On the occasion of the Icarus Cupuntil Sunday, paragliders can no longer ascend by the funicular from St Hilaire du Touvet destroyed at the end of December by torrential floods laden with boulders. Buses are set up to take them up from the valley to the take-off areas.
It is the will of local elected officials to rebuild it. But new studies on the torrent and on the cliffs have been requested by the prefecture, the specialized administrations (DDT) and the SYMBI (mixed union of the banks of the Isère).
Will we ever see the funicular in service again?
Dominique Clouzeau, Mayor of Petites Rochesrecount ” we have not at all given up on getting the funicular back on the road” but “we are still waiting, since we have studies in progress“On the stream, they will last until the beginning of 2023. At the same time, there is a study on the cliff, the result of which will be known at the end of 2023. It will also be necessary to change the cable and rebuild 200 m of rails washed away by the deluge
It is the insurance companies that will finance the repairs if the experts authorize the reconstruction, but there will be a deductible of 10% for the municipality.
The funicular had been commissioned in 1924 to build health establishments on the plateau of small rocks (now dismantled) Obviously putting it back into service in 2024 for the centenary, would be the dream of the inhabitants, but the extension of the duration of studies compromises this centenary