2006-05-03
Supported by the General Council, these three resorts are equipping themselves with high-capacity systems.
The General Council of the Alpes-Maritimes, chaired by Christian Estrosi, Delegate Minister of Territorial Development, supports the development of ski resorts in the region by participating in the financing of new installations through various local authorities. "This year, two new PHOENIX 6 detachable grip skilifts, Les Butières and Le Dôme, will be installed in Auron", explains Thierry Gayte, Sales Engineer in charge of the sector. "They fall within the scope of the investment program initiated in 2002 with the construction of the Abris four-seat fixed grip chairlift. This was followed by the construction of the Blainon PHOENIX 4 in 2003 and that of the Nabines UNIFIX 6 in 2004". The Butières chairlift replaces the Bercia two-seat fixed grip chairlift, with a capacity of 3000 passengers per hour. The Dôme chairlift replaces two two-seat fixed grip chairlifts, with the same capacity.
"At Isola, the up grading program was launched in 2004 with the inauguration of the Combe Grosse PHOENIX 6. In 2005, it was supplemented with the Marmottes UNIFIX 4 and the ARIANA 10 gondola. This gondola will have a capacity of 3000 passengers per hour, with 61 cabins each allowing for 8 seated passengers or 10 standing passengers (with folding seats)". These two sites have been completed with the removal of the Grand Vallon detachable grip chairlift, sold to another resort, and three other aerial lifts. The client for both resorts is the local authorities of the Mercantour ski resorts (President: Pierre Brun, Mayor of Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, Vice-President: Pierre Rami, Mayor of Isola and President of the Mercantour ski resort commune, Manager: Mathilde Lemoalle).
The operator is Cîmes du Mercantour (Manager: Bruno Malochet). In Valberg, the client is the local authorities of Valberg (President: Charles-Ange Ginésy, Mayor of the commune, Line Manager: Bernard Ducati). The Operations Managers in charge of these projects are Roland Bertholet (Auron and Valberg) and Thomas Villecourt (Isola). This winter, Valberg will inaugurate its first detachable grip chairlift, the new Éguilles PHOENIX 6 chairlift (3000 passengers per hour). It replaces a two-seat fixed grip chairlift and also falls within the scope of the modernization program initiated in 2002 with the Garibeuil COLIBRI 4 and pursued in 2004 with the Croix du Sapet UNIFIX 4.
