The Marais 6-seater detachable chairlift by Poma serves both as a connection between the village of Brévières (1,550 m) and Tignes 1800 with Tignes le Lac (2,100 m) via the Aiguille Percée (2,700 m), and as a lift for high-quality skiing (notably the black run La Sache, which descends over 1,000 vertical meters in a secluded valley away from the rest of the ski area, or the ungroomed black run from Aiguille Percée), and is relatively quiet due to its location off the main Tignes – Val d’Isère ski area.

From a technical standpoint, the Marais chairlift is the first installation to feature stations from Poma’s new Life line (Low Impact For Environment). This product line was unveiled at the Mountain Planet trade fair in April 2022 and launched commercially the same year. The goal is to minimize the environmental impact of the infrastructure, from construction to recycling, including operations. For example, the chairlift features a station with a lighter structure and only example of the line, although the Life cladding will still be available as an option for standard Multix stations. smaller ground footprint, reducing the need for excavation. Most components are also recyclable. New photovoltaic panels on the station roof generate electricity. In terms of operation, a system is designed to minimize energy use by automatically adjusting the lift speed. However, it appears the company has decided to discontinue the new line: in fact, another station is under development and is expected to be installed for the first time in summer 2025. The Marais chairlift may thus remain the

The bottom station (2,168 m) is installed next to the Aiguille Rouge chairlift station. The difference in product line between the two lifts clearly highlights the aesthetic differences between the Multix and Life designs, particularly on the front and rear façades. Both stations are nonetheless clad in white to reduce their visual impact on the landscape. As planned during the construction of the Aiguille Rouge lift, the operations room is shared. A metal guide rail is also present for parking the service vehicle.

The bottom station acts as the return-tension station for the lift, regulating rope tension via two hydraulic jacks.

The lift line is long and highly irregular. The rope is supported by 23 towers, 7 of which are compression towers, supplied by Ingélo (technical branch of Compagnie des Alpes).

The installation features 78 OCR chairs attached to the rope using LPA grips. The low-back seats alternate blue and black colors for visual appeal and greater practicality. There is no garage for the chairs. A service vehicle is parked at the bottom station on the designated metal guide rail.

The top station (2,725 m) is located near the Aiguille Percée chairlift, which arrives from the opposite slope. The station is overlooked by the rocky Aiguille Percée massif, about 300 meters away. A stone building adjacent to the station houses the lift control panel. Technically, the top station houses the drive system with a 735 kW Direct Drive motor.

In 2025, the fixed-grip Aiguille Percée chairlift is expected to be replaced by a 6-seater detachable lift, continuing the development initiated with the Marais lift. The goal is to make Aiguille Percée a strategic hub to improve connections between the two slopes. This will likely increase skier traffic in the area, potentially compromising its current tranquility. However, it will also enhance the value of the Aiguille Rouge lift built in 2022, which has seen limited use so far.

TECHNICAL DATA

Vertical rise: m 557
Length: m 2.160
Max. speed: m/sec 5,5
Capacity: p/h 2.020
Chairs: 78
Towers: 23
Rope diameter: mm 48
Drive motor: kW 735