Soon(ish), the citizens of Paris are going to be figuring are getting a massive cable-car system. The French capital’s first public cable-car system has been given the go-ahead. Dubbed Cable A, the 4.5-kilometre line will connect several suburbs in Paris’s south-east, linking up four stations on the city’s metro network.
So, why a gondola? Well, apparently this area of Paris – called Créteil – is particularly hilly, and is criss-crossed by highways and high-speed train lines. Instead of building an expensive and/or complicated system of buses or metros, a cable car can just sail above it all. In theory, it’s also cheaper to build and, should it lure people away from their cars, it’ll be better for the environment, too.
Cable A was first proposed in 2008, but was set back by opposition from local residents for years. Their primary gripe was around privacy, but that’s apparently all been solved by some nifty new tech. According to Bloomberg, the gondolas will be fitted with sensors that will turn their windows opaque when they get too close to residential buildings. Clever stuff, eh? Here are a few preview snaps of what could soon be Paris’ snazziest commute.
