Funiculaire de Saint-Hilaire du Touvet

The Funiculaire de Saint-Hilaire du Touvet, or Saint-Hilaire du Touvet Funicular, is a funicular railway in the département of Isère in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. It links Montfort on the road between Grenoble and Chambéry, with the village of Saint-Hilaire du Touvet, located on the Plateau des Petites Roches 600 metres above.cite web | url = http://www.funimag.com/funimag17/StHilaire04.htm | title = Funiculaire Saint Hilaire du Touvet - History | publisher = Funimag | accessdate = 2007-02-15 ] cite web | url = http://www.funimag.com/funimag17/StHilaire07.htm | title = Funiculaire Saint Hilaire du Touvet - Bottom Station | publisher = Funimag | accessdate = 2007-02-15 ]

Until the funicular was built, the village of St. Hilaire du Touvet was accessible only on foot, or by mule. The construction of the funicular was started in 1920 and it was opened in 1924, principally to serve several sanatoria built to house tuberculosis patients.cite web | url = http://www.funimag.com/funimag17/StHilaire04.htm | title = Funiculaire Saint Hilaire du Touvet - History | publisher = Funimag | accessdate = 2007-02-15 ]

Until 1955, the funicular was served by two 40 passenger cars. These were replaced in that year by a more modern design of car, carrying 60 passengers each. In 1992, these were in turn replaced by new cars to a retro design, not dissimilar to the original cars.cite web | url = http://www.funimag.com/funimag17/StHilaire02.htm | title = Funiculaire Saint Hilaire du Touvet - The Cabins | publisher = Funimag | accessdate = 2007-02-15 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.funiculaire.fr/ Funiculaire de St. Hilaire du Touvet web site] fr icon
* [http://www.funimag.com/funimag17/StHilaire01.htm Funimag article on the Funiculaire de St. Hilaire du Touvet] en icon fr icon