At least 100 people were left hanging in the French Alps on Sunday after a cable railway broke down, requiring rescuers to use helicopters to bring some to safety, French media reported.

No injuries were reported so far at the Chamrousse ski resort in south-eastern France, said radio station France Info.

The regional broadcaster France Bleu Isere put the number of people left dangling in the cable cars as high as 160.

It is unclear what caused the cable railway system to malfunction.

The ski resorts are currently bustling with tourists thanks to the Christmas holidays and prime weather conditions for winter sports.