Definition: Funivigne

Local term for a monorail funicular installed in the vineyards. The leaves, yellow, then red, then rust-coloured, have finally fallen. The landscape, dotted with thousands of stakes and black vines, reveals the incredible architecture of this terraced vineyard. Before Christmas, the winegrower will have to replace the soil lost to erosion and fill in the gullies carved out by the summer rains.

Today, most of the work is done using motorised wheelbarrows or an ingenious little monorail funicular, known as the 'funivigne'. But in Lavaux, to reach the steepest plots, you still need a man's back and a basket.

The funivigne is used for many transport tasks throughout the season and, of course, for transporting grapes and workers during the harvest, etc. On a rail, suspended between the void and infinity, a man and his machine make their way.

This strange machine looks like an indecisive caterpillar venturing onto a spider's web. Its head, a powerful, purring tractor, is attached to a single rack that winds majestically above the vines. It is followed by two wagons loaded with soil, equipment or grapes, depending on the season.

The petrol-powered Monorack system is a unique and highly economical transport system for steep and uneven terrain. Depending on the model, the payload is between 200 and 500 kg. An electric version is also available. It can adapt to terrain with gradients of up to 100% and curves with a radius of 4 m. It crosses ditches on bridges. It can stop anywhere, wherever the terrain allows, to unload or load. A dual independent braking system and an overspeed safety brake ensure optimum safety over distances of up to 1,200 m.

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