The Compagnie du Mont Blanc and Doppelmayr France have released further details of the project to reconstruct the Grands Montets gondola, which was destroyed in a fire in 2018.
€155 million project
This is an immense project that will cost €155 million and is due to be completed in December 2026.
Design by Renzo Piano
As we revealed in March 2021, Italian architect Renzo Piano will lead the design of the lift stations. They will be constructed of high-tech steel, clad with glass.
The designs of the lift stations have changed slightly since the original concepts were released in February 2022.
From Argentière to Grands Montets
The new lift will consist of two cable cars leaving from the valley in Argentière, taking skiers and snowboarders up to a top station at 3300m via four stations and two sections of cable.
The first section from Argentière to Lognan will be equipped with a state-of-the-art single-cable gondola made up of 10-seater cabins.
The second section from Lognan to the Aiguille des Grands Montets will be equipped with a 3S detachable cable car.
The 3S technology, as seen in Zermatt and soon to come in Les 2 Alpes, offers an extremely stable and comfortable journey and mean the lift will be able to run smoothly in higher winds.
Viewing platform at the top station
The top station will be anchored in the rock, slightly below the summit, to mitigate any possible impact from melting permafrost. It will be styled as a large glass cube, designed to remind viewers of a pyrite crystal.
A tunnel will give access to the Col des Grands Montets, with additional access to a new viewing platform at the top of the Aiguille des Grands Montets.
Opening for the 2026/27 winter season
Foundations for the base station have already been laid. The lift is expected to open in December 2026 for the start of the 2026/27 winter season.
