Saint-Gervais-les-Bains is a French commune with 5,700 residents, located in the Mont-Blanc massif in the Alps. This thermal spa and winter sports destination is heavily influenced by tourism, with many districts spread across hilly terrain between 590 and 1,500 meters above sea level.

As a result, the mobility of locals and visitors is heavily reliant on environmentally harmful individual car traffic. To address this, Saint-Gervais has chosen to adopt cable car technology from the manufacturer POMA.

Two circulating cable cars with 10-passenger cabins and an inclined elevator powered by water ballast are set to shape the town‘s mobility in a sustainable and eco friendly way, easing the burden on the access roads.

Mobility hub with railway

The “Le Valléen“ cable car is already in operation. It starts in the district of Le Fayet, right next to the train station where long-distance and local trains stop. From there, visitors and locals can quickly and environmentally travel to the main town of Saint- Gervais – completely car-free.

The system operates daily from 7:00 AM to 8:30 PM and can transport 1,200 people per hour in each direction with its 10-passenger cabins. A direct-drive motor with noise-canceling elements ensures quiet and comfortable transport.

Technical refinements

The cable car was built according to POMA‘s “Life R‘way“ sustainability concept. Technical details and an optimized route (with only eight towers) make “Le Valléen“ an efficient and eco-friendly transportation method. EcoDrive adjusts the speed based on passenger flow. In addition E-Pilot offers a digital operating and monitoring aid.

The second cable car is currently under construction. It will connect the main town of Saint-Gervais with the mountain sports destination Bettex at an altitude of 1,400 meters and will span 4.3 kilometers. The transport capacity will be 1,400 people per hour.

Inclined elevator shortens route

The third component of the new mobility concept is an inclined elevator, which has been connecting the thermal park in Le Fayet with the center of Saint-Gervais since the summer of 2024. It takes only five minutes to the system to transport 16 people up or down.

Passengers save themselves a six-kilometer car ride and a third of the travel time. This brings the second-largest district, LeFayet, with its 2,100 residents, even closer to the main town of Saint-Gervais.

Powered by wastewater

The inclined elevator is the second of its kind in the world, as it is partly powered by wastewater. Inspired by technologies used in the early 20th century and further developed withmodern advancements, the system uses wastewater as an energy source, in addition to electrical power.

Equipped with a one-cubic-meter ballast tank under the cabin, the system creates an imbalance through a piston mechanism, allowing the cabin to ascend with minimal energy via a counterweight. The tank is filled with wastewater at the upper station and is hermetically emptied into the sewer system at the lower station.

Up to 80% of the required electricity is generated by coupled generators. Thanks to a system of valves and outlets, the ballast tank is emptied into the vehicle’s ballast tank, with odors captured by an air treatment circulation system with activated carbon.

At the lower station, the ballast tank empties into the municipal sewer network via a valve system. Additional clean water network ensures regular cleaning of the system components.

Safe route

Like a conventional elevator, the system is automated by passengers themselves via call buttons at each station. The location is secured with automatic doors at each end of the track that close hermetically.

The “clean“ track is fenced off to ensure the safety of passengers and the surrounding area. The entire system runs on a single-track metal viaduct, supported by 14 towers on the incline and one tower at each station, ensuring optimal stability.

Comprehensive mobility concept

The inclined elevator requires a total investment of 6.1 million euros, of which are partly provided by the Haute Savoie department, the Auvergne Rhone Alpes region, the French government and European funds. The town of Saint-Gervais will cover the remaining 4.3 million euros.

The inclined elevator is integrated into the local mobility network, which includes, in addition to the two mentioned cable cars, electric shuttle services and cycling infrastructure. The second cable car – a replacement for an existing one – is mostly financed by the local ski resort operator.