Toulouse: on board with the first passengers of the Téléo weekend, the largest urban cable car in France
Immersion alongside the first passengers of the largest urban cable car in France: Téléo, in Toulouse. Between sensation and pleasure for the eyes.
It’s 30 degrees, the sun is beating down on your necks. On the parking lot of the Oncopole in Toulouse, this Saturday, a few parking spaces are still free. People in fluorescent pink polo shirts distribute documentation on Téléo, the largest urban cable car in France, which takes over on Friday and can be taken free of charge until midnight on Sunday. And the news does seem circular since many curious people have made the trip. “There are people since this morning but it’s very fluid”, slip one of them before directing the public towards the departure of the cable car.
In the queue, the excitement can be read on the faces of young and old. “It’s even when the biggest in France and it’s in Toulouse, I couldn’t miss it”, slips excitedly, Françoise, retired who wanted to be among the first to board. “I’ve already made the outward journey and I never tire of the view. Plus it’s spacious, it’s cool and it’s very quiet,” she adds before stepping into it. Once the twenty people are placed inside, the cable car starts.
“It’s still crazy”
“Take off,” laughs one of the travelers who came out of curiosity to try out the device. “I think it’s the first and last time I’ll use it, but it’s still crazy to have such a machine in Toulouse, I wanted to see it to believe it”, he confides before leaving. his camera to capture the experience. Just behind him, two young women smoke themselves in a photo with the Garonne in the background. “I was a little scared, I admit, but in fact it’s soft, fluid and super pleasant. I’m glad I did, ”laughs the young woman. “It’s not impossible that I use it from time to time to get to work,” confides her neighbor, mobile phone in hand. The children on board chain the “wows” and the cries of happiness with each “sensation”. First stop at the Rangueil hospital.
The Altiservice and Tisséo teams take the time to ask passengers how they feel about the experience before letting the cabin go. After a few minutes, it’s already the end of the round. Arrival at Paul Sabatier University. There, the queue for the return journey lengthens as the minutes go by. After more than 20 minutes of waiting under the blazing sun, it’s time to board again. “It’s a bit like a merry-go-round”, laughs a Toulouse woman who came with her friends to “do the test”. “I had seen on the internet that we could try, I took photos on social networks to make my friends angry,” she smiles. For those who still want to try the experience for free, it’s until Sunday evening 12:30 a.m. From Monday, you will have to do without a classic transport ticket to board.