The First Ski Lift in Val d’Isère

Val d’Isère is known now as one of the world’s best ski resorts, but did you know that it was in February 1936 that their first lift was installed?

The ski school had already been founded four years earlier by Charles Diebold, and shortly after Robert Pitte opened the first ski shop.

Large fields, free of trees, stones and fences, were perfect for skiing, but the early pioneers had to walk up the slopes (or get a lift from a tractor).

First lift in 1936

It was only in 1936 that the Rogoney drag lift became the first in the resort, taking skiers from the current nursery slope area towards the trees of the Solaise.

Gabriel Julliard was the engineer behind this innovation which changed the direction of this small Savoyarde village forever.

Nicolas Bazile, the mayor of Val d’Isère at the time, was delighted:

“We have our ski lift. It takes skiers up to the trees. They can benefit, without fatigue, from a gain in altitude.”

Three pistes on offer

Initially there were three pistes from the top. They were not categorised by colour, but the ‘schuss’ sounds like a black, with the other routes designed to avoid ‘chutes catapultueuses’ (‘catapultuous falls’) more like blues.

The local newspaper Le Petit Dauphinois announced optimistically that “We can no longer say that skiing is a tiring sport.”

Val d’Isère is now one of the best ski resorts in the world and a favourite with Chaletline staff.

We’re not going to claim that it’s not sometimes ‘tiring’, but we definitely prefer taking a lift than walking up the slopes!

Accommodation in Val d’Isère

For advice on finding the right accommodation for your group, please contact the Chaletline team on 01822 617761