The access route to the Grande Dixence site will be practicable again on Saturday, from 6:00 am. Its closure will have lasted four weeks.
Access to the site had been fully prohibited since July 16 following falling stone falls endangering the safety of visitors and site workers. “The conditions are now met to welcome the public again safely,” said the president of Hérémence, Grégory Logean, in a statement published on Tuesday morning.
A surveillance system in place
The execution of security work and the implementation of surveillance measures carried out in concert between the municipality of Hérémence, the Valais service of mobility, the service of natural dangers as well as the company Grande Dixence will end at the end of the week
As of Saturday, road access will be reopened with the implementation of an automatic monitoring device coupled with traffic lights and active observation of the sector.
The Grande Dixence site thus regains its full accessibility, with the exception of two zones: the southern sector of the car park located at the foot of the dam and the east side of the coronation of the dam. Consequently, the zipline remains closed for security reasons.
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Good news for tourism
The reopening of the road will have an impact on local tourism. The restaurant and the hotel of the dam will be accessible again and the cable car connecting the foot of the dam to its coronation will be operational. Each year, 100,000 people go there.
Guided tours inside the book will be offered again. Finally, all of the walking paths approved in the sector will be accessible again, specifies the municipality.