Courchevel Caterail

Ski-Areas > Northern Alps > Savoie (73) > Vanoise > Courchevel > Courchevel History > The Catérail

La Folie des Grandeurs

Long before mega-projects such as the Vanoise Express were thought up there was the Catérail. The plan was to link all the high altitude skiing between la Plagne and St Michel de Maurienne with a single lift. The Catérail, designed by the engineer Rebuffel, was revolutionary. It travelled on a cable, like a cable car but had its own drive system like a funicular.

Project Catérail

The project was abandoned on economic and environmental grounds and also due to a change in the ideas about how ski domains should be exploited. Only two pylons were built at Courchevel before the unexpected death of its inventor.

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