A major renovation project has begun at Le Castellet International Airport with the demolition of its runway. The airfield was built in 1962 by Paul Ricard and it has since become an international airport, especially useful for the nearby racetrack and for Riviera resorts such as Cannes and Saint-Tropez.

The work is to be undertaken by construction company Colas over a period of two months, and will include removing the top layer of asphalt, repairing and relaying the pavement base and then resurfacing with a tarmac layer. The runway will comply with EASA's new European and International standard. In addition to work on its infrastructure, runway marker lighting and control systems will be completely overhauled.

A performance contract has been signed for the next 25 years covering maintenance and upkeep, ensuring long-term, high quality services are provided as part of a sustainable investment approach. Colas and the airport are working with a project management group specialised in airport structural engineering. The undertaking is set to cost around four million euros and is fully financed by the airport.

Although helicopter flights will be maintained while work is done on the runway on the final approach and take off area next to hangar H5, the main runway is set to reopen to other aircraft on 8 January, 2022.

This renovation is the start of substantial work on areas of the airport's sustainable development policy. The construction techniques used during this project have been carefully designed to limit its environmental impact. All site materials will be reused or recycled, and the use of two-way freight flows will optimise transport and help to reduce the amount of HGV traffic for deliveries. Similarly, asphalt materials will include a high proportion of recycled tarmac, enabling the use of tarmac, quarry stone and aggregates to be reduced.

Construction work is also to be undertaken in the terminal building to modernise the passenger hospitality area with new lighting, flooring, painting and air conditioning.