Sainte-Hélène-du-Lac (73 – France), 15th of June 2020

CINOR (Communauté intercommunale du Nord de La Réunion) has awarded the French ropeway manufacturer MND — representing the Payenke¹ joint venture of six companies — a contract to design, build, and maintain the future urban cable car in Saint-Denis, the capital of Reunion Island, which will open to the public in 2023.

This 1.3 km-long urban ropeway will connect the La Montagne and Bellepierre districts in the center of Saint-Denis. The line provides a long-lasting, high-performance alternative that will increase road safety and reduce congestion on the La Montagne road, which is used by more than 12,000 vehicles daily. In addition to its positive contribution to ecomobility and its capacity to overcome urban obstacles, this safe, fast, silent, and universally accessible transportation will reduce time spent commuting for the 13,000 inhabitants of the La Montagne district. It will also provide the area with new opportunities for urban, economic, and tourist development. The cable car will connect with the existing public transportation networks. The construction requires an investment of €39.8 million, including €13.9 million for MND.

A modern, silent, and innovative urban ropeway

La Montagne’s urban cable car uses state-of-the-art technologies and a sleek and smooth cabin design. The system chosen is a jig-back system with a 16-meter-wide track for high wind resistance (up to 120 km/h). Thanks to this technology, cabins can travel at speeds up to 45 km/h. The two, uniquely designed 50-seater cabins will have wall-to-wall, high-performance, UV-protection window glazing and provide unrivalled comfort to users who will be able to enjoy a 360°panoramic view of Saint-Denis and its fabulous surroundings.

A cable car that produces 92% of its annual energy needs thanks to solar power

Installed on The Vigie station building, the 600 m2 of photovoltaic panels will produce the equivalent of 92% of the installation’s annual electricity consumption.

A ropeway designed for seamless environmental integration, reducing its environmental impact and CO2 emissions

The La Montagne cable car is designed to respect the biodiversity of the protected area it flies over. Beyond the top and bottom stations, only one tower will be installed near the Hospital station, thus minimizing the project’s impact on the environment. The height of the rope was specifically designed to avoid interfering with bird flight. This new transportation mode will contribute to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.

«After the construction of the first line underway to the east of Saint-Denis, CINOR is planning a second cable transportation line to improve mobility for its inhabitants in line with urban planning objectives. We are indeed convinced that ropeways transportation is a forward-looking solution that meets the needs of CITALIS public transport network users and ensures the sustainability of our urban landscape. With La Montagne urban ropeway, our objective is to alleviate traffic and increase safety on the often gridlocked La Montagne road in Saint-Denis. The line will also be used by tourists as they will be able to enjoy breathtaking views of Saint-Denis Bay. The Payenke joint venture had a distinct advantage over competitors for the contract by understanding and bringing value to the area’s attractive features.» stated Mikaël Nacivet, Director of CINOR’s Urban Ropeways Projects.

«Because La Montagne district is due for several upcoming urban developments and the need for a safe, reliable, innovative, and sustainable connection with the rest of the city, CINOR made the obvious choice to opt for this type of public transportation. Beyond their lower infrastructural costs, ropeways also present the advantage of consuming less energy. Our joint venture was able to design a state-of-the-art urban cable car that respects and brings more value to our region and its environment.» explains Nicolas Chapuis, MND Ropeways Business line Director.

Technical Characteristics:

• Length: 1.3 km
• Vertical rise: 305 meters
• Initial speed: 27 km/h
• Maximum speed: 45 km/h
• Ride time: less than 4 minutes
• Number of cabins: 2
• Cabin capacity: 50 people
• Maximum initial transport capacity per year: 7.5 million passengers
• Total cost of construction: €39.8 million

¹The Payenke joint venture brings together six complementary companies, four of which are based in Reunion Island: MND-LST, BARTHOLET, SOGEA Indian Ocean-VINCI, SBTPC-VINCI, T&T, and Suez Consulting. The joint venture will be responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the La Montagne urban ropeway. The Reunionese company TTS will be entrusted with the maintenance section, acting as a subcontractor of the JV. The Payenke, is the Creole name of the tropicbird, a white seabird with long black lines. It is a protected species that nests mainly in the cliffs, especially on the coastal road between Saint-Denis and La Possession, in the Wild South of the island. The seabird’s ethereal beauty is the inspiration behind this name for this sleek, new urban ropeway.