Funiculaire de Saint-Hilaire du Touvet, Mountain funicular in Saint-Hilaire-du-Touvet, France.
The funicular railway stretches 1,480 meters across the mountainside, featuring two cars that transport passengers between Montfort and Saint-Hilaire-du-Touvet.
Built in 1924, this transportation system initially served to carry tuberculosis patients to medical facilities located in the higher elevation of Saint-Hilaire-du-Touvet.
The funicular forms an essential part of the regional heritage, connecting the Grésivaudan valley to the Plateau des Petites Roches through steep mountain terrain.
Operating year-round with variable schedules, the funicular carries 60 passengers per car and climbs an impressive gradient of 83 percent during its journey.
Recent weather events in December 2023 caused significant damage to the lower station, leading to a community fundraising effort for its restoration.
Location: Crolles
Location: Lumbin
Location: Plateau-des-Petites-Roches
Official opening: 1924
Elevation above the sea: 960 m
Length: 1,480 m
Operator: Régie municipale des Remontées Mécaniques de Saint-Hilaire du Touvet
Website: https://funiculaire.fr
GPS coordinates: 45.30327,5.89554
Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:42
Funiculars have transported passengers up mountains and hills in cities worldwide for over a century. This collection covers 25 installations across five continents, from the Como-Brunate railway in Lombardy to the Fløibanen in Bergen, Norway. Some handle substantial elevation changes, such as the Niesenbahn in Switzerland with 710 meters (2,329 feet) of vertical ascent, while others cover shorter distances through urban neighborhoods like the Bica funicular in Lisbon or the ascensores in Valparaiso. The systems range from heritage operations like the Great Orme Tramway in Wales, opened in 1902, to modern installations such as the Stanserhorn CabriO in Switzerland with its double-decker open-top design. Several serve primarily as tourist attractions, including the Peak Tram in Hong Kong and the Montmartre funicular in Paris, while others remain essential transport links for residents and visitors, such as the Wellington Cable Car in New Zealand and the Heidelberger Bergbahn in Germany. Each offers access to viewpoints, historic districts or mountain facilities that would otherwise require lengthy walks or drives.
Dent de Crolles
3.2 km
Château de Montfort
394 m
Lances de Malissard
5.1 km
Château de Crolles
2 km
Funiculaire de Saint-Hilaire-du-Touvet
473 m
Manival
5.2 km
Abbaye des Ayes
3.5 km
Roc d'Arguille
4.8 km
Ruisseau de Craponoz
4.3 km
Ruisseau de Montfort
1.1 km
Ruisseau de Crolles
3 km
Reseau de la Dent de Crolles
3.2 km
Église Sainte-Thérèse de Brignoud
5 km
Église Sainte-Mairie-Madelaine
1.4 km
Église Notre-Dame du Champ-près-Froges
4.4 km
Église Saint-Pancrace de Saint-Pancrasse
3.2 km
Église Sainte-Barbe de Froges
4.1 km
Église Saint-Pierre de La Pierre
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Église Saint-Hilaire de Saint-Hilaire
869 m
Église Saint-Aupre de La Terrasse
4.2 km
Église Saint-Bernard de Saint-Bernard
2.9 km
Église de l'Assomption de Bernin
4.5 km
Manoir de Veaubeaunais
4.4 km
Chapelle du cimetière de La Terrasse
4.3 km
Croix du Mas de l'église
4.2 km
Chapelle du Carré
2.4 km
Château du Carré
2.5 km
Château de La Pierre
4.2 kmReviews
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Due to bad weather in December 2021, the funicular is no longer in operation 😭
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