Accueil géoportail > S'informer > Actualités > The Tignes dam
09/04/2009
The Tignes dam
One of the tallest dams in Europe, this work of Herculean proportions was originally the object of considerable controversy and its construction transformed both the landscape and the lives of local inhabitants. Today it constitutes a renewable energy source that is of ever increasing value for the future: hydroelectric power.
A Herculean task
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The Tignes dam, or Chevril dam, is in the Tarentaise valley, in Savoie. It was built at an altitude of 1,650 metres, downstream of the source of the river Isere. |
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This 180 metre high construction is one of the biggest dams in Europe. The dam is of the type known as a vault dam, i.e. it is curved in shape. giving it increased flow resistance, which is transferred to the supporting banks. |
Building the dam took place from 1948 to 1952, when a veritable anthill consisting of 5,000 labourers, technicians and engineers was established near the site.
The dam was decorated in 1989 with a fresco depicting Hercules holding up the dam.
This work by artist Jean-Marie Pierret is a good illustration of the enormity of the construction, which is nearly 300 metres long and 50 metres thick, with 20 metre deep foundations - the dam can thus hold back the 235 million cubic metres of water contained in the Lac du Chevril reservoir.
The submerged village
Supplying the dam with water necessitated flooding the village of Tignes and the surrounding hamlets - Grand Pré, Ronnaz, Villarstrassiaz, L'Illaz and la Chaudanne. This involved the rehousing of some 400 people.
The local population took a long time to come to terms with the proposal: before it was even built a long legal battle had begun, and sometimes the site itself was subjected to acts of sabotage.
You can find archive images that appeared in news media at the time on Géoportail (see, in the INA videos layer, the report entitled Les derniers jours de Tignes/Tignes' last days).
Hydroelectricity
The two power stations supplied by the dam at Malgovert and Brévières produce 750 million kWh and 154 million kWh p.a. respectively.
Hydroelectricity is one of the sources of renewable energy that the "Grenelle de l'environnement" (French Environment Summit) wants to see producing 23% of all electricity consumption in France by the year 2020 (directive relating to encouraging the use of power produced by renewable sources of energy / Engagement Grenelle n°7).
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Tignes todayTignes was reborn in1956, but it is very different from the original village: five kilometres further up, in the high mountain pastures, a new ski resort was born. Today, Tignes is one of the most famous Alpine ski resorts in the world. |