New Lifts in Val Thorens & The 3 Valleys

Val Thorens Tourist Office released photos of the new Stade detachable chair lift construction work yesterday with helicopter lifting work in progress.

After some discussions it does look like the old drag lift will be removed (it is useful in a Stade situation to be able to drop off if gates are lower or for marshal work and was a useful short cut to parts of the resort too).

Meanwhile replacement of the Boismint chair with a high speed detachable 6 pack continues. This is towards the lower end of the resort above Plan de L’eau and will be 160m longer giving easier access to the Cime Caron cable car.

Other work this Summer includes the Grand Fond Funitel having a complete refurb including some stabilisation work on the top station due to earth movements being blamed on the permafrost melting.

Elsewhere in The 3 Valleys it’s a little quieter than previous years, the Chalets gondola lift (mainly for access around the resort) in Meribel Mottaret has been refurbished and some magic carpet improvements have taken place.

Main piste work appears to be on Jerusalem being re-re-graded to a blue – although the lift company assures us it will remain a fantastic roller coaster piste and retain it’s magic.

There’s also a lot of earth movement around the top of Lac Bleu between La Tania and Courchevel. Maybe some re-grading work with the top of Anémones becoming green to link to the Loze Est track or it could be just more snow cannon work.

No news on other developments starting such as the work on replacing and extending the Ariondaz gondola in Courchevel 1650 Moriond or indeed the Moretta Village development (& chair to meet the Bouc Blanc lift) in La Tania. Looks like work may start towards the end of 2017 but nothing confirmed.

Similarly no further updates on putting a lift to the Borgne area in Val Thorens – looking like this is not going to happen now with the new Stade lift and a piste towards this area perhaps? Also no news on the rumoured Moraine and Col lift being combined – stabilisation issues and glacier movement continue to cause difficulties up there.

More as always in our full and comprehensive What’s New page in October. Anyone know what the new building at Le Plantin is?