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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Capucin funicular, located in the commune of Mont-Dore in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, is the first electric funicular built in France. Inaugurated in 1898, he crossed 175 metres of elevation to reach the Salon du Capucin at 1,245 metres. Its line of 448.5 metres, with a maximum inclination of 56%, is operated seasonally and can carry up to 114 passengers per hour.

The construction was supervised by A. Guitton and Cie, with major technical contributions: the winch made by Fournier and Cornue, the Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon electric motor (MFO), and vehicles designed by the Swiss manufacturer Bell. The funicular runs on a single metric track with a central avoidance of type Abt, and its original machinery, still in operation, is visible at the upstream station.

In 1894, the entrepreneur Jean Giraudon obtained a 70-year concession for this project, without a municipal grant. The commissioning took place on 20 June 1898, after work started in 1897. The funicular, registered in historical monuments since 1984, retains its two original cars (1897), classified in 1986. Its energy originally came from a local power plant, which is now destroyed.

The stations, built in basalt bellows (top station) and concrete (lower station, enlarged around 1930 by the architects Jarrier), house spaces dedicated to travellers and machinery. The 607-metre-long railway includes three works of art, including a bridge. The rails, manufactured in 1896 in Bessèges, support 9 metre cars weighing 4.5 tons, capable of accommodating 50 passengers.

The Capucin funicular remains an exceptional testimony of the French industrial heritage, with original machinery and transmission systems, complemented by modern safety features. Managed by the city of Mount Dore since 1950, it is open to the public from spring to autumn, offering stunning views of the Sancy Massif.

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