Where to Ski And Snowboard - Iconic Méribel gondola cabins sell instantly

Iconic Méribel gondola cabins sell instantly

27th July 2021, by Abi Butcher

The iconic l'Olympe gondola cabins sold instantly, raising funds for biodiversity work

Meribel Alpina, the lift company in the popular Les 3 Vallées ski resort, has raised €50,000 to improve the environment around Méribel’s ski area by selling off the cabins from L’Olympe gondola which are being replaced this summer.

There were 115 iconic 30-year-old cabins or ‘eggs’ on the lift that connects Brides-les-Bains to Méribel and once took athletes to Méribel les Allues during the 1992 Winter Olympics. They sold instantly when the online sale opened on Tuesday 20 July.

“We sold the cabins in less than five minutes, there were 500 people connected to the online sale at 09:00 so unfortunately we have a lot of disappointed buyers…” Gautier Monnet, a spokesman for Méribel Alpina told Where to Ski & Snowboard.

“We have collected around €50,000 that will used on the ski area to improve the environment.”

After 30 years of service the gondola cabins are being replaced and the vintage ones sold off to raise money to improve the biodiversity in Méribel, in particular for the revegetation of the slopes within the ski area. So purchasers have done a good deed as well as pick up a piece of historic vintage ski life.

The Poma SP77 cabins measure 200x168cm and are 211cm high. They weigh 334kg and are priced at €500 per cabin. Included in the price was the ski racks, but not the hanging equipment.