces) and a bus station which will be where a shuttle service from Courmayeur stops.
From here the lift ascends to the mid station in four minutes. The mid-station is still at Le Pavillon du Mont Fréty, but with a completely new station, from there the second stage of the lift goes direct to Point Helbronner in just six minutes, by-passing the Torino Hut.
The Point Helbronner station has four levels on a small footprint with terraces cantilevered out. It has been built with super tough materials like titanium panelling, zinc plated steel and super-tough tempered glass to withstand the elements. A large circular terrace on the roof provides spectacular views of Mont Blanc and the Vallée Blanche.
Each cable car cabin is round and can carry up to 80 people, compared to 20 in the old lift cabins. The greatly increased capacity should the operator hopes, eliminate queues. The Doppelmay built lift has hi tec audio-visual facilities and the cabins which have floor to ceiling glass windows slowly revolve through 360 degrees on the ascent.