La Grave

What La Grave does

La Grave is a high-mountain cable car destination in the French Alps operated under the trade name La Grave by SATG SASU (Société d'Aménagement Touristique de La Grave), a subsidiary of the SATA Group. The operation runs the Téléphériques des Glaciers de la Meije under a Délégation de Services Publics (public service delegation) contract awarded by the commune of La Grave in 2017, with the company holding €400,000 in capital. Its core asset is a two-section cable car using Pohlig-Heckel-Bleichert (P.H.B.) technology that transports visitors from the village of La Grave at 1525m to Col des Ruillans at 3200m in roughly 30 minutes, with throughput explicitly capped at 440 people/hour to preserve site identity. The site is differentiated from conventional ski resorts: there are no marked pistes, no ski patrol-secured runs, and no commercial resort link to Les 2 Alpes.

The product portfolio centers on transportation passes — day passes (€66), multi-day packs (2-day €126 to 10-day €520), season passes (€637–€1,138), and a SuperNova multi-domain pass at €1,352 — supported by the AEON Flexipass membership (€15) covering four Oisans domains. Ancillary offerings include the La Cabine panoramic restaurant at 3200m, themed high-mountain exploration trails, the Ice Grotto (€7), guided glacier walks with the La Grave Guides Office (€40 adult), and summer-season passes for mountain biking and paragliding. La Grave 2050, the company's strategic agenda, targets carbon neutrality by 2037, a 75% GHG reduction and 60%+ reduction in groomed glacier area through the approved third-section cable car expansion to 3600m.

Revenue mechanics are direct-to-consumer via the la-grave.com online ticketing platform and the on-site ticket office at the cable car station. The customer base is fragmented across persona segments: off-piste skiers, mountaineers and hikers, contemplative visitors and families, summer MTB/paragliding enthusiasts, and scientists/educators (notably via the ESA partnership). Marketing is organic-driven — Instagram, the multilingual website, webcam monitoring, and a Trustindex-verified Google "Excellent" rating across 1,826 reviews — with no traditional paid advertising. Equipment and scientific partnerships (Salomon, Petzl, Au Vieux Campeur, ESA) and transport partnerships (LinkBus, Autocars Resalp/LER35, Taxi de la Meije) form the wider commercial ecosystem, and SATG is registered as an ORIAS Insurance Intermediary enabling embedded Assur'Glisse ski insurance sales.

Name

La Grave

Legal name

Société d'Aménagement Touristique de La Grave (SATG SASU)

Website

https://la-grave.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Grave operates a high-altitude cable car system in the French Alps (1525m to 3200m) under a public service delegation contract, serving off-piste skiers, mountaineers, hikers, summer MTB/paragliding enthusiasts, and contemplative visitors seeking uncrowded, authentic high-mountain experiences in the Meije glaciers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mountain Resort and Cable Car Operations

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Mountain Gondola & Chairlift Passenger Transport (Non-ski Commuter/Tourist) (THAIAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mountain Safety & Patrol Services (Avalanche Training, Rescue, Medical) (THAAAJAI), Polar & Remote-Destination Expedition Tour Operators (THAKADAM)

Keywords

• Mountain cable car transport
• High altitude skiing
• Off-piste experiences
• Glacier access tours
• Alpine mountaineering

Headquarters

HQ city

La Grave

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Cable Car and Ski Lift Tickets: Primary revenue stream from sale of day passes, single ascents, and multi-day packages for cable car and ski lift access to high-mountain domain. Winter season (December-May) and summer season (June-September) operations.
2. Season Passes: Season passes including La Grave standalone (€1,138), SuperNova limited edition covering La Grave, 2Alpes, and Alpe d'Huez (€1,352), and weekday-only pass (€637). AEON Flexipass membership model (€15) for pay-per-use access.
3. Restaurant La Cabine: On-site panoramic restaurant at 3200m offering local cuisine including tartiflette, goat's cheese salad, dish of the day, vegetarian options, and pizzas. Additional revenue from food and beverage sales.
4. Mountain Biking Passes: Summer-season mountain bike lift passes including 5-climb cards (€80) and day passes (€34-45). Seasonal revenue stream complementing winter ski operations.
5. Ice Cave and Glacier Walk Tours: Ice grotto visits (€7 adults, €6 children) and guided glacier walks (€40 adults, €30 children) operated in partnership with La Grave Guides Office.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

La Grave operates the Téléphériques des Glaciers de la Meije, a two-section high-altitude cable car that lifts visitors from the village of La Grave at 1525m to Col des Ruillans at 3200m in roughly 30 minutes, with throughput capped at 440 people/hour to preserve the site's identity. The site is positioned as a free-ride and off-piste destination with no marked pistes or ski-patrol-secured runs, complemented by pedestrian tickets, mountain biking and paragliding lift passes, a panoramic restaurant at 3200m, an Ice Grotto, and guided glacier walks. SATG operates the cable car under a Délégation de Services Publics contract awarded by the commune of La Grave in 2017.

Product overview

La Grave is a high-mountain ski resort operated by SATG (Société d'Aménagement Touristique de la Grave), part of the SATA Group. The core offering is a unique cable car transport system (téléphériques) accessing altitudes from 1525m to 3200m, designed for off-piste and freeride skiing rather than traditional resort skiing. The product portfolio centers on transportation passes (day passes from €66, season passes from €637-€1138, multi-day enthusiast packs), complemented by visitor services including the panoramic La Cabine restaurant at 3200m, Ice Grotto visits (€7 adults), guided glacier walks (€40 adults), and summer activities such as mountain biking and paragliding. The resort maintains a Skidata-compatible card system for access control and offers webcam monitoring for real-time conditions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cable Car Transport (Téléphériques des Glaciers de la Meije) Two-section cable car system transporting visitors from La Grave village (1525m) to Peyrou d'Amont (2400m) and on to Col des Ruillans (3200m) in roughly 30 minutes, with throughput capped at 440 people/hour. Serves skiers, mountaineers, hikers, families and other high-mountain visitors.
• Day Pass (Forfait Journée) Full-day ski pass combining cable cars and ski lifts for access to the high-mountain domain. €66 standard rate for winter 2025-2026; reduced rates for students/youth and FFME card holders. Sold to individual skiers planning a single-day visit.
• Season Pass (Forfait Saison) Season-long access pass for the La Grave domain in multiple variants, granting repeat winter access and reciprocal discounts at partner Oisans resorts. Targets returning high-mountain skiers.
• Multi-Day Passes (Passionnés) Bundled multi-day ski passes (2/3/6/10 days) for repeat visitors seeking declining per-day pricing. Targets enthusiast skiers planning extended trips.
• Pedestrian and Mountaineer Tickets Round-trip cable car tickets for non-skiers and mountaineers to access high-altitude viewing points, hiking routes and alpine objectives. Includes First Benne early-morning alpinist departures.
• La Cabine Restaurant On-site panoramic restaurant at 3200m elevation offering local alpine cuisine (tartiflette, goat's cheese salad, dish of the day, vegetarian options, pizzas) to cable car visitors.
• Family Experience Pack Summer bundled package for families combining cable car return to 3200m, Sensation and Glacier course access, Ice Grotto visit, and an optional restaurant meal at La Cabine.
• Ice Grotto Experience High-altitude ice grotto exploration at 3200m, open from June 6, sold to families and contemplative visitors in combination with a cable car ticket.
• Guided Glacier Walks Guided walks on the Girose glacier operated in partnership with La Grave Guides Office, available on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
• Mountain Biking Pass Summer-season cable car access product for downhill mountain biking, sold as a 5-climb pack or day pass.
• Paragliding Pass Summer paragliding access pass sold as a 5-ascents pack to 3200m, with a complimentary cable car return if takeoff is not possible.
• Themed Exploration Trails (Sensation and Contemplation at 2400m) Self-guided educational trails at the 2400m and 3200m stations covering high-mountain themes, fauna, geology, glaciers and flora, with orientation tables identifying Alpine peaks.
• AEON Flexipass Pay-per-use season membership (€15) granting access to La Grave alongside the other Oisans AEON domains, positioned as an entry-level pass linking all four areas.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-minute ascent from 1525m to 3200m altitude
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SATA GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Parent company that created SATG as subsidiary to operate La Grave cable cars under Délégation de Services Publiques contract. SATA Group holds DSPs for Alpe d'Huez (1959), La Grave (2017), and Les 2 Alpes (2020). 800 employees across three sites, 100% based in Oisans.
• ESA (European Space Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific partner conducting research at the high-altitude glacier site for environmental and climate studies.
• La Grave Guides OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal mountain guides providing guided glacier walks (Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays), crevasse visits, and mountaineering excursions. Located at cable car ticket offices for convenient booking.
• Assur'GlisseminorOthersInsurance partner offering Assur'Glisse policies for ski and accident coverage. SATG is registered as Insurance Intermediary (MIA) with ORIAS #20000978, regulated by ACPR.
• LinkBusminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTransport partner providing shuttle service from Lyon Saint-Exupéry and Turin airports to La Grave.
• Autocars Resalp (LER35)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBus service partner connecting Grenoble Saint-Geoirs airport and Grenoble city to La Grave.
• Taxi de la MeijeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal taxi service providing transport connections between La Grave and surrounding areas.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Compagnie des Alpes: Europe's largest ski resort operator, managing 11 major French ski domains including Val d'Isère, Tignes, Les Arcs, La Plagne, and Chamonix. Direct business model overlap (cable car / ski lift operations, season passes, multi-domain products) at much larger scale; competes for the same French ski customer wallet share.
• Val Thorens: Highest ski resort in Europe (2,300-3,200m) operated by Compagnie des Alpes, focused on year-round operations and high-altitude skiing. Comparable for high-altitude positioning and cable car/lift infrastructure, but a fully commercialized mass-market resort.
• Tignes: Major French ski resort with glacier skiing and year-round ski operations, operated by Compagnie des Alpes. Comparable for cable car infrastructure, season pass products, and summer skiing viability, but operates a much more commercialized traditional resort.

Direct peers

• Saas-Fee: Swiss car-free glacier ski village with a similar positioning as an 'authentic' high-altitude freeride destination above 3,000m. Comparable for high-altitude glacier skiing, throughput control philosophy, and authentic alpine village identity vs. mass-market resorts.
• Chamonix Mont-Blanc: Legendary French alpine destination for off-piste skiing, mountaineering, and high-mountain cable car access (Aiguille du Midi via Compagnie du Mont-Blanc). Closely comparable for international enthusiast draw, mountaineering heritage, and high-altitude cable car infrastructure.
• Alpe d'Huez (SATA Group sister resort): Sister property under SATA Group, a large French ski resort with extensive groomed piste network. Comparable as a French alpine cable car and ski lift operation sharing the AEON Flexipass, but operates a much more traditional, family-oriented resort model.
• Engelberg-Titlis: Swiss cable car and ski resort with glacier skiing above 3,000m and a strong off-piste reputation. Comparable for high-altitude cable car infrastructure, glacier skiing proposition, and international enthusiast draw.
• Les 2 Alpes (SATA Group sister resort): Sister property under SATA Group offering glacier skiing in the French Alps, sharing the AEON Flexipass cross-domain platform. Closely comparable for high-altitude skiing, season pass structure, and customer cross-sell, though more commercialized and groomed than La Grave's off-piste identity.
• Cervinia (Cervino Ski Paradise): Italian high-altitude glacier ski area linked to Zermatt, offering summer skiing and 3,800m+ terrain. Comparable for high-altitude glacier cable car operations and cross-border alpine destination positioning.
• Compagnie du Mont-Blanc: Operates the Aiguille du Midi cable car and Mont-Blanc Tramway in the French Alps, providing high-altitude glacier access at 3,842m. Closest direct comparable as a French alpine cable car operator delivering scenic and high-mountain experiences with similar throughput control and ticketing structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/telepheriquelagrave
• Xx.com/satg05320

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about La Grave