The Vanoise Express

Link between Peisey-Vallandry and La Plagne, created to cross the valley of Peisey-Nancroix without damaging it.
Experience VertiGO, a breathtaking adventure 380 meters above the ground!
Thanks to a transparent glass panel integrated into the floor of the lower level of the two Vanoise Express cabins, paragliders can now enjoy exceptional 3D visibility: a 360° panorama of the surrounding legendary peaks.

The extraordinary Vanoise Express cable car is a unique feat of engineering. It is among the largest cable cars in the world, with each of its two double-decker cabins capable of carrying 200 people (capacity: 2,000 people per hour in each direction). Another remarkable feat: the cable car crosses the Ponturin Valley almost horizontally and without any intermediate pylons. (1,824 m long, with a vertical drop of only 64 m. The cabin is 380 m above the ground at its highest point). A third remarkable feat: its speed of 45 km/h, a world record. The crossing takes 3 minutes and 50 seconds.

The departure station, known as the "drive station," is located in Plan-Peisey, in the municipality of Peisey-Nancroix, at an altitude of 1,612 meters. The arrival station, known as the "tension station," is located at an altitude of 1,548 meters upstream from Montchavin, in the municipality of Bellentre. Two 530 kW DC motors, operating at 1,180 rpm, power the structure (equivalent to the power of a TGV engine).

The project owner was SELALP, a subsidiary of Compagnie des Alpes; the project manager was DCSA; and the construction company was POMAGALSKI. The stations are the work of architect B. Taillefer.
Construction began in 2003 and the inauguration took place in January 2004. During the winter of 2007/2008, this prototype cable car underwent adjustments.
In 2014 and 2015, it was completely redesigned by the renowned fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac to celebrate Paradiski's 10th anniversary. The Vanoise Express technology was chosen by the State of New York and entrusted to the manufacturer Poma to replace the Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Manhattan to Roosevelt Island across the East River.