Pylon of the Day
An occasional series of tributes to the pylons that carry the chairs, drags, gondolas and cable cars that carry us up the mountains
Send your nominations to: toffa@latania.co.uk
2008 update: "We nominate pylon number 10 on the Gravelles chairlift (we call it Grannyville) as you are so relieved to see it...because Grannyville must be the slowest lift in the world!" from WonkyDonkey and the Scrambled Eggs party...
2007 update: "On the new Chapelets chair out of Mottaret there's a pylon supporting the Platieres Gondola and the chair - well hard". Keith from Brixton.
2005 update: Thanks to Doug Guilding "I would like to nominate Pylon 17 (second stage) of the Saulire bubble out of Meribel. It is the tallest pylon in the 3 valleys, and leans at a huge angle too. Made of 17 sections of steel - tough or what? I was so over awed that I got a photo." Top man....
2004 update: A mention must be made for the huge, stainless steel complex, mid-way pylon on the new Funitel lift out of Val Thorens called Bouquetin. A really strange lift too with 3 big gondolas linked together moving up and down like a cable car - can work in high winds apparently.
12 Apr - A mention for the first Troika pylon - on the webcam every day in all weathers.
6 Apr - View from the Aguille de Fruit chair of the Fruit drag with a pylon supported by long wires at the bend point to stop it getting dragged over - cool.
1 Apr - Plantrey lift, supports the Le Praz Gondola as well - how did we miss this one?
27 Mar - More from Les Menuires - what is it about the place? This time it's pylon number 7 on the Stade drag lift, check out that angle - the returning pomas travel miles away from the lift making it look very odd and fittting in with Les Menuires perfectly.
26 Mar - That huge pylon carrying that stupid looking triple gondola come cable car thing up to the hotels in Les Menuires - is this the only single pylon lift in the Three Valleys? You get a good view from the Tortollet chair that links you up from the La Masse side. The lift in question doesn't seem to have name.
14 Mar - Another entire lift nomination for the drag up from the village at St. Martin de Belleville - currently not working (not due to lack of snow but a mechanical problem. Rumour has it that this is the oldest lift in the 3 Valleys - 28 years old, respect.
13 Mar - All the pylons on the old 2-man chair up from 1550. These must be some of the oldest in the 3 Valleys and have corrugated iron and rust all over them. The lift is very slow though (and closes for lunch) so you can study them closely.
7 Mar - Meribel, Pylon 11 on the Burgin Saulire 2 Gondola which also supports the Combe Saulire drag - well hard.
3 Mar - Pylon number 7 on the Lanches 4-man chair in La Tania - a real powerful pylon taking a lot of strain with an underneath cable configuration.
27 Feb - Pylon number 3 on the 6-man chair in Meribel - A serious angle on this one
21 Feb - Top of St Martin 2, a triple job with an angled pylon from the same concrete foundation.
6 Feb - Les Menuires, that big one that hold 2 drags and a gondola (closely followed by the one that holds 2 drags and a chair).
3 Feb - Plattiers 1 immediately before Plattiers 2 starts just as you enter the station - A double, linked, well complicated affair.
28 Jan - Loze chair from Meribel side - pylons 6 and 7 (an up and over configuration).
27 Jan - Meribel, The Chaudanne pylon in the middle of all the lifts - Pylon of the day as it's such a popular meeting place, could do with some seats though...
16 Dec - Saulire gondola - second stage at the top. These three pylons wear shin pads...