Purpose Power Opening date 1952 Construction started 1948 Catchment area 171 km² Owner Électricité de France | Status Operational Type of dam Arch Opened 1952 Create Lac du Chevril Construction began 1948 | |
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Similar Alps, Roselend Dam, Grand‑Maison Dam, Aiguille de la Grande Sassière, Bissorte Dam | ||
The Tignes Dam, also known as the Chevril Dam, is an arch dam on the Isère River in the municipality of Tignes in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. In planning since the 1920s and under the protest of locals, the dam was constructed between 1948 and 1952 with the purpose of hydroelectric power. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest dam in Europe. Water from the dam's reservoir, Lac du Chevril, feeds two power stations, the 96 MW Brevieres Power Station and the 332 MW Malgovert Power Station, for a total installed capacity of 428 MW. Brevieres is located about 1 km (0.62 mi) downstream of the dam and Malgovert is also located downstream, 17 km (11 mi) to the northwest at 45°37′04.28″N 6°47′25.31″E. The dam was designed by Coyne & Bellier and is currently owned and operated by Électricité de France. Lac du Chevril flooded the town of Tignes which was relocated nearby.
Map of Barrage de Tignes, 73320 Tignes, France
In 1989, in preparation for the 1992 Winter Olympics, Jean-Marie Pierret painted a fresco of the Olympian figure Hercules on the dam's face. The feat, by Pierret and eight other painters, took 60 days.
The dam plays an important part in the French supernatural drama television series The Returned.