New Lifts going in around La Tania Summer 2013

Work now started on the new Bouc Blanc Chair

25 June 2013 (last update 19 July 2013)

 

Predictions of how the new piste maps will look with the new developments, the before and after shots below -click on the images for the full size pics. These now look confirmed and are similar to the Courchevel Mountain Master Plan we exclusively revealed back in May 2011.

 

The work starting in 2013 will include a new La Tania 6-seater hi-speed detachable chair from the bottom of the Bouc Blanc drag lift to the top of the ridge near the existing end of the Crêtes chair. The Bouc Blanc drag will be shortened for use of the La Tania Stade and access to the Dou des Lanches chair. This work is expected to be completed for Winter 2014 and will be a Poma construction (as will the La Forêt below).

 

The new La Forêt 6-seater chair (with protective hoods) from the Le Praz lake near the little bridge on the Amoreaux piste will terminate to the left of the top of the La Tania Gondola. Work will begin in Summer 2013 once the breeding period for some rare birds is over with the lift expected to be in operation for Winter 2015.

 

The old La Forêt gondola, Crêtes chair and Praz Juget drag will be removed - so no more bad weather access to the summit, the La Tania trees and Courchevel (although Le Praz accessible) anymore.

 

The existing piste map - click on the image for the full size pic

 

News on the future of the old (very slow) 2-man Col de la Loze chair is to be confirmed - very low utilisation and it's much quicker to ski down and up via Dou Des Lanches 4-man chair. It looks likely that this will be removed in 2014/2015.

 

With the new lifts and planned developments - click on the image for the full size pic

 

The exact route of the new Bouc Blanc Chair in La Tania - terminates at current top of Cretes Chair

Note that this (proper) map points North - so upside down to the normal "South at the top" piste map

 

This pic shows the line of the new Bouc Blanc Chair over the drag lifts that are to be removed.

As always click on the mage for the full size pics

 

The Bouc Blanc drag is retained up to the start of the Dou des Lanches chair and this will also give access to the Stade and the Jockeys / Murettes pistes down to Le Praz (via the start of the green Plan Fontaine piste). More on the removal of the drags here

 

 

Also planned to start in 2013 is work on the replacement of the 3-man Aiguille du Fruit with a 6-seater hi-speed detachable chair (shorter in length, so not giving access to the Suisses black piste) and the removal of the fixed 4-man Gravelles chair. These are the lifts on the way back from 1650 towards 1850. Work is expected to be completed for Winter 2015.

 

The new Aiguille de Fruit lift - the existing lift and Gravelles to be removed

Click on the image for the full size pic

 

From 2014 work on the Moretta Chair is planned to start - this will cater for the Moretta Village Development on the current car park near the La Tania gondola and is currently scheduled to be a fixed (slow!) 4-man chair. A new green run down to La Tania through the forest from the cross country track is also planned to the West side of Folyères.

 

Elsewhere, there are plans for the re-development of La Croisette in 1850 with new lifts from 1550 (and the new Aqua Centre area) plus the replacement and extension of the Praz gondola right in to 1850. In addition, there are new lifts and a redevelopment of the "front of snow area" of 1650. All will be included in the What's New guide coming soon.

 

Further developments in the 3 Valleys this Summer include (more details to follow and work / dates to be confirmed ):

• The Loze chair on the return from Méribel to La Tania we hear is being upgraded to a detachable hi-speed (very welcome this one!).

• The Peyron chair over in Orellen is to be replaced with a new 6-seater detachable chair (work on the removal of the old lift has started).

• The Portette and 3 Valleys 1 lifts (work started) in Val Thorens are being upgraded to hi-speed detachables.

• Bettex down the bottom of Les Menuires being replaced with a 6 seater hi-speed detachable - although this may be dependent on further accommodation developments.

• Also over in Val Thorens there's conflicting reports on Plan de L'eau, 2 Lacs and 3 Valleys 2 upgrades / replacements - we'll try to get the official news on these soon.

And the Google Earth view showing the new lifts and planned piste work - click for full size

 

 

For the lift Geeks...

 

Bouc Blanc

The Bouc Blanc POMA drag (being shortened for the Stade access) was installed in 1972 (the original goes back to 1957) with a capacity of 700 skiers per hour and a speed of 4 metres per second.

 

The new 6 seater detachable chair will have a capacity of 2,700 skiers per hour at 5.5 m/s.

Total Length 1853m. Vertical Rise 553m. Starting Altitude 1675m. Ending Altitude 2228m.

Number of Pylons 17. Number of Chairs 92.

 

La Forêt

The current La Forêt bubble gondola was installed in 1970 (the Cretes chair in 1976) with a capacity of 1000 skiers per hour and a speed of 4 metres per second. With a vertical rise of over 800m it is the highest rising lift in the Courchevel Valley and third highest in the 3 Valleys - only Caron in Val Thorens and the access gondola from Orelle beating it.

 

The new 6 seater detachable chair (with cover so more susceptible to high wind) will have a capacity of 2,700 skiers per hour at 5.5 m/s.

Total Length 1750m. Vertical Rise 643m. Starting Altitude 1259m. Ending Altitude 1902m.

Number of Pylons 15.

 

Aiguille du Fruit

The current Aiguille du Fruit was installed in 2003 along with the Gravelles chair when they replaced the 2 rather difficult drag lifts that were situated here (if you did come off the drag the only way out was straight down!). Returning from 1650 there's always a decision - the slow but shorter Gravelles or the longer but faster Aiguille du Fruit. The Gravelles lift used to be the Plan des Mains lift over in Méribel Mottaret near Mont Vallon, it was upgraded with a moving walkway to increase speed but eventually this main route on the way back from Val Thorens required a new hi-speed detachable 6-seater chair too.

 

The new 6 seater detachable chair will have a capacity of 3,300 skiers per hour at 5.5 m/s.

Total Length 1333m. Vertical Rise 411m. Starting Altitude 1829m. Ending Altitude 2240m.

Number of Pylons 12.

 

 

Click on the images for the full size pics

 

The work beginning at the bottom of the Bouc Blanc Drag - click on the images for the full size pic

 

More re-shaping and snow cannon work going on further down the Moretta Blanche red piste

 

 

 

Drag Lift Removal

 

This shows the plan for the removal of the Praz Juget and top of the Bouc Blanc drag lifts - click for full size

 

The bottom section of the Bouc Blanc is retained for access to the Dou des Lanches chair and the Stade plus Jockeys and Murrettes pistes down to Le Praz (via the start of the green Plan Fontaine piste). Again, this map faces North up so upside down compared to a piste map.

 

 

 

Thanks to Nick Ski, Francis for the pics. Maps / plans courtesy of Mairie de La Perrière / S3V

 

 

 

page last updated 19/07/13