The night of Wed 19 Jun 2013 a fire broke out in the Kitch Inn Restaurant, Les Houches, by morning the building was a ruin.
The Kitch Inn restaurant is located next to the car park for the Bellevue lift and the telepherique cables pass very close to the restaurant.
The cables were exposed to excessive heat from the fire, as a result the Bellevue cable car is closed for the 2013 summer season.
The cable car wasn't directly affected by the fire, but for security reasons the cables have to bereplaced.
The process of acquiring suitable cable, transporting it to Les Houches and fitting it to the Bellevue lift system, takes several months.
Effects of the closure
The overall negative effect for summer activities is minimal. However Alpinists, Hikers, Mountain Bikers, Climbers and Walkers that want to start their adventure above Les Houches can take the Prarion gondola, that is located 500m past the Bellevue cable car.
If you were planning to climb Mont Blanc, from the top of the Prarion gondola, you need to walk for 15 minutes to join the Col de Voza. From here you can catch the Tramway du Mont Blanc and head for the Nid d'Aigle.
The main unfortunate outcome, is that for summer 2013, it's not possible to do a circuit that would include the Bellevue lift.
Restaurant Kitch Inn was destroyed by fire
The Kitch Inn restaurant was completely burned down by the fire on the night of 19/20 Jun 2013.
The fire was accidental. A strong wind developed, the flames rose dramatically and the restaurant caught fire.
The flames from the restaurant fanned by the same wind, travelling in the direction of the cables, has resulted in the closure of the Bellevue.
