Work finally got underway this summer on the first stage of a €16m (£11.1m) two-year project to entirely redevelop the top of Solaise in Val d’Isere.
The plans will see the top of the Solaise area reshaped. Bulldozers have already moved 70,000 cubic metres – a million tons – of earth as part of the new landscaping. There will also be a new mid-mountain station at 2500m that, from this winter.
New 10 person gondola
The old Solaise Express four-person chair-lift, and the Solaise cable-car, will still operate this winter. However, from November 2016 both will be replaced by a 10-person gondola with 91 cabins, complete with luxury touches such as heated seats and wifi.
There will be a choice to leave your skis and snowboards either in baskets on the outside of the cabins or to bring them inside. The idea is that having this choice will speed up loading time and the journey time will be just seven minutes.
Capacity will increase by 40%
Overall the new gondola will see the uplift capacity increase by 40% and will be able to carry up to 3600 passengers per hour. This should see an end to any bottlenecks that may have occasionally occurred at the base during peak season.
Better for beginners
On the Val d’Isere side of Solaise a giant, covered magic carpet lift has replaced the old Terrasse button lift. This will serve a new secluded beginner area for both adults and children without the worry of being distracted by more advanced skiers whizzing by.
The slope has been also been regraded from around 16% to 7% to make it simpler to learn to ski on, plus there’s a new tubing area for kids and adults which can be accessed from the lift.
On the far side of Solaise twin, covered magic carpets have replaced the short double chair that brought you to the summit.
Top stations for all three lifts are on one level beside the new day lodge containing a café, a picnic area, a sun terrace and toilets. It’s a place where you can relax and enjoy spectacular views from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Environmental impact minimised
The lift company has taken every step to minimise the environmental impact of the project. The redevelopment reduces the number of lift stations from a total of eight with 34 pylons to just two with 16 pylons.
For every tree that has been cut down, another five others have been planted. Clumps of Sylène de Suède (viscaria alpina), a wild flower with distinctive pink petals that grows naturally in the area, have been carefully dug up and relocated nearby.
The gondola machinery is being buried underground at the base area. This will significantly reduce the noise impact both for inhabitants and the fauna in the area.
Article by Iain Martin