What's New in Chamonix?

Old concrete pylons to the right of new modern version

Despite a commitment made 18 months ago, the old Planpraz lift pylons are still in place.

In the summer of 2008 the Planpraz (Brevent) gondola was replaced with a new, modern system. At the time there was a lot of attention paid to the old concrete pylons of the previous installation, locally, in the media, and even nationally. Initially it was rumoured the pylons would be left for posterity, nevertheless the opinion-makers concluded these 'eyesores' were in conflict with the environmental image of this mountain destination.

These large concrete pylons are clearly visible in the scar of the wooded mountainside next to the new lift, as can be seen in our photo taken last summer (the smoke is from a fire, swiftly extinguished by the PGHM!). At the time the cost of removing this legacy, from before the time the Compagnie du Mont Blanc (current Chamonix lift-company) existed, was passed around like a hot-potato between the CdMB and the local municipality. Following the controversies, a feasibility study and a proposal to remove the pylons totalling 3.5M Euros, an agreement was reached in November 2008 with the then president of the CdMB, Francois Bidaut.

Eighteen months later and the new president of the CdMB, Jean-Marc Simon, as been forced to renege on the agreement. The financial arrangements made to depreciate the 'loss-making' exercise over 50 years have, according to the CdMB, been rejected by their auditors. The CdMB has always taken the stance that the municipality should contribute to the project, but in these financially challenging times the mayor Eric Fournier, is not willing to bend - the environment will have to wait...

Jean-Marc Simon has said that the current economic crisis has changed the priorities over the last 18 months. It is a question of 'investing in deficits' or deciding to invest in new facilities and attractions. It is not that the door has closed completely, there are plans to 'tidy' the pylons up, for example this summer the even older (!) metal pylons of the old service lift will be removed, and the old arrival station will be given a face-lift. In addition the lowest, most accessible of the two pylons will be removed within two years.

What about the other five? One suggestion has been to reforest around them in an attempt to conceal them.

Source: Le Dauphiné Libéré

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