Chamonix Cable Car Catastrophe Costs 5 Million €

Losses following the maintenance incident which has left the Chamonix - Aiguille du Midi cable car out of action look set to top 5 million € according to François Bidaut, the president of the board of governors of the Mont Blanc Cable Car Company.

The Cable Car has been out of action following an incident on the 10th of May when the entire length of the cable carrying the car on the first leg of the journey to the Aiguille du Midi fell to earth. Workers were carrying what should have been a routine maintenance operation when they lost control of the cable.

The cable car will not be back in operation until mid-July at the earliest. That date rests in some doubt because agreement has yet to be reached as to who will pick up the bill for the accident estimated at 2 million € for the repairs and 3 million € for over two months loss of revenue. Guides and climbers are frustrated by the delays on what is a major access point to the Mont Blanc mountain range. Currently guides have to take clients via either the Montenvers or St Gervais mountain railways. After last summer’s near closure of Mont Blanc during the record heatwave this latest incident is another blow to the mountain community.