I was surprised to learn this week (I should have already been aware) that France operates seven urban cable cars (or gondolas). Its first was built in Grenoble, at the foot of the Alps, in 1934, and its latest opened in December 2025 in the country's capital region.
Called Câble 1 (or C1), this latest line is 4.5 kilometres long, carries 11,000 passengers per day in 105 gondolas, and connects Villeneuve-Saint-Georges to the Métro Line 8 in Créteil (a southeastern suburb of Paris). The total trip takes 18 minutes, compared to an estimated time of 40 minutes by bus or car.
Importantly, the project only cost €138 million, or about €30.6 million per km, which is about 10-15% of what a subway might have cost based on data from the Grand Paris Express. Estimates for the latter were over €1 billion, meaning it would have likely been a non-starter.
Gondolas are most commonly used to navigate mountainous terrain, but they're increasingly being used in urban settings to stitch together isolated communities. Forty minutes to eighteen minutes is a significant quality-of-life upgrade. I think more cities should be considering cable cars as a possible mobility solution.
Cover photo via Région Île-de-France / Aymeric Guillonneau
I was surprised to learn this week (I should have already been aware) that France operates seven urban cable cars (or gondolas). Its first was built in Grenoble, at the foot of the Alps, in 1934, and its latest opened in December 2025 in the country's capital region.
Called Câble 1 (or C1), this latest line is 4.5 kilometres long, carries 11,000 passengers per day in 105 gondolas, and connects Villeneuve-Saint-Georges to the Métro Line 8 in Créteil (a southeastern suburb of Paris). The total trip takes 18 minutes, compared to an estimated time of 40 minutes by bus or car.
Importantly, the project only cost €138 million, or about €30.6 million per km, which is about 10-15% of what a subway might have cost based on data from the Grand Paris Express. Estimates for the latter were over €1 billion, meaning it would have likely been a non-starter.
Gondolas are most commonly used to navigate mountainous terrain, but they're increasingly being used in urban settings to stitch together isolated communities. Forty minutes to eighteen minutes is a significant quality-of-life upgrade. I think more cities should be considering cable cars as a possible mobility solution.
Cover photo via Région Île-de-France / Aymeric Guillonneau
Toronto's East Bayfront has changed dramatically over the last twenty years. Remember when we used to complain that the waterfront was under-utilized?
Here's what it looked like circa 2005 (photo via Waterfront Toronto):
Toronto's East Bayfront has changed dramatically over the last twenty years. Remember when we used to complain that the waterfront was under-utilized?
Here's what it looked like circa 2005 (photo via Waterfront Toronto):
Revelstoke is out. Golden is in. But before we move on, here are several things I noticed about Revelstoke compared to the last time I was there in 2015.
Revelstoke is out. Golden is in. But before we move on, here are several things I noticed about Revelstoke compared to the last time I was there in 2015.
It is clear that the city and resort have gotten significantly more popular (mind you, when we came in 2015 the weather was suboptimal).
The city has been investing in great wayfinding signage (separate post here).
Monster luxury homes have been built around the resort and across the valley. I don't recall seeing these, or at least this many, on my last trip.
A modest single-family house in the city now lists for around $1 million.
Anecdotally, I can also say that I spoke to a number of people on the lifts who had moved from Toronto and other big cities in order to "retire" or "spend the winters" in Revelstoke.
The city and the resort were very busy over the weekend. The resort could probably use some more lifts and/or gondolas during these peak periods.
The après spots on the mountain were full. And there are fantastic restaurants downtown, a number of which are quite fancy. Think $50-60 entrées.
I noticed more Australians living/working in the city.
It is clear that the city and resort have gotten significantly more popular (mind you, when we came in 2015 the weather was suboptimal).
The city has been investing in great wayfinding signage (separate post here).
Monster luxury homes have been built around the resort and across the valley. I don't recall seeing these, or at least this many, on my last trip.
A modest single-family house in the city now lists for around $1 million.
Anecdotally, I can also say that I spoke to a number of people on the lifts who had moved from Toronto and other big cities in order to "retire" or "spend the winters" in Revelstoke.
The city and the resort were very busy over the weekend. The resort could probably use some more lifts and/or gondolas during these peak periods.
The après spots on the mountain were full. And there are fantastic restaurants downtown, a number of which are quite fancy. Think $50-60 entrées.
I noticed more Australians living/working in the city.
I'm sure that the locals would rather that Revelstoke remain more under the radar. But that's not what is happening. It's quickly becoming a global destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other outdoor activities.
I left feeling very bullish on its future.
And here's what it looks like today:
I'm sure that the locals would rather that Revelstoke remain more under the radar. But that's not what is happening. It's quickly becoming a global destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other outdoor activities.
I left feeling very bullish on its future.
And here's what it looks like today:
The waterfront has, in my opinion, become one of the nicest neighbourhoods in the city. I'm bullish on this part of Toronto. But it's not done yet.
One key piece of infrastructure that was just completed is the landfilling of a part of the Parliament Slip.
The waterfront has, in my opinion, become one of the nicest neighbourhoods in the city. I'm bullish on this part of Toronto. But it's not done yet.
One key piece of infrastructure that was just completed is the landfilling of a part of the Parliament Slip.
If you go back to the previous aerial photo, you'll see that the water's edge now runs parallel to Queens Quay East in this section.
This was an important piece of city-building work because it will allow Queens Quay to continue eastward to Cherry Street, establishing a new city grid that can be used for transit and future development in the area.
If you'd like to see what it takes to landfill part of Lake Ontario, below is a time-lapse video, also from Waterfront Toronto.
If you can't see it embedded in the post, click here.
Cover photo from Waterfront Toronto
If you go back to the previous aerial photo, you'll see that the water's edge now runs parallel to Queens Quay East in this section.
This was an important piece of city-building work because it will allow Queens Quay to continue eastward to Cherry Street, establishing a new city grid that can be used for transit and future development in the area.
If you'd like to see what it takes to landfill part of Lake Ontario, below is a time-lapse video, also from Waterfront Toronto.
If you can't see it embedded in the post, click here.
Cover photo from Waterfront Toronto
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Brandon Donnelly
Daily insights for city builders. Published since 2013 by Toronto-based real estate developer Brandon Donnelly.
Brandon Donnelly
Daily insights for city builders. Published since 2013 by Toronto-based real estate developer Brandon Donnelly.
