The big chopper builds the new Plan Praz lift

Many were woken up by the chopper which, flying in from specialists in Switzerland, started work early in the morning to lift and position eight of the 15 new pylons that will make up the new lift line. The heli did a total of 37 rotations to complete the job on the lift which is due to open for this coming winter.

The project has not been without its critics, as many locals believe the lift doesn't provide sufficient car parking, especially with the fact that the number of skiers the lift can carry is going to double to 3000 per hour. Local paper the Dauphine Libere mentions that there are in fact plans to build a funicular from the town centre to cut out the parking chaos (or that long, steep slog up the hill!), but nothing is confirmed.

There's also been much talk about what is going to happen to the old concrete pylones. The new ones have been planted 15m to the side of the old ones, which in itself means more of the forest has been chopped down to accomodate this, leaving a very visible scar on the hillside. It seems nothing will be dismantled for at least two years, as it's s very costly exercise and the project needs more investigation with Compagnie du Mont Blanc and the commune working together to decide the best course of action. Word has it that one of the pylones will be kept and decorated as a bit of a landmark to the lift which was built in 1928! If Banksy likes a bit of snowboarding, maybe he'd be interested in personalising it?!

This very visible and audible project is the biggest lift construction work in the Alps this year, alongside a new funitel at Puy de Dome, with each project costing a hefty 13 million euros. Let's hope it opens on time!