France’s first urban cable car in the Paris region set to open

A cable car gliding above towers and concrete may seem unusual, but Île-de-France will soon see its first one in action.

From December 13, cabins will begin carrying passengers across Limeil-Brévannes in Val-de-Marne, a suburb long served only by buses. The 4.5-kilometre route, with five stations, will take just 18 minutes end to end. Residents say they are eager to try the quiet, comfortable cabins.

For the local authorities, the cable car offered a cheaper, more practical option than building a tramway or metro through this densely populated area.

The idea is not new: more than 80 cities worldwide already use urban cable cars, including Toulouse, which opened its line in 2022, and Grenoble, whose iconic bubbles have floated above the city for more than 90 years.