Based near Grenoble and present in 90 countries, Poma, the manufacturer of Téléo in Toulouse, is a world leader in cable transport. Interview with its president, Jean Souchal.

Are there examples of urban cable cars that have become touristic?

There is the example of New York between Manhattan and Roosevelt Island, a 1976 cable car rebuilt by Poma. People take it to discover the city, especially at nightfall. In addition to serving the inhabitants of the island, this function has been added. I am also thinking of New Orleans, where we built a cable car that linked two neighborhoods by flying over the Mississippi for 700 meters, in the middle of the bayous. He too had acquired a dual use. It was dismantled a few years ago following bankruptcy when the boats for the crossing became free. Last year, we built a cable car in Namur, Belgium, to reach the citadel. I also have the example of Medellin, Colombia. The first cable car we integrated rests on the hillsides. People used it to come and discover different neighborhoods. In three or four years, the crime rate has been divided by 80. We have redone four sections of gondolas, in particular to connect a natural park. It is yet another example of the marriage of the urban and a complementary tourist use.

In Toulouse, can Téléo become a tourist attraction?

When you’re in this device, you see the city differently. The more than 50,000 users of the open house weekend present this attraction. There is a notion of travel, of dreams, and not just of business trips. In New York, the cable car is called the poetic transport. I think there will be a double use.

Téléo, the third urban cable car in France, will it give rise to projects?

Yes, there will be babies. The cable car solution is really in the minds of planners when the other systems stall. There are many projects in France. And Toulouse is a demonstration of what we know how to do.