Historical background

Télé-Nendaz aims to be a respectful to nature company, whilst contributing to the economic and touristic development of the village and its region as a whole. Learn about the amazing history of our resort, from its very first lifts to today...

From the beginnings to the creation of the 4 Vallées...

In Nendaz, the history of ski-lifts starts at the beginning of the 1950’s. The first means of transports that allowed the skiers to go back uphill was actually a... coach. Then came the first ski-lift in 1952.

The real adventure began 1958,with the building of the first cable-car between Haute-Nendaz and the hill of Tracouet, some 2'200 meters above, in the mountain. This huge machinery set Télé-Nendaz out to become, year after year, one of the biggest companies in the Nendaz area.

The beginnings, though, were not always in the pink... But the situation took a turn for the better in the end of the 1960’s, with the unprecedented boom of ski tourism.

In 1968, Télé-Nendaz invests 1'700'000 CHF to renovate its cable-car. The old one had become too slow and too uncomfortable to satisfy the ever-growing flow of customers wishing to enjoy the Nendaz slopes. Ski-lifts at the bottom were changed, others were built. Télé-Nendaz painstakingly created its new web.

In 1976, a giant leap is made, with the creation of the 4 Vallées, a great ski area binding Nendaz, Verbier and Veysonnaz. At that time, the area was offering 80 lifts for the price of just one combined ticket. An actual revolution! To develop its offer, Télé-Nendaz begins to draw its partners’ attention to the Mont-Fort which, being 3'330 meters high, offers the possibility of year-round ski. Built in association with Téléverbier, the big cable-car reaching the top of the Mont-Fort is operated for the first time in 1983.

A philosophy turned into reality...

For Télé-Nendaz, the 1980’s mean « consolidation ». Investments are made, above all to renovate lifts and buy land to guarantee enough space for the slopes. To avoid or at least undermine difficulties due to abnormal meteorological conditions, especially lack of snow, Télé-Nendaz buys its first snow guns. The following years were to prove the soundness of that decision... The most representative cable-car of the company (almost a landmark !), the Tracouet cable-car, enters the third millennium in advance. In 1992, the old machinery is replaced by a brand-new one with the benefit of the most recent technology. With its 52 cabins fitted for 12 people at a time, the cable-car is able to transport 1'800 people per hour, and allows them to reach Tracouet in only 7 minutes and 30 seconds.

During the same years, several lifts are replaced by chair-lifts. In order to further match the clients’ expectations, enough snow remained to be guaranteed. Thanks to a dense web of automated snow guns, Télé-Nendaz is now able to provide its customers with good ski conditions at least on the main slopes, Tracouet, Novelly or Tortin.

The second part of the 1990's is caracterised by important but less visible investments. The snow machines net is extended again, the restaurants Tracouet and Combatseline are enhenced, new snowcats are baught and the connection from Siviez to Veysonnaz gets a appreciated improvement (new chairlift Novelli and construction of a second skilift at the Greppon Blanc).

Right now, the sector Mont-Fort is monopolising our entire attention. After having rebuilt the old Gentianes skilift in 2007, provided the top with a nice igloo-bar in 2008 and fully renewed the Mont-Fort 1 cable-car in summer 2009, our projects aim to give the second section of the Mont-Fort lift a new start and replace the actual Gentianes restaurant.

In 50 years, Télé-Nendaz has grown up to play the leading part on the touristic stage of Nendaz. The company is also the main employer of the area. With the impulse of its successive presidents (all of them born in Nendaz), the company is deeply rooted in the region. It aims at developing it, sharing its social and cultural life, and ensuring its economical well-being.