Longest urban cable car in Europe lets Paris commuters soar over gridlock

Longest urban cable car in Europe lets Paris commuters soar over gridlock

Our Foreign Staff

Sun, December 14, 2025 at 8:19 PM UTC

2 min read

The towers are seen arcing over the town, with gondolas dangling — The C1 urban cable car near Paris was inaugurated on Saturday - Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters

Europe’s longest urban cable car has been unveiled on the outskirts of Paris.

The new line, the first in the French capital, connects Créteil to Villeneuve-Saint-Georges in the city’s south-eastern suburbs.

The three-mile route cost €138m (£120m) to build and was inaugurated on Saturday. Its 105 gondolas are expected to carry more than 11,000 passengers a day, each holding a maximum of 10 people.

Historically used in rugged mountain terrain, cable cars are increasingly built to connect urban neighbourhoods.

While the new cable car is the longest in Europe, it still lags behind the longest in the world connecting the Bolivian cities of La Paz and El Alto over 20 miles.

A fireman dangles from a gondola and a cherry-picker approaches it. Another firefighter stands on the roof — Firefighters carry out an evacuation drill on the cable car. The last fatal cable car accident in France was in 1999 - Julien de Rosa/AFP via Getty

“It’s like skiing!” joked Ibrahim Bamba, a 20-year-old student who lives in Limeil-Brévannes, which is not served by the Paris metro or any rail network.

“It’s the Alps on the Marne!” said Valerie Pecresse, head of the Île-de-France region.

The total journey takes 18 minutes, including stops along the way, compared with around 40 minutes by bus or car, linking the isolated neighbourhoods to the Paris metro’s line eight.

A ride requires a bus ticket or the travel pass used for the metro.

A cable car is seen arriving at a docking station — Limeil-Brevannes is one stop mid-way on the three-mile route - Thomas Samson/AFP via Getty

“This is a great step forward in terms of transportation. The roads are often congested in the morning,” said Salimatou Bah, 52, who has lived in Limeil-Brévannes for 13 years.

“We wondered if people would be hesitant, but I think it just takes a little time to adapt.”

Ms Pecresse said the project was the result of “a 10-year obstacle course” and was cheaper to build than a subway.

“We had to find the funding, convince local residents,” she said. “For the inhabitants of Val-de-Marne, it’s a sign of consideration.”

A row of gondolas dangling over a dual carriageway road on a misty day — The full journey, with all stops, will take 18 minutes, rather than 40 by bus or train - Thomas Samson/AFP via Getty

The cable car is a response to “urban divides” in neighbourhoods that are “lacking in terms of public transport,” said Metin Yavuz, mayor of Valenton, a town of 16,000.

It is France’s seventh urban cable car, with others in cities including Brest, Saint-Denis de La Réunion and Toulouse.

The first was built in Grenoble, at the foot of the Alps, in 1934. Its “bubble” gondolas have become one of the symbols of the southeastern city.

Cable cars are considered one of the safest means of transport in the world.

In France, the last fatal accident occurred in 1999 in the Hautes-Alpes, when 20 people lost their lives.

Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays.

About Our Ads

Source