Description of the project:

In 2019, the Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc ski area replaced the Chattrix 2-seater fixed-grip chairlift with a 6-seater detachable chairlift. The departure and arrival buildings, including the stations, the maintenance workshop, the point of sale and the offices have been completely redone. The new departure station was built on one level, preventing skiers from accessing the boarding area via stairs. The Chattrix blue slope has been redesigned to make it more accessible to beginner skiers.

This project was carried out in such a way as to minimize the impact on the environment. To do this, a number of avoidance, reduction and support measures were necessary, and more particularly:

• - An impact study upstream of the project
• - Assistance and environmental monitoring during the construction site
• - Measures related to the protection of flora: preventive measures related to the risk of pollution of soil, water and natural environments, protection of wetlands, revegetation of reworked surfaces, etc.
• - Measures related to the protection of wildlife: creation of a hibernaculum to protect the habitat of reptiles, measures related to the protection of avifauna, etc.
• - Positioning of the upstream station on a ledge below the ridge line to minimize earthworks
• - The creation of a new building respecting the local architecture
• - The creation of a temporary access track to avoid damaging the historical monument of the Chattrix chapel

For 10 years, the Saint-Gervais ski area has been committed to an environmental approach aimed at reducing the ecological footprint of its activity on the natural environment. The Chattrix development project (details below) followed the principles of sustainable development, integrating environmental technology and a eco-friendly landscape approach.