Saulire Cable Car to be designated a “Premium Lift”

UPDATE: YES (of course) it was an April Fool…..

The Saulire Cable Car is to be designated a “Premium Lift” at additional cost when it reopens.

With a ski concierge service, luxury seating, free hot drinks, masseuse, glove & boot warmers, video screens, free internet access and phone charging facilities there will be an additional charge to use the lift when it reopens – this is expected to be around €50 extra on a 6 day pass (additional charges on season pass prices have not yet been discussed but is expected to be significant).

The 120 person capacity Saulire Cable Car was seriously damaged when undergoing bi-annual safety stress testing prior to this season and has remained closed ever since. 

Costs for the repair are estimated at €9m and re-opening is not expected until the Summer of 2023. 

In an effort to claw back some revenue Courchevel 1850 has decided on making this a “Premium Lift” with additional charges as it is used by pedestrians as well as skiers. 

Instructors, S3V staff, ski patrol & emergency services workers, club des sports members, elected officials, competitors, journalists, tourist office / commune employees and town  hall workers will be exempt from the charges. 

The cable car was turned into a luxury bedroom for an Airbnb prize back in 2015 so the winners could stay overnight suspended at 2700m. The story reported in the Daily Mail here

We understand opposing voices were heard at the consultation forum meeting last night but the overriding view was this would be good publicity for Courchevel 1850 and as they’ve done without this lift for a season, skiers are used to not using it. 

Well off clientele (especially those on foot) will benefit from the access to mountain restaurants and if successful the replacement Chenus lift is also expected to be branded as a “Premium Lift” with additional charges.

This is all despite promises that Courchevel would put more focus on sporting events and skiing rather than elite clients and palace type hotels (increasingly relevant with the impacts of war in Ukraine and the Russian clientele base).

On Wednesday this week Courchevel gained yet another Michelin Star restaurant as Chef Wahid Sylvestre was awarded a star after only 3 months of opening the Restaurant Sylvestre at the eye wateringly expensive (only 9 suites) Hôtel Les Grandes Alpes in 1850.

This is the 9th Michelin Star restaurant in the Courchevel ski area (including Le Farçon in La Tania and Azimut in Le Praz).