38-ATW Rocheburne (Megève) 🇫🇷 | Heckel 1933 | AMBIENT ROPEWAYS

Name: Téléphérique de Rochebrune Place: Place (Rhône-Alpes, France 🇫🇷) Manufacturer: Heckel Type: 38-Person Aerial Tramway Year of Construction: 1933 Length: 1945m Vertical Rise: 602m Megève, often referred to as the St Moritz of France, is perhaps one of the most noble mountain resorts in the country. As part of the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area, it is connected to St Gervais and St Nicolas through an extensive network of slopes and ski lifts. It is difficult to decide on where to begin with the Rochebrune cable car. Not only does it's age make it automatically sigificant, but to add the cherry ontop, this tram was the first ropeway in all of France built specifically to serve ski-slopes. Initiator behind the construction of this ropeway is a certain Charles Viard. Having worked with material ropeways before, he recognised the potential these machines could have for skiing. In addition, he observed that ropeways were used successfully for that exact purpose in other countries where skiing was emerging. Lacking the experience to undertake such a massive project himself however, Viard hired the manufacturing firm of Ernst Heckel from the Saarland (which back then belonged to France), which finished construction in 1933. Having ridden the ropeway myself, it certainly didn't feel like one of the very oldest ropeways I've ever been on, and given the countless renovations and changes this ropeway underwent, even shortly after it first opened, it comes as no surprise. The first changes came in 1947 when, due to the increase of tourism in Megève, the ropeway's capacity was increased from 20 to 30 people per cabin. The steel structures seen in the stations nowadays stem from overhaul by Applevage that occured in 1953, to accomodate a new set of even larger cabins. Latter would change twice more, in the late 90's and lastly in 2021, with Poma being responsible both times. The interior of the valley terminal could also not be more modern. Despite this, it would be wrong not to call this ropeway pretty. Some original visual aspects, mainly the towers, have been retained. They're probably my favourite part about this ropeway, as I find them very charming. In addition, there's no doubt that there is a lot of culture within and surrounding this ropeway, as it has become synonymous with Megève. In case you're wondering how this ropeway with its comparatively small cabins is able to handle the mass of skiers during winter season: It doesn't. Since 1989, the rediculously named Caboche gondola, which can be seen in a few shots of the video, takes on most of the work load during that time, originally intended to be an outright replacement for the Rochebrune tram. Music: scntfc - The Fall Parts I and II    • The Fall Parts I and II   from the video game "Old Man's Journey" by Broken Rules. store.steampowered.com/app/581270/Old_Mans_Journey/ Credits for the music used go to their rightful owners. #ropeway #seilbahn #téléphérique Date of Recording: 30.08.2025