The idea of an international cable-car link between
Italy and a neighboring country had attracted the
attention of the Count Lora Totino. His idea was to
link the Italian side of the Matterhorn with
Zermatt, but the Swiss authorities didn’t give
permission. The Count diverted his interest to an
even more prestigious project, linking Courmayeur to
Chamonix through the extraordinary massif of Mont
Blanc.
“...E’ imminente l’inaugurazione della Funivia dei
Ghiacciai, che completa il gigantesco ponte di fili
gettato tra l’Italia e la Francia, ponte che
consentira' a chiunque ne abbia necessita' e desiderio
di passare in poco piu' di un’ora da Courmayeur a
Chamonix.” (La Domenica del Corriere del 1958)
On the Italian side there was a pre-existing
cable-car linking Courmayeur and Rifugio Torino
(3300 m). Building the next part to reach Punta
Helbronner was not a problem, the great difficulty
was crossing 5 km of glaciers under continuous
movement.
This amazing piece of engineering is 15 km long and
includes 3 sections.
Building the lifts
Cable car
The first one links La Palud to Rifugio
Torino. This section was built during the war
and as soon as it was opened the cables were severed
by French fighter planes firing on them. The
cable-car was then opened to the public in 1948.
The second section linking Chamonix to the
Aiguille du Midi was opened to the public in
1956, and extends over 5416 m with a vertical climb
of 2812 m . The first task was to link Chamonix
(1030 m) and Plan des Aiguilles (2317 m), and then
the following year the section reaching the Aiguille
du Midi (3842 m) was built.
The third section linking Rifugio Torino to the
Aigulle du Midi was opened in 1958, using the Gros
Rognon as natural support for the cables.
The Glaciers cable-car begins at Punta Helbronner,
and is undoubtedly the most interesting and
spectacular section from both a technical and
panoramic point of view.
The Count Lora Totino developed the idea of an
aerial pylon to support the cables linking the Gros
Rognon and Punta Helbronner as it was impossible to
install a normal pylon on the glaciers.
Glacier gondola
1960s cable car
The realization of the aerial pylon was needed because the stretch between Gros Rognon and Punta Helbronner is a single span of 3300 meters. Therefore needed to support, or cables, not required, would be perched on the slopes of the Col des Flambeaux.
Rejected the hypothesis of a support pylon on the glacier below normal (instability 'of glaciers), Count Lora Totino think' the opportunity 'to build just a prop plane. The study ', he experimented in the garden of his villa, then gave the task of achieving eng. Zignoli.
To get an idea of the work that was done, just remember that rope, among those that were drawn, other lost or held in reserve, they were brought up there 'about 300 km.
Impossible to speak of Courmayeur Mont Blanc Ski and without thought to race Count Giovanni Battista Gilberti.
Count Giovanni Battista Gilberti in 1957 bought the shares of the Monte Bianco Society from the Count Lora Totino. He then became the President and major share holder of the society owning the Funivie Monte Bianco.
