Compagnie du Mont-Blanc (CMB), in partnership with Doppelmayr France, recently unveiled plans to rebuild the Grands Montets gondola lift (Chamonix), which was seriously damaged in 2018.
With an impressive budget of 155 million euros, this ambitious project aims to breathe new life into the top of the estate, which has been closed since the accident.
The project is notable not only for its scale, but also for the involvement of world-renowned architect Renzo Piano.
A revolutionary design by Renzo Piano
The firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) was commissioned to design the new stations for this gondola network.
These structures, combining high-tech steel and glass, are designed to harmonise with the Alpine landscape and evoke the natural crystals of the massif.
The bold architecture includes an arrival station at the top of the Grands Montets, an imposing 20-metre glass cube reminiscent of a pyrite crystal, anchored in the rock to minimise the impact of the melting permafrost.
The new lift system will comprise two main sections, linking the village of Argentières to the Aiguille des Grands Montets via four stations and two cable sections.
The first section, from Argentière to Lognan, will be equipped with a latest-generation monocable gondola with 10-seater cabins.
The second section, from Lognan to l'Aiguille, will use 3S detachable cable car technology, designed to cope with the topographical challenges and harsh climate of the high mountains.
Completion scheduled for December 2026
As well as technical modernisation, the project aims to significantly improve the visitor experience.
The new facilities will give skiers and tourists easier, safer access to the slopes and spectacular views, thanks in particular to a tunnel leading to the Col des Grands Montets and a path to the summit of the Aiguille des Grands Montets.
This initiative represents a crucial step in revitalising access to the estate, promising to revitalise tourism and the local economy.
Work on this colossal project will start in May 2024, with completion scheduled for December 2026, marking a new era for the Grands Montets region, eight years after the tragic closure of the top of the domain.
This reconstruction is not just a response to an accident, but a vision for the future, symbolising the resilience and renewal of the Mont Blanc mountain community.
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