Photos of the redevelopment of the Solaise lift in Val d'Isere
Photos of the redevelopment of the Solaise lift in Val d'Isere
Published : 30-Aug-2016 10:24
Regular visitors to J2ski.com will know that the current Solaise Express chairlift in Val d'Isere is being replaced with a 10-person gondola.Work on the redevelopment of the resort's third most used lift is currently underway. We took these photos of progress on the base station earlier this month.
The gondola machinery is being buried underground at the base area to reduce the noise impact for inhabitants and fauna living around the 'front de neige'.
The new gondola will have 91 cabins and will be equipped with heated seats and wifi. It will take just 7 minutes to reach the top of the Solaise and will increase the passenger capacity by 40% to 3600 people per hour.
The new lift will be completed and ready to open for the new 2016/17 ski season when the resort opens on 26 November.
The redevelopment includes a new beginners area and a tubing area, both served by a magic carpet.
Consideration has been given to the environment. Val d'Isere Telepherique commissioned a study before the operation started to help minimise the impact. The new lift will have only 16 pylons compared to 34 previously. Additionally to compensate for the impact on woodland, five trees have been planted for every one cut down.
Even the wrapping around the site helps minimise the visual impact of the work taking place:
Article by Iain Martin
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