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Grande Motte Funicular
The Perce-Neige climbs from Val Claret to the Grande Motte glacier through 3,490 m of tunnel. Summer 2026: 20 June – 31 August — one of five end dates published for this site.
Antoine Lamielle · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Type
Funicular
Access
Paid
Best season
Summer (20 June – 31 August 2026)
Town
Tignes
Winter access
open
What is Grande Motte Funicular
The Grande Motte funicular, known as the Perce-Neige, climbs from Val Claret towards the Grande Motte glacier at Tignes. It is almost entirely underground: 3,490 m of tunnel, except for a short middle section where two parallel bores let the trains pass each other. Secondary sources present it as the longest funicular in France.
Do not confuse it with the Grande Motte cable car, which takes over above it and has its own page. The funicular starts at Val Claret; the cable car does not.
Summer 2026: running from 20 June to 31 August, daily, on two timetables — 06:45 to 16:05 early in the season, 09:30 to 17:05 afterwards. No source publishes the date on which one gives way to the other.
Activities
What you can do here
Practical
Practical information
Type
Underground funicular
Length
3,490 m, single tunnel except a short middle section with two parallel bores for trains to pass
Coordinates
45.452671° N, 6.897683° E — bottom station at Val Claret, not the glacier arrival
Summer 2026
20 June to 31 August 2026, daily. Four other end-of-season dates circulate for this site: 15 July, 28 August, 30 August and 6 September.
Hours
06:45–16:05 early season, 09:30–17:05 afterwards. No switchover date published.
Entered service
14 April 1993. Tunnelling from 13 December 1989 to 1 October 1991, geological studies in 1987.
Machine
FUNI 334, Von Roll, 334 places per train (single source: remontees-mecaniques.net)
Operator
SPL ALTTA since 1 June 2026, replacing Compagnie des Alpes via STGM
Price
Journey time
Dogs
Accessibility
When to visit
When to visit
Summer running from 20 June to 31 August 2026 per the operator. This site carries five different end-of-season dates depending on the source and on what is being described (skiing, lifts, glacier): check on the day rather than trusting a seasonal page.
Winter
Winter season
Winter access window
Open (cleared road)
Winter infrastructure
Alpine skiing
Snow panorama
Not specified
Equipment mandated
Loi Montagne II — winter tyres or chains required (1 Nov – 31 Mar)
Nearby
Where to eat, drink, stay
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Gallery
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Grande Motte funicular?
3,490 m, almost entirely in tunnel. Secondary sources present it as the longest funicular in France; no operator source states this.
Are the Grande Motte funicular and cable car the same machine?
No. The funicular runs from Val Claret up to the glacier; the Grande Motte cable car takes over above it. They are two machines in series, each with its own page.
When does the funicular run in summer 2026?
From 20 June to 31 August 2026, daily. Be careful: four other end-of-season dates circulate for the Grande Motte site, between 15 July and 6 September. Check before going up.
What time does the funicular open?
Two windows are published, 06:45–16:05 early season and 09:30–17:05 afterwards, but no source says when the switch happens.
How old is the funicular?
14 April 1993. Tunnelling ran from 13 December 1989 to 1 October 1991, after geological studies in 1987.
Sources
Sources & verification
- Skipass Tignes (ALTTA) — horaires d'ouverture été
- Skipass Tignes (ALTTA) — forfaits piétons été / altitude experiences
- Wikipedia (EN) — Funiculaire du Perce-Neige
- Wikipédia (FR) — Funiculaire Grande Motte (Perce-Neige)
- Remontées-mécaniques.net — FUNI 334 de la Grande Motte (Perce-Neige), Von Roll
- Haute Tarentaise — funiculaire de la Grande Motte
- Mon Séjour en Montagne — le Perce-Neige, le plus long funiculaire de France
- Guide Ski — remontées de Tignes été 2026
Multi-source verification at publication. Information may change — confirm with the official operator before travelling.
Nearby
Nearby
Other places to explore in the area and in the same category
Free
Col de l'Iseran
Bonneval-sur-Arc
Open right across since 12 June 2026. Free access on the D902 between Val-d'Isère and Bonneval-sur-Arc. Free parking. The only road crossing inside the Parc national de la Vanoise.
Free
Col du Mont-Cenis
Val-Cenis
Upper Maurienne pass above a hydroelectric reservoir. Three published altitudes (2,081, 2,083, 2,085 m). Entirely in France since 1947, despite what you will read.
Free
Col de la Loze
Courchevel
Pass at 2,304 m between Courchevel and Méribel, reserved for bicycles: cars banned. 7 km on the Méribel side, 6.5 on the Courchevel side, a 23% wall.
Paid
Grande Motte Cable Car
Tignes
From 3,034 m to 3,456 m above Tignes, at the top of the Funiculaire Perce-Neige. Summer skiing 2026: 20 June – 15 July only. No dogs and no wheelchairs on the lifts.
Paid
Olympique Cable Car
Val-d'Isère
Val-d'Isère 3S cable car, free for pedestrians and €23 a day with a bike. Open 09:45–16:45 without a break, 4 July to 30 August 2026.
Free
Solaise Gondola
Val-d'Isère
Gondola free for pedestrians to the Tête de Solaise, 2,560 m, above Val-d'Isère. No mountain bikes. Summer 2026: 4 July – 30 August.