France — One of the most stunning new lifts that opened in Europe this ski season is over at Les 2 Alpes.
The Jandri 3S Gondola opened up on November 30th, drastically improving the ski resort’s infrastructure. The gondola is a faster and much more modern system compared to the old Jandri Express. This lift has a ride time of 17 minutes, much speedier compared to the old Jandri (which is still operating its lower leg) 40-minute journey time. The 52 cabins can fit 32 people in each one, and has seating for 24 individuals. The new gondola can carry 2800 people per hour, with plans to eventually make it 3000 pph. It will also be more reliable thanks to the lift having two support cables and one haul rope. Les 2 Alpes gets bonus points from me for its base station, which features topographical maps on the wall, along with a few of the old gondola cabins.
Last week, InTheSnow gave a tour of the new Jandri 3S lift. In the video, they discuss the history of the lift, the riding experience, and the importance of it to the French ski resort.
Les 2 Alpes is expected to be one of not many ski resorts in Europe that will be able to have sustainable skiing and riding operations in the decades ahead. This is due to the warming climate in Europe, which has resulted in various ski areas at lower elevations closing for good. The new lift travels to high elevation skiable terrain, resulting in the ability to load up and down in situations where there may not be snow in the base area. It also provides the ski resort a year-round attraction, providing a quick journey for hikers and bikers.
Image/Video Credits: Les 2 Alpes, InTheSnow
