Ski resorts have few year-round inhabitants. But in winter, tourists from all over Europe flock to the foot of Mont Blanc. Francioli was asked to renovate and install free-access public toilets in the heart of Chamonix town centre.
Chamonix is a small town that welcomes a large number of tourists each year
Located in the Haute-Savoie department, Chamonix Mont-Blanc is one of France's largest ski resorts. The town has fewer than 10,000 year-round inhabitants. During the winter season, the number of tourists visiting the foot of Mont Blanc is around 2.5 million per year.
Due to the large influx of winter tourists, both on the ski slopes and in the shops in town, the small town of Chamonix can become quickly overwhelmed. And that can make it difficult to find a toilet in a hurry. The few in existence are quite dilapidated.
New toilet facilities for locals and tourists alike
Unhygienic, dilapidated and run-down, the old toilets were in dire need of replacement. The commune of Chamonix called Francioli to oversee the project, as they specialise in the construction of public toilets.
Two public toilet cabins have now been installed in the heart of Chamonix town centre. These facilities are essential for locals and the large number of tourists visiting the resort each year. To make life easy, the toilets are clearly marked on Chamonix’ public toilets map.
Ease of installation
The cabins were fabricated beforehand to avoid disrupting traffic in the town. They were then transported to the site and installed in a single day.
""Ease of installation is an important aspect for a town like Chamonix: mountain towns can be difficult to access, especially in winter"", says Jean-François Chmara, Francioli's Business Manager.
Modern toilets at reasonable prices
Francioli, which manufactures all its products in France, has teamed up with a local wood supplier to offer a wood cladding finish reminiscent of a mountain chalet.
“Our mission in Chamonix was to provide low-cost facilities that would be practical, hygienic, easy to maintain, aesthetically pleasing and which would fit in with the urban landscape”, explains Jean-François Chmara.
Public toilets that operate themselves (almost)
Remote maintenance contracts are also available when the toilets have been installed. This covers maintenance and cleaning of the public toilets, as well as improving availability of the toilets.
""Cleaning product replenishment is managed remotely. Managers receive alerts of faults or low stock levels directly on their software. This enables cleaning and maintenance operations to be planned ahead and orders to be placed, guaranteeing the quality of the services"", explains Jean-François Chmara.
Summer and winter use
According to Francioli's Jean-François Chmara, ""In Chamonix, we developed a cabin that is heated automatically by a blower system, keeping the temperature pleasant for users, even in the depths of winter"". The toilets can therefore be used at any time of the year, in summer or winter.
