The Minister for the Ecological Transition was indignant in a tweet about the decision to snowmake a ski resort in the Haute-Garonne by Helicopter. Elisabeth Borne announced that she would meet with the Secretary of State for Tourism and Foreign Trade and the players concerned "in the coming days".

"Snowing ski resorts by helicopter is not a possible route," said Minister of Ecological Transition Elisabeth Borne on Sunday, after the decision of the Haute-Garonne departmental council to dump snow by helicopter on the resort. Luchon-Superbagnères. "We will bring together with Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne (Secretary of State for Tourism and Foreign Trade) the actors concerned in the coming days," she added in a tweet.

Snow plating #ski stations by # helicopter is not an option. We will bring together with @JBLemoyne the players concerned in the coming days. https://t.co/V1uobKhy8n

- Elisabeth BORNE (@Elisabeth_Borne) February 16, 2020

The scope of this consultation, which will take place during the week, is not yet precisely fixed, it should in any case bring together the heads of the ski area of ​​France, it was said Sunday to his cabinet. The message from Elisabeth Borne was clear with this tweet: it was a question of putting a quick stop, because it is not possible to repeat such very polluting operations, wanted to emphasize one of his advisers at the AFP.

A cost estimated between 5,000 and 6,000

This meeting also aims to seek solutions for local elected officials, snow transport by trucks being also problematic, according to the same source. In order to compensate for the lack of snow in the Pyrenean resort, the Haute-Garonne departmental council had taken a spectacular step, by having snow delivered by helicopter on certain sections on Friday and Saturday.

A helicopter to snow a runway at the Luchon Superbagnères station. Against a bare mountain background. In the middle of winter.

I find this video very sad.

Source: https://t.co/9j6TOHw8TQpic.twitter.com/HqbQtteI9v

- Hugo Clément (@hugoclement) February 15, 2020

It took two and a half hours by helicopter to transport some 50 tonnes of snow. The cost is estimated between 5,000 and 6,000 euros, but "in terms of return on investment, it must multiply at least by ten", had justified the joint union overseeing this station. According to the union, between 50 and 80 people will be able to work thanks to this operation: station staff, but also monitors, equipment rental companies, restaurateurs.

The initiative, which is very expensive and not very ecological in terms of CO2 emissions, has aroused a wave of very critical reactions in the media, while the government is putting forward the environmental priority to reduce CO2 emissions.