Les 2 Alpes Will Open On 30 November 2024.

Since the arrival of the ski lift operator SATA Group-Aeon in 2020, large-scale development projects have been launched in Les 2 Alpes to guarantee the future of the territory over the next 50 years.

After the construction of the Super Venosc gondola and the construction of three new telemix lifts (Diable, Vallée Blanche and Belle Étoile), a new page is turning with the replacement of the Jandri Express cable car, the backbone of Les 2 Alpes, which was built in 1985. The new lift, called Jandri 3S, is the biggest new development in Les 2 Alpes and the most significant project in the French Alps in the last 10 years. It stands out for its technical prowess, its excellent customer experience, and the fast and easy access it gives to guaranteed snow.

The beginner area at the Front de Neige at the bottom of the slopes has been completely redesigned and the Vallée Blanche area has been redeveloped, allowing for a better distribution of visitors throughout the Les 2 Alpes ski area.

SATA 2 Alpes has also updated some of Les 2 Alpes’ main lifts. After the construction of the Super Venosc gondola and the construction of three new hybrid-lifts and cable car (Diable, Vallée Blanche and Belle Étoile), a new page is turning with the replacement of the Jandri Express cable car, the backbone of Les 2 Alpes, which was built in 1985. The new lift, called Jandri 3S, is the biggest new development in Les 2 Alpes and the most significant project in the French Alps in the last 10 years. It stands out for its technical prowess, its excellent customer experience, and the fast and easy access it gives to guaranteed snow.

Fabrice Boutet, CEO of SATA Group-Aeon (Les 2 Alpes), said: “This project is a signature for the next 50 years! It is designed for all our customers, all practices and across all seasons. It integrates not only an economic dimension (Sata Group is an economic actor which brings life to the Oisans valley) and a social dimension (ensuring the wellbeing and work of locals) but also the environment (we want to protect and look after the territory we live in and everything is designed to enhance and protect it).”

THE NEW JANDRI 3S : An outstanding development - The Jandri 3S was able to be realised because it respects its environment and the mandatory recommendations of the administrative authorities.

A company called Karum was instructed to establish the environmental impact of the implementation of the lift. They took into consideration the biodiversity, the water and the soil to establish recommendations to preserve the environment and biodiversity. From there, several areas were marked out and preserved to protect floral, marsh and wildlife areas and thus preserve biodiversity.

• Preservation of water resources : The company Alp’ Etudes aided in water management to avoid contaminated water. The wastewater was treated on-site using a micro wastewater treatment plant set up for the construction site, but which will also be used for the final needs of the overall resort.
• Reasonable and sustainable: The Jandri 3S project was able to bring together leading local companies. In addition to POMA (the renowned French ski lift construction company), around 20 local and regional companies have joined the adventure and are proud to have taken up the challenge. “I am so proud to have been able to work on this project. It is demanding and stressful but what a challenge,” said Marie Davy, ATEAM architect. SATA Group-Aeon participates in the economic development of the region and the quality of life in Oisans for the coming decades
• Re-grassing: A company called Famy intervened to manage and conserve the extracted soil, which contains all the biodiversity, roots and root systems. The original soil is then reused to limit the impact of this development on the environment. Famy will also work on re-grassing the area.
• Jandri 3S ! SATA 2 Alpes chose the 3S technology from the French company POMA. Jean-Marc Griellier, project manager at POMA, explains: “The 3S is a combination of the best gondolas and cable-car systems. Made up of two carrying cables and a tractor cable, it is a silent, high-performance device, suitable for long distances like here in Les 2 Alpes, between 1,600 metres and 3,200 metres. It can operate in high winds, even when they’re above 28 m/s, and allows a high flow rate. In addition, there are only 7 pylons – as opposed to the Jandri Express, which has 17 – guaranteeing a lower impact on the environment, less maintenance and more savings in terms of energy.”
• A colossal and ingenious project: The construction of the Jandri 3S has required impressive logistics: there have been more than 40 kilometres of cables to install, pylons reaching up to 50 metres in height, and difficult climatic conditions. Up to 450 workers were mobilised. A living base was set up around the intermediate station, at 2,600 metres, providing accommodation for 120 workers, with the La Toura mountain restaurant providing meals. This set-up saved time, increased safety, and minimised truck rotations and transport times.
• Energy efficiency: the Jandri 3S also stands out for its energy efficiency. The buildings are optimised thanks to the recovery of the energy emitted by the machines, which is used to heat the structures via heat pumps. Although the use of photovoltaic panels is limited by climatic constraints, the departure station and cabins are equipped with on-board intelligence, making them autonomous.
• Accessibility for all: The Jandri 3S has been designed to be accessible to everyone, including people with reduced mobility. The cabins have wide doors and spaces suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. It guarantees an inclusive experience for all visitors.
• Excellent customer facilities: The construction of the new stations also marks the new architectural signature of Les 2 Alpes, in which the departure station, at an altitude of 1650 metres, has been designed as an open space to accommodate new airport-style sales facilities, with extensive support services. Amenities such as public toilets, staff changing rooms, technical maintenance rooms, grooming machine garages and meeting areas will also be provided, while the intermediate station will offer a comfortable space where users can enjoy hot drinks and snacks in bad weather. The finish area will be developed in two stages. Initially, a building will be delivered, the upper part of which will house the panoramic terrace of the «3200» restaurant. Then, over the following two years, two complementary programmes will be developed to accommodate ski federations and clubs training on the glacier, with coaching rooms and lockers at 3,200 m.

Official opening this winter 2024/2025 the new Jandri 3S :

• 6.4 km long
• 1,480 m metres of vertical climb - The first station is at 1,650 metres, the second station is at 2,600 metres, and the third station is at 3,200 metres
• 55 cabins, each cabin can fit 24 people seated and 8 standing
• It has a maximum speed of 8m/s, or 28.8km/hour
• It can carry up to 3,000 people per hour – as opposed to the Jandri Express, which could carry 1,700
• It takes 17 minutes to travel from 1,650 metres to 3,200 metres – as opposed to 40 minutes on the Jandri Express
• The Jandri 3S will allow visitors to access the high-altitude summits across all seasons
• Total cost of the project: €135 million 67

Another new project: the rehabilitation of the funicular

The funicular is an underground lift allowing skiers, pedestrians and other visitors to go from 3,100 metres to 3,400 metres. Dating from 1989, this facility is undergoing a complete renovation and will open for winter 24–25.