Les Deux Alpes' Jandri 3S: France's Biggest Mountain Infrastructure Investment

Replacing a Legend

The original Jandri Express opened in 1985 and quickly became the backbone of the Les Deux Alpes ski area. For nearly four decades, it ferried skiers from the resort at 1,650m to the glacier at 3,200m – a journey that took a full 40 minutes. By the time of its retirement, the lift had clocked over 150,000 hours of operation, running at full capacity in both winter and summer.

But time catches up with even the most reliable infrastructure. Maintenance costs were mounting, and the old system’s 1,700 passengers per hour simply couldn’t cope with modern demand. The SATA Group, which operates Les Deux Alpes alongside Alpe d’Huez and La Grave, faced a choice: patch and repair, or invest in something transformational.

They chose transformation.

The Technology: Why 3S Matters

The “3S” designation refers to tricable technology – a system using two carrying cables and one hauling cable. It’s the gold standard for high-capacity, long-distance mountain transport, and the Jandri is only the second 3S system in the French Alps.

The configuration offers several advantages that matter to skiers. Wind resistance is exceptional: the Jandri operates safely in gusts up to 100 km/h, meaning fewer weather-related closures. The system’s stability also allows for longer spans between towers – the new lift uses just 7 pylons compared to 17 previously, reducing both visual impact and environmental footprint.

Speed has improved dramatically. The cabins travel at 8 metres per second (the legal maximum for passenger ropeways worldwide), slashing the glacier journey from 40 minutes to just 17 minutes. For skiers, this translates directly into more time on snow: SATA’s CEO Fabrice Boutet calculates that visitors can now ski up to three times as much vertical in a day.

Capacity has nearly doubled too. The system moves 3,000 passengers per hour in each direction, compared to the old lift’s 1,700. Peak-day queues should become a thing of the past.

Pininfarina in the Mountains

Step inside one of the 52 Symphony cabins and you’ll notice immediately that this isn’t ordinary ski-lift transport. The 32-passenger gondolas were designed by Pininfarina – the Italian studio behind Ferrari, Maserati and countless automotive icons.

The result is genuinely impressive: panoramic glazing on all sides, soft leather seating for 24 passengers (with standing room for 8 more), LED lighting, and connected screens displaying real-time resort information. The wider entry doors speed up boarding, while optimised airflow prevents windows fogging on cold mornings.

For those wanting something extra, there’s even a premium VIP cabin available – essentially a private lounge in the sky.

The cabins are also configured for year-round use. Central seats can be removed in summer to accommodate mountain bikes, pushchairs or hiking gear, reflecting Les Deux Alpes’ position as both a winter ski destination and one of Europe’s premier summer mountain-biking venues.

A Showcase for French Engineering

One of the project’s most notable aspects is its entirely French supply chain. POMA, the Isère-based lift manufacturer, led the consortium, with specialist companies handling each element: Comag for tower construction and cable installation, Semer for electrical systems, Sacmi for station construction, and Sigma for cabin manufacturing. The A-Team architectural firm designed the striking station buildings.

The construction itself was a logistical achievement. At peak, 450 workers were involved, with 190 living on-site at a specially constructed base camp at 2,500m during summer and autumn 2023. To reduce heavy vehicle movements through the resort, SATA installed a concrete plant at 2,600m – an unusual but pragmatic solution.

The project completed five minutes ahead of schedule.

Sustainability Built In

Environmental considerations shaped the project from the outset. The reduced pylon count minimises visual intrusion and ground disturbance. POMA’s Direct Drive motorisation eliminates the need for gearboxes and hydraulic systems, reducing energy consumption by around 5% while virtually eliminating noise.

Perhaps most innovative are the generating rollers integrated into the intermediate station. As the cables pass over these rollers, they generate electricity to power the cabins’ lighting and information systems – a small but symbolic step towards energy self-sufficiency.

SATA has also established an environmental observatory to monitor biodiversity around the lift corridor, and the group has switched its snow groomers to organic vegetable-based oils across all three of its resorts.

What It Means for Property Investors

Infrastructure investment of this scale signals long-term confidence in a resort’s future. The Jandri 3S is designed to operate for 50 years, meaning anyone buying property in Les Deux Alpes today can be confident the resort’s core access system will outlast most mortgage terms.

For buyers seeking prime positioning, Les Loges Blanches offers new-build apartments directly opposite the Jandri base station – quite literally steps from the gondola that now defines the resort’s future.

The year-round functionality is equally significant. Les Deux Alpes’ glacier already enables summer skiing – one of only a handful of European resorts that can make this claim – and the new lift’s 10-month operating season supports rental income well beyond the traditional winter window.

Combined with SATA’s ongoing investment across its portfolio (including significant snowmaking upgrades at Alpe d’Huez), the message is clear: the Oisans region is positioning itself as a resilient, technology-forward destination for the decades ahead.

The Bottom Line

The Jandri 3S represents a new benchmark for Alpine infrastructure: faster, more reliable, more comfortable, and designed with environmental responsibility in mind. For skiers, it means more time on snow and fewer frustrations. For the resort, it secures Les Deux Alpes’ position among Europe’s premier glacier destinations. And for property investors, it’s a €135 million statement of confidence in the resort’s future.

Interested in ski property in Les Deux Alpes or the wider Oisans region? Contact Domosno for current opportunities.