On the high-speed line LGV Sud-Est (Ligne à grande vitesse Sud-Est) between Paris and Lyon renewal of the entire ballast bed has been carried out since 2009. Plasser & Theurer machines have been playing a crucial role in this major construction project.

In 1981, the success story of TGV high-speed trains began in France when the line between Paris and Lyon was opened. From this moment on, the travelling time between the two cities was reduced from four to two hours and its market share was significantly increased compared to domestic flights. Having been in operation for 30 to 35 years, the decision was taken in 2009 to perform ballast renewal on the entire double-track line with a length of more than 800 km in total. The project is scheduled to take twelve years. Now, about half of the planned works have been completed.