Emblem of resistance, the Glières plateau will transform by 2026. While many construction projects are in the files of the Department of Haute-Savoie, Martial Saddierits president, announced Thursday evening the construction of a brand new building.
“Since the end of the war, the Department had invested heavily in the first road which was built from Annecy. It was the only historic access gate to the plateau which was equipped with buildings and public services“, he explains. Conversely, the other axis overlooking the valley to the north of Haute-Savoie remained devoid of construction.
Plateau des Glières: a reception building estimated at 2.9 million euros
To transform this area, the Department will bring out of the ground a 500 square meter building on the plateau of Glières. The work estimated at nearly 2.9 million euros should start in June 2026, for delivery in 2027.
As part of the development of the site, the new building will therefore include sanitary facilities and will accommodate premises of alpine equipment rentalwith a waxing room and a ticket office for ski passes and ski schools. “It was a shame, there weren’t even public toilets,” note Martial Saddier.
A place for mountain bike storage with charging stations, a first aid station, the Department’s technical premises (snowmobile garage, two accommodations for seasonal workers) and finally an out-of-school room for schoolchildren, used for shelter and picnics and rest.
A project integrated into the development of the Glières plateau
However, with land classified as natural area (Natura 2000), according to the local town planning plan (PLU) of the commune of Glières-Val-de-Borne, the departmental council announces that it is carrying out studies to “minimize impacts on the natural environment. This is particularly the case for the non-collective sanitation system“. A constraint imposed due to the creation of a sector of limited reception capacity (Stecal).
Architecturally, the project will attempt to integrate the building into the world of the plateau. The main facade topped by a gable roof should be closer to the sizes of the surrounding farms. It also plans a green roof terrace at the rear of the building. This idea comes from the agency WMA architecte in Annecy, who also won the architectural competition on the other side of the plateau to rebuild the first cross-country ski centerbuilt 50 years ago.
