Potain MDT 219 Tower Cranes Installed by Helicopter on High-Altitude Gondola Project in France
- Meagan Wood
- Nov 26, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 12
30-Second Takeaway
Potain MDT 219 J10 topless tower cranes are being used to rebuild the Grands Montets gondola in the Chamonix Valley, France, at altitudes approaching 3,000 m. Extreme terrain and restricted access required helicopter installation and a bespoke lift strategy developed by Potain’s Lift Solutions team. The project earned Top-Slewing Crane Assembly of the Year at the 2025 Tower Crane Awards.
High-Altitude Construction in the Chamonix Valley
Potain tower cranes are playing a critical role in constructing a new gondola lift system at an altitude of nearly 3,000 m in the Chamonix Valley, France.
The project forms part of a €150 million redevelopment of the Grands Montets ski area, which is being rebuilt after the original gondola was destroyed by fire in 2018.
Helicopter Installation Required by Extreme Terrain
The difficult terrain and limited site access required the use of a helicopter for the construction of the gondola pylons and the installation of the tower cranes.
Two Potain MDT 219 J10 topless tower cranes were installed using helicopter lifts, following a comprehensive lifting strategy developed by Potain’s Lift Solutions team.
Award-Winning Assembly Strategy
The complexity and execution of the crane installation were recognised at the 2025 Tower Crane Awards, where the project received the Top-Slewing Crane Assembly of the Year award.
The installation demonstrated advanced planning, precise logistics, and close coordination between crane supplier, contractor, and helicopter operations.
CSR-Driven Project Design
The Grands Montets redevelopment incorporates corporate social responsibility (CSR) considerations in two key ways.
Initially, the project aimed to limit the volume of materials transported by helicopter. To support this objective, a blondin system—a cable car equipped with a lifting system—was installed by Mellet Billion Travaux en Montagne (MBTM). The blondin climbs to the highest point of the site at 3,300 m and was used to transport materials required for pylon installation and selected crane components.
Secondly, the new gondola system has been designed to be more efficient, requiring only half the number of pylons compared with the previous installation, significantly reducing environmental impact.
Reconstruction of the Grands Montets Gondola
The project includes the construction of two new lift stations, designed to shuttle skiers and snowboarders from Argentière to Lognan, and onward to the summit.
Among several Potain cranes deployed on the site, the two MDT 219 J10 topless cranes are central to the reconstruction works, supporting lifting operations in highly constrained and elevated conditions.
Crane Selection for Helicopter Assembly
The cranes were rented by MBTM from Potain distributor Valente Grue Assistance.
MBTM selected the Potain MDT 219 J10 specifically for its:
High lifting capacity
Topless design, reducing assembly complexity
Modular configuration, allowing crane components to be broken down into individual lifts below the helicopter’s 2,400 kg payload limit
This modularity was critical for safe and efficient aerial installation.
About Mellet Billion Travaux en Montagne (MBTM)
Mellet Billion Travaux en Montagne (MBTM) is a specialist French contractor focused on mountain construction, alpine infrastructure, and difficult-access projects. The company operates extensively in high-altitude environments where conventional construction methods are limited by terrain, weather, and environmental constraints.
MBTM’s expertise includes ski lift and gondola construction, cable transport systems, helicopter-assisted lifting operations, and blondin-based material handling, enabling the execution of technically demanding projects in sensitive alpine locations. The company is well known for integrating engineering precision, logistics planning, and environmental responsibility into its construction methodologies.
Its role in the Grands Montets redevelopment reflects MBTM’s capability to deliver complex infrastructure projects while aligning with CSR objectives and environmental impact reduction strategies.
Website: https://www.mbtm.fr
About Valente Grue Assistance
Valente Grue Assistance is an authorised Potain tower crane distributor in France, providing tower crane rental, sales, installation, and technical support services across a wide range of construction sectors.
The company supports projects from early planning and lift studies through to crane installation, commissioning, operation support, and dismantling, with particular expertise in non-standard and complex crane assemblies. This includes experience in mountainous terrain, restricted-access sites, and helicopter-assisted tower crane installations.
Valente Grue Assistance works closely with contractors and OEM engineering teams to ensure crane configurations, logistics, and erection strategies are optimised for each project’s constraints, playing a critical role in technically demanding builds such as the Grands Montets gondola redevelopment.
Website: https://www.valente-grue.com
About Potain
Potain is one of the world’s most established and respected manufacturers of tower cranes, with a heritage spanning more than 90 years. A core brand of the Manitowoc Group, Potain designs and manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of top-slewing, topless, luffing jib, and self-erecting tower cranes used on projects ranging from dense urban developments to major infrastructure and extreme-environment construction.
Potain is widely recognised for its engineering-led crane design, with a strong focus on modularity, transport efficiency, and optimised assembly. Its cranes are frequently selected for restricted-access sites, high-altitude installations, and logistically complex projects, supported by Potain’s specialist Lift Solutions engineering team, which develops bespoke erection and dismantling strategies for challenging environments.
The brand operates a global manufacturing, engineering, and service network supporting customers across Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania, and is a market leader in tower crane deployment for infrastructure, energy, and alpine construction projects.
Website: https://www.potain.com
Parent company: https://www.manitowoc.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was helicopter installation required for the Potain MDT 219 cranes?
The mountainous terrain, high altitude, and limited access routes made conventional crane erection impractical, requiring helicopter transport for both pylons and crane components.
Why were MDT 219 J10 topless cranes selected?
Their modular design allows components to be separated into lifts under 2,400 kg, meeting helicopter payload restrictions while delivering high lifting capacity once assembled.
What is a blondin system and why was it used?
A blondin is a cable-based lifting system used to transport materials vertically in mountainous terrain. It reduced reliance on helicopter flights, supporting CSR objectives.
How does reducing the number of pylons benefit the environment?
Fewer pylons mean reduced ground disturbance, less material transport, and a lower visual and environmental footprint in sensitive alpine terrain.
What made this project award-worthy?
The combination of helicopter crane assembly, extreme altitude, CSR-driven planning, and precise execution demonstrated exceptional technical and logistical achievement.
