According to an official release of the Chamonix Mont-Blanc town hall, a renovation project for the Tour/Balme site was set up in collaboration with the Compagnie du Mont Blanc (CMB) and the residents.
Indeed, the modernization of this site is essential as its attractiveness has been eroded over the years. The first phase of modernization concerns the Tour/Charamillon gondola and its entire replacement by winter 2018/2019.
At the moment, the Charamillon gondola, which runs between the village of Tour and Charamillon have been in service for over thirty years. The gondola serves a red piste, equipped with snow cannons, and allows the direct access to the detachable four-seater chairlift of Autannes.
The six seater gondola, a Montaz-Mautino model was designed to carry 1500 people per hour, but the old mechanism is not reaching anymore that number.
Due to the age of the device, his flow rate was considerably reduced. The installation, whose attendance has increased, is also overloaded during peak periods. The device should soon be replaced due to insufficient flow. In addition, the current buildings of the stations are no longer adapted to the services and the reception of the clientele.
Therefore, the replacement of the Tour/Charamillon gondola is necessary. Three main reasons are highlighted:
- To install a modern and high-performance equipment for superior flow and comfort.
- To enable a better reception of customers at the station.
- To improve the quality of life in the village by rethinking the layout of the accesses and the various circulations around the site.
The Compagnie du Mont Blanc has been working for the past two years with specialist consultants to decide how best to redesign the lift station. Two projects have been selected, the first one is to rebuild on the current location, the second one is to relocate to the bottom of the car park on the right bank of the River Arve (see photos).
The cost of the works is borne by the Compagnie du Mont Blanc and is expected to come in at around €16.6 million.
For more information, check the renovation project here
Consultation of the Renovation Project File
Consultation sessions are organized in Chamonix and Argentiere during the upcoming days, so anyone can go and view the proposed project, in order to take account of the opinion of all people concerned: residents, tourists and high mountain professionals
So, you are invited to read the project and give your opinion:
at the Maison de Village in Argentière
- Monday 20th March 2017, from 9am to 12pm
- Thursday 23rd March 2017, from from 3pm to 7pm
at the Chamonix town hall
- Tuesday 21st March 2017, from 3pm to 7pm
- Wednesday 22nd March 2017, from 2pm to 5pm
- Friday 24th March 2017, from 3pm to 7pm
