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84-542: The agreement between France and Italy on building a tunnel was signed in 1949. Two operating companies were founded, each responsible for one half of the tunnel: the French Autoroutes et tunnel du Mont-Blanc (ATMB), founded on 30 April 1958, and the Italian Società italiana per azioni per il Traforo del Monte Bianco (SITMB), founded on 1 September 1957. Drilling began in 1959 and was completed in 1962;

168-570: A cable car to the summit, the Téléphérique de l'Aiguille du Midi , was originally proposed around 1909, but did not come into operation until 1955 when it held the title of the world's highest cable car for about two decades. It still holds the record as the highest vertical ascent cable car in the world, from 1,035 to 3,842 m (3,396 to 12,605 ft). There are two sections: from Chamonix to Plan de l'Aiguille at 2,317 m (7,602 ft) and then directly, without any support pillar, to

252-478: A tripoint between France, Italy and Switzerland; it also marks the border between two climate regions by separating the northern and western Alps from the southern Alps. The mountains of the massif consist mostly of granite and gneiss rocks and at high altitudes the vegetation is an arctic-alpine flora. The valleys that delimit the massif were used as communication routes by the Romans until they left around

336-749: A body on the Glacier du Talèfre, close to the Couvercle Hut. It was identified as that of a young Chamonix guide who had been caught in a winter storm during a solo ascent of the Nant Blanc face of the Aiguille Verte in 1982 and was assumed to have fallen into a crevasse. In 2013, a box of valuable gemstones was found by a climber on the Bossons Glacier. It had re-emerged, having been carried 3,048 metres (10,000 ft) downhill from

420-483: A code of practice put in place which requires an annual declaration of all finds to be made. It also gives a right for the Chamonix crystal museum (Musée des Cristaux) to have first option to acquire specimens of significance for its collections. To further protect the scientific value of material collected, all specimens offered for sale must be labelled with details of where they were found. The crystal museum opened to

504-576: A distance of just 8 kilometres (5.0 mi). Because of its great elevation, much of the massif is snow- and ice-covered, and has been deeply dissected by glaciers. The Mer de Glace is the longest glacier in the range as well as the longest in France and the second longest in the Alps. The debris-covered Miage Glacier on the southern side of the massif is the longest in Italy. The summit of Mont Blanc

588-658: A meagre harvest of rye and oats . Some farmers in the valley of Chamonix joined their counterparts from the neighbouring valleys of Maurienne , Beaufortain and Tarentaise and crossed the Alps into southern Germany, Austria and northern Italy to sell their products and bring back goods for sale in local markets. In 1741, the Chamouny valley and its glaciers on the north side of the massif were discovered and written about by two aristocratic travelling Englishmen, named William Windham and Richard Pococke . The descriptions of their exploits were published across Europe, bringing

672-579: A number of articles on the flora around the Mont Blanc area, including a list of the flowering plants, ferns mosses and lichens found at les Grands Mulets and elsewhere in the massif around Chamonix and the Aosta Valley. High up in the middle of the Glacier de Talèfre, completely surrounded by ice, and due south of Les Droites, lies a large triangular region of steep mountainside containing an unusual mixture of high-alpine vegetation. Known as

756-553: A significant impact on the environment and on human activity. In 1892, a large body of water which had accumulated under the surface of the Tête Rousse Glacier , burst suddenly on the night of 11 July. It released 200,000 cubic metres (7,100,000 cu ft) of water and ice which flowed down the mountainside, killing 175 people in Saint-Gervais. The recent rediscovery of a further build-up of water deep within

840-700: A small population of albino marmots within Val Ferret). Eurasian lynx have been reintroduced into the French Alps and, although present around the Mont Blanc massif, are extremely unlikely to be encountered. Over 80 different bird species have been recorded on the Italian side of the massif from within Val Ferret, including 63 nesting species and nine regional or national rarities. The following birds have been recorded in different habitats right across

924-480: A sprinkler system and other safety maintenance. In 1997, a fire detection system was installed along with centralized safety equipment management, and new variable message signs . On the morning of 24 March 1999, the engine of a Belgian transport truck carrying volatile freight caught fire in the tunnel . The event expanded into a catastrophe which killed 39 people. The fire led to a tunnel closure until 9 March 2002. The reopening followed an extensive overhaul of

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1008-496: A tunnel underneath Mont Blanc to avoid the need for long journeys dates back to the nineteenth century during the heyday of the railway. However, the idea did not receive widespread attention until 1907, when Francesco Farinet, a Member of Parliament of the Aosta Valley, advocated constructing of the tunnel. In 1908, a first design was presented by French engineer Arnold Monod, to much interest from Italian and French politicians. Due to political turmoil and World War I and World War II,

1092-499: Is 46 kilometres (29 mi) long and lies in a southwest to northeasterly direction across the borders of France ( Haute-Savoie and Savoie ), Italy ( Aosta Valley ) and Switzerland (western Valais ). At its widest point the massif is 20 km (12 mi) across. The northwestern side of the massif lies mostly within France, and is bounded by the valley of the Arve , containing the towns of Argentière , Chamonix and Les Houches . To

1176-513: Is access by cable car to a nearby peak on the Italian side, called Skyway Monte Bianco , with a vertical lift of 2,166 m, and a cable car from that peak to Aiguille du Midi. This is only open in the summer. At the mountain's summit there is a panoramic viewing platform, a snack bar, a café, a restaurant, and a gift shop. Even in summer, temperatures in the open viewing areas can fall to −10 °C (14 °F), and visitors require both warm clothing and protection from very bright sunlight. Because of

1260-433: Is allowed to transit the tunnel to ensure a safety distance between them. Within the tunnel, a minimum speed of 50 km/h and a maximum speed of 70 km/h applies, while the prescribed distance between vehicles is 150 m; trucks are allowed to enter in groups of five. These security measures were taken as a consequence of the 1999 tunnel fire. Pedestrians can cross the tunnel by bus; bicycles can also be carried through

1344-516: Is an ice cap whose thickness varies from year to year. The entire massif can be circumnavigated by the Tour du Mont Blanc , a walking route of approximately 170 kilometres (110 mi). It usually takes around 11 days to complete, but is also used for an annual mountain ultramarathon , with top competitors expected to complete the whole route in less than 21 hours. The main mountain passes, or cols , that connect different valleys and towns around

1428-569: Is bounded to the east by a separate valley, confusingly also called Val Ferret , and which separates it from the Pennine Alps . Its watercourse, la Dranse de Ferret , flows northwards to join the Rhône at Martigny . The west side of the northern end of the massif is drained by the Trient , also joining the Rhône near Martigny. The borders of all three countries converge at a tripoint near

1512-581: Is distributed fairly evenly over all months of the year, and mostly originates from a westerly airflow. There is, however, significant variation in precipitation with altitude. For example, Chamonix has an elevation of approximately 1,030 metres (3,380 ft) and receives around 1,020 mm (40 in) of annual precipitation, whilst the Col du Midi, which is at 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) above sea level, receives significantly more, totalling 3,100 mm (122 in). However, at an even higher altitude (near to

1596-404: Is further influenced by the different aspects of the faces, by the geology, and by the influence of man on the lower and middle slopes where forest clearance has created open grassland . The native forest habitats are essential for the survival of many species, with the key conifer species including larch, pine, stone pine and red pine. Over a thousand plant species have been recorded across

1680-439: Is known today that at least 68 separate mineral species occur across the whole range of the Mont Blanc massif. In order to preserve the mineralogical heritage of Mont Blanc, in 2008 the commune of Chamonix banned all mineral-hunting activities and collection of specimens without a prior permit being issued by the mayor 's office. Use of explosives , heavy machinery or helicopters for removing material were also banned, and

1764-505: Is located at 2,173 m (7,129 ft) above sea level, and is the highest botanical garden in Europe. It contains around 800 plant species and covers an area of 7,000 square metres (75,000 sq ft). It was originally created in 1987 just as a tourist attraction but, with the subsequent designation of the adjacent Pavillon du Mont Frety as a protected area, it has since increased in scientific importance. It can be reached either from

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1848-401: Is located has been occupied by humans for at least 70,000 years, although, as now—and because of the great height and glaciated nature of the mountains—only the lower parts of the valleys around its perimeter would have been inhabited or used as routes of communication. The Romans, who occupied the region 2,000 years ago, used the main valleys around the massif for military purposes. They gave

1932-404: Is now a major tourist destination, drawing in over six   million visitors per year. It provides a wide range of opportunities for outdoor recreation and activities such as sight-seeing, hiking , rock climbing , mountaineering and skiing . Around one hundred people a year die across its mountains and, occasionally, bodies have been lost and entombed in its glaciers for decades. Access into

2016-401: Is significantly less than that in either Courmayeur or Chamonix. The massif contains a very rich variety of biodiversity as a result of the huge height range and different habitats found between the valleys and the highest summits. Mild temperatures occur at altitudes between 600 and 1,000 metres (2,000 and 3,300 ft), whereas arctic conditions occur from 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) up to

2100-746: The Dora Baltea towards Aosta , eventually joining the Po. However, the extreme western end of the southern side of the massif does lie within France and is bounded by the Vallée des Glaciers (which connects to the Val Veny over the watershed of the col de la Seigne), and its waters flow southwards towards the Isère and onwards to the Rhône. The northernmost section of the massif falls within Switzerland, and

2184-508: The Jardin de Talèfre , its name derives from the rich assemblage of plants which occur at great altitude there (between 2,650 and 3,000 m (8,690 and 9,840 ft)). Described as "one of the loftiest patches of vegetation in Europe upon an islet of rock in the midst of a wilderness of snow and ice", it is higher than the adjacent ground by tens of metres and, as a result, was spared glacial scouring and subsequent loss of its vegetation during

2268-1030: The Little Ice Age (between 1300 and 1850). Nevertheless, it would at that time still have been surrounded by ice on all three sides, as evidenced by the three glacial moraines found there today. Species recorded there include: Achillea nana ; Alchemilla pentaphylla ; Arenaria biflora  [ de ] ; Arenaria serpyllifolia ; Cardamine alpina ; Draba frigida ; Empetrum nigrum ; Epilobium alpinum ; Helictotrichon versicolor  [ pl ] ; Homogyne alpina ; Jacobaea incana ; Juncus trifidus ; Kalmia procumbens ; Poa laxa  [ pl ] ; Potentilla frigida  [ de ] ; Ranunculus glacialis ; Ranunculus pyrenaeus  [ de ] ; Saxifraga aspera ; Saxifraga bryoides ; Saxifraga oppositifolia ; Sedum alpestre  [ es ] ; Sibbaldia procumbens and Trifolium alpinum . The Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden above Courmayeur

2352-556: The Pennine Alps and the Bernese Alps . The first ascent of Mont Blanc in 1786 by Jacques Balmat and Michel Paccard initiated the sport of alpine mountaineering, and it was during the golden age of alpinism (1854–65) and the silver age of alpinism (1865–82) that the majority of the main summits of the massif were first attained. Members of the England-based Alpine Club were instrumental in many of

2436-593: The 5th century AD, they had left completely. The areas left behind were occupied in the western part by the Burgundian tribes from what is today France, whilst the Alemanni tribes from Germany moved into eastern parts, resulting in the linguistic divide found today across the Alps. For many centuries thereafter, the settlements around the Mont Blanc massif comprised a rural population of peasant mountain farmers, living off animal husbandry , supplemented with

2520-435: The 5th century AD. The region remained of some military importance through to the mid-20th century. A peasant farming economy operated within these valleys for many centuries until the glaciers and mountains were "discovered" by the outside world in the 18th century. Word of these impressive sights began to spread, and Mont Blanc was first climbed in 1786, marking the start of the sport of mountaineering. The region

2604-433: The Chamonix valley by Charles Albert of Sardinia for reconstructing the towns of Sallanches and Cluses , both of which had at that time just been destroyed by fires. The massif has been an important source of mineral specimens for crystal -hunters for over 250 years. The mountaineer and explorer, Edward Whymper , noted that the basin of the Glacier de Talèfre was "considered good hunting-ground for crystals", and that

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2688-692: The Italian side from 1 January 2022 (22% VAT included) Mont Blanc Tunnel Tolls on the French side from 1 January 2022 (20% VAT included) Aiguille du Midi The Aiguille du Midi ( French pronunciation: [eɡɥij dy midi] , "Needle at midday" ) is a 3,842-metre-tall (12,605 ft) mountain in the Mont Blanc massif within the French Alps . It is a popular tourist destination and can be directly accessed by cable car from Chamonix that takes visitors close to Mont Blanc. The idea for

2772-589: The Italian town of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley . This makes it possible to travel "by air" from Chamonix, France to Courmayeur, Italy – a route normally traversed by the highway running through the Mont Blanc Tunnel . Several routes for fit, experienced mountaineers can either start or finish at the Aiguille du Midi, although the nearby Cosmiques Refuge is the best starting point for

2856-549: The Miage Glacier and the Brenva Glacier, are very heavily covered in rock debris. The massif is itself defined by broad valleys which formed along fault lines and which have subsequently been shaped by ice during the last glacial period of the ice age. During the mid-19th century the granite of the Mont Blanc massif was an important source of stone for buildings; one hundred Italian stonemasons were brought to

2940-657: The Miage Glacier is Italy's longest glacier and also the largest debris-covered glacier in Europe. Other large glaciers include the Argentière Glacier (9 km (5.6 mi)), the Saleina Glacier (6 km (3.7 mi)), Trient Glacier (4 km (2.5 mi)), the Bossons Glacier ( c. 4 km (2.5 mi)) and the Brenva Glacier. Whilst these glaciers appear to show similar fluctuations in length, research shows that each glacier of

3024-413: The Mont Blanc massif are: The Mont Blanc massif includes eleven independent and six subsidiary summits over 4,000 metres (13,123 ft) in height. These (including Mont Blanc) are shared between Italy and France only, the highest in Switzerland being the Aiguille d'Argentière. The massif is amongst the three major subranges of the Alps having the highest concentration of four-thousanders, together with

3108-599: The Mont Blanc massif has its own individual and distinctive response time to changes in snowfall and climate. The Bossons Glacier is known to respond first, then the Argentière and the Trient Glaciers respond four to seven years later, with the Mer de Glace reacting last —between eleven and fifteen years after changes are first observed in the movement of ice in the Bossons Glacier. Even the smallest glaciers can have

3192-496: The Mont Blanc massif, all of which can be easily reached or viewed. Glaciers cover 170 square kilometres (66 sq mi) of the massif, of which 110 km (42 sq mi) fall within France. The Mer de Glace is the largest glacier in the western Alps , and the second largest in Europe. It has a total length of 12 km (7.5 mi) from highest snowfield to terminus and an area of 35–40 km (14–15 sq mi). At around 10 km (6 mi) in length,

3276-471: The Mont Blanc massif: Seven of the massif's largest indigenous mammal species are housed in the Merlet Animal Park near Les Houches, including ibex, chamois, marmot, fallow and roe deer . Located 600 metres (2,000 ft) above the village, the park was founded in 1968 and contains eighty animal species from mountain habitats around the world. The region in which the Mont Blanc massif

3360-533: The Rocher Rouges, high up on Mont Blanc, during an expedition organised by Joseph Hamel  [ de ] . Forty years later the remains of two of them were discovered, re-exposed within fissures in the Bossons glacier. They were 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) lower down from the point where they were lost; the corpse of the third guide was discovered the following year. In 2014, a group of climbers found

3444-642: The Tour of Mont Blanc. When Savoy was eventually annexed to France in 1860, Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie visited the region to mark the event and undertook to enhance road access leading to the end of the Arve valley. The 19th century saw considerable economic development which turned the small agricultural town of Chamonix into a base for tourists, with luxurious hotels and mountain lodges being built to accommodate them. A trade in selling local items to visiting foreigners soon developed. Crystals collected from across

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3528-436: The accumulated steeps; Amongst many other notable visitors were: Goethe (1779); Chateaubriand (1805); Madame de Staël ; Victor Hugo ; Louis Pasteur and Franz Liszt (1836), plus two successive wives of Napoleon Bonaparte : Joséphine de Beauharnais (1810) and Marie Louise of Austria (1814). In 1849, John Ruskin spent a month in Chamonix, from where he painted some of the massif's mountains before undertaking

3612-589: The border turns southwards over the Dômes de Miage and Aiguille de Tré la Tête before dropping down to the Col de la Seigne. North of Mont Dolent the border between France and Switzerland meanders roughly north-northwestwards along a ridge-line of slightly lower peaks, including the Aiguille d'Argentière , the Aiguille du Chardonnet and the Aiguille du Tour , before dropping down to the Col de Balme. The Swiss – Italian border runs southwest from Mont Dolent, down to

3696-531: The danger, tourists are unable to leave the visitor facilities on the Midi's summit. However, mountaineers and skiers can pass through a tunnel to reach the steep and extremely exposed ice ridge to descend to the glacier below. In December 2013, a glass skywalk called "Step into the Void" opened at the top of the Aiguille du Midi peak. The view is 1,035 m (3,396 ft) straight down, and one can see Mont Blanc to

3780-448: The earth's crust lifted up schist , gneiss and limestone rocks. These were destined to form the base of the Alps range, and this period of upheaval ended 300   million years ago. Granite intrusions and associated metamorphic rocks formed the base of the mountains we now call the Mont Blanc massif as well as the nearby Aiguilles Rouges . But these rocks were then heavily eroded away, eventually being ground down and inundated by

3864-744: The first ascents, usually accompanied by guides from Chamonix or Courmayeur, such as Michel Croz , Michel Payot and Émile Rey , as well as the Swiss guide, Christian Almer . Across the massif there are now more than two thousand different mountaineering routes to the summits, ranging greatly in both length and difficulty. These attract climbers from all over the world who, unlike the early ascensionists, now have access to numerous climbing guidebooks, modern safety equipment, good information on climbing routes and technical difficulty, as well as weather forecasts and mountain accommodation and food. A wide range of glaciers and glacial structures can be found across

3948-409: The following species of flowering plants amongst rocky debris around permanent snow fields and the highest alpine glaciers: Achillea nana  [ fr ] ; Achillea atrata ; Gentiana nivalis ; Juncus trifidus ; Ranunculus glacialis ; Saxifraga biflora  [ de ] and Saxifraga oppositifolia . In the mid-1800s, Venance Payot , a Chamonix naturalist , published

4032-423: The glacier is now a cause of serious concern. The inexorable downward movement and melting of glaciers can result in objects lost within them reappearing many years later. The first recorded account of a body reappearing from a glacier in the Mont Blanc range was made by Viscount Edmond de Catelin in 1861. It concerned three alpine guides who were buried in a crevasse during an avalanche on 20 August 1820 near

4116-432: The highest point at 4,808 metres (15,774 ft). Whilst the Mont Blanc massif does not contain any species that are endemic to it, there are many rare and legally protected species found within its four major habitat zones. These are the: montane forests , sub-alpine, alpine and nival zones . The major habitats are coniferous forests , moors , rock and talus slopes , plus glacial moraines . The biological richness

4200-572: The highest point in western Europe and the European Union . Because of its considerable overall altitude, a large proportion of the massif is covered by glaciers , which include the Mer de Glace and the Miage Glacier  – the longest glaciers in France and Italy, respectively. The massif forms a watershed between the vast catchments of the rivers Rhône and Po , and

4284-911: The landscape ground down and shaped the mountains and the valleys as seen today. Both the Mont Blanc massif, and the Aiguilles Rouges range to its north, now form part of the external zone of the Alps, effectively being the outermost layers of rock. The central granites make up Mont Blanc, the steep slopes of the Drus , the Grandes Jorasses and the Dent du Géant, and at the highest points are topped by schists, which are visible in places such as Grands Montets and near Mont Blanc's summit. The granite mountains around Chamonix have been eroded into steep needle-shaped peaks (known as aiguilles ). Known locally as protogine , these rocks are lower in

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4368-554: The longer routes: Mont Blanc massif The Mont Blanc massif ( French : Massif du Mont-Blanc ; Italian : Massiccio del Monte Bianco ) is a mountain range in the Alps , located mostly in France and Italy , but also straddling Switzerland at its northeastern end. It contains eleven major independent summits, each over 4,000 metres (13,123 ft) in height. It is named after Mont Blanc (4,808 metres (15,774 ft)),

4452-418: The massif's great overall height, a considerable proportion is permanently glaciated or snow-covered and is exposed to extremely cold conditions. Even on the high passes of the Tour du Mont Blanc, around 2,000 to 2,500 m (6,600 to 8,200 ft), summer temperatures can be between 5 and 15 °C (41 and 59 °F), but feeling much colder because of wind chill in windy or wet conditions. Precipitation

4536-403: The massif, from the valley bottoms right up to 3,800 m (12,500 ft) where the alpine chrysanthemum ( Leucanthemopsis alpina  [ fr ] ) can be found at a record-breaking height. Early explorers, such as Alexander von Humboldt in 1807, observed a number of notable species in the mountains around Mont Blanc at altitudes above 3,100 metres (10,200 feet). This was well above

4620-621: The mid-way station of the Skyway Monte Bianco , or on foot from La Palud within two hours and an ascent of 800 m (2,600 ft). The botanical garden derives its name from the genus of mountain flowers, Saussurea (Saw-worts) which itself was named after Horace-Bénédict de Saussure , whose enthusiasm for scientific research in the mountains led to the first ascent of Mont Blanc in 1786. The mountains around Mont Blanc are home to many mammal species, including ibex, chamois , deer, mountain hare and alpine marmot (including

4704-400: The mineral biotite mica and richer in quartz than the granites commonly found elsewhere. A large part of the massif is covered by ice fields and is cut by numerous glaciers, mostly flowing northwestwards on the French side; southeastwards on the Italian side and eastwards on the Swiss side. With much steeper slopes on the Italian side, many glaciers drop very sharply and some, such as

4788-425: The modern Tour du Mont Blanc walking trail still follow the route of a Roman road along the Col du Bonhomme and the Col de la Seigne. The Romans occupied Martigny to the north of the massif, and their influence spread out well beyond the Alps into much of northern Europe. As a result of aggressive pressure from tribes in the north, the imperial forces of Rome were gradually withdrawn from the alpine regions until, by

4872-462: The months of November and April. The best weather for mountaineering or hiking occurs between late June to early October but, being the highest part of the Alps, the Mont Blanc massif can create its own weather patterns. Temperatures drop as the mountains gain in height, and the summit of Mont Blanc is a permanent ice cap, with temperatures around −20 °C (−4 °F). The summit is also prone to strong winds and sudden weather changes. Because of

4956-399: The mountains is facilitated by cable cars , mountain railways and mountain huts which offer overnight refuge to climbers and skiers. The long-distance Tour du Mont Blanc hiking trail circumnavigates the whole massif in an 11-day trek of 170 kilometres (110 mi). The Mont Blanc Tunnel connects the French town of Chamonix on the northern side with the Italian town of Courmayeur in

5040-416: The mountains of the Mont Blanc range to the attention of a wide audience for the first time. In 1760, Horace-Bénédict de Saussure offered a large financial prize to the first people who successfully ascended Mont Blanc. The summit was finally attained on 8 August 1786 by two Chamonix men, the guide Jacques Balmat and Dr. Michel Paccard . The decades that followed saw the gradual opening up of Chamonix to

5124-730: The name Alpes Penninae , or Poeninae , to the highest parts of the Alps—which extended from Mont Blanc to Monte Rosa . They took over Aosta from the Salassi Celtic tribe in 25 AD and engineered roads which extended northwards into Europe via the Great St Bernard Pass and the Little St Bernard Pass . Courmayeur, on the southern side of the massif, began to develop as a stop-off along their trans-alpine trading routes between Italy and France. Parts of

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5208-609: The northern side of the Swiss Alps . The climate of the Mont Blanc massif is cold and temperate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb ), and is greatly influenced by altitude. The main valley settlements around the perimeter of the massif are at an altitude ranging between 600 and 1,200 metres (2,000 and 3,900 ft). Daytime valley temperatures in July and August may range up to 25 °C (77 °F), sometimes reaching 30 °C (86 °F). The greatest snowfall occurs between

5292-542: The operations are managed by a single entity: MBT-EEIG, controlled by both ATMB and SITMB together, through a 50–50 shares distribution. An alternative route for road traffic between France to Italy is the Fréjus Road Tunnel . Road traffic grew steadily until 1994, even with the opening of the Fréjus tunnel. Since then, the combined traffic volume of the former has remained roughly constant. The idea of building

5376-497: The permanent snow line, but on rocks that were so steep that little snow could rest. These arctic-alpine species included: Androsace carnea  [ es ] ; Androsace chamaejasme  [ de ] ; Arabis caerulea  [ de ] ; Cardamine bellidifolia ; Draba hirta ; Saxifraga androsacea  [ es ] and Silene acaulis (occurring down to 1,500 m (4,900 ft)). Between 2,500 and 3,100 m (8,200 and 10,200 ft), Humboldt noted

5460-501: The project did not start until 1959, when excavations on the tunnel officially began. This was preceded by the signing of a national charter for the tunnel construction, ratified by the parliaments of France (1957) and Italy (1954). That same year, the STMB ( Société du tunnel du Mont Blanc ) was formed, which became ATMB ( Autoroutes et Tunnel du Mont Blanc ) in 1996. In 1962, the French and Italian drilling teams met on 4 August. The opening

5544-488: The public in 2006 and tells the story of the early crystal-hunters (known as cristalliers ). Many specimens collected from across the massif are displayed there. Located on the watershed between the Rhône and the Po , the Mont Blanc massif is also situated between the two different climatic regions of the northern and western Alps and that of the southern Alps. Climatic conditions on the Mer de Glace are similar to those found on

5628-430: The safety features. The highway trunk from Aosta to the tunnel on the Italian side was completed in 2007. In 2010, the average traffic volume was 4,945 vehicles per day, or around 1.80 million vehicles per year. In 2011, there were an average of 5,113 vehicles per day (about 1.87 million vehicles per year). Although several lines of vehicles can queue up at the toll station, only a limited number of vehicles per unit time

5712-616: The sea, so allowing sedimentary rocks to form. Then, once again, this part of the Earth's crust was uplifted as a result of the collision of continental plates . The huge mountain ranges of today's Alps began to form. This happened towards the end of the Tertiary period, 15   million years ago. Finally, came the Quaternary era, when successive ice ages saw vast glaciers advance, retreat, and then advance again. Their movement across

5796-436: The site of one of two Air India plane crashes. These occurred at almost identical locations high up near the summit of Mont Blanc: one in 1950 ( Air India Flight 245 ), and one in 1966 ( Air India Flight 101 ). Debris from these crashes is still commonly found on the glacier below. The Mont Blanc massif consists predominantly of ancient granite rocks. The Alps have their origins 770   million years ago when upheaval of

5880-512: The slopes below les Courtes had yielded many large specimens. He recounted that in 1745 a guide had stated he had collected over 300 pounds (136 kg) of specimens there in just three hours. The first systematic account of the minerals of the Mont Blanc area was published in 1873 by Venance Payot. His list, entitled "Statistique minéralogique des environs du Mt-Blanc", catalogued 90 mineral types although it also included those present only as very small components of rocks. If these are excluded, it

5964-594: The south. A further tourist attraction called "Le Tube" opened in 2016. It consists of an enclosed tubular walkway that completely circles the summit. During summer months only, the Vallée Blanche Cable Car crosses "peak-to-peak" from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner (3,462 m (11,358 ft)) at the Italian side of the Mont Blanc Massif. Pointe Helbronner is served by another cable car, Skyway Monte Bianco, to Entrèves , near

6048-432: The south. The high mountains have provided many opportunities for scientific research, including neutrino measurements within the tunnel and impact of climate change on its highest slopes. Recent rises in average temperatures have led to significant glacial retreat across the massif and an awareness of the need for better environmental protection, including a call for World Heritage Site status. The Mont Blanc massif

6132-496: The summit of Mont Dolent at an altitude of 3,820 metres (12,533 ft). From here the French – Italian border runs southwestwards along a ridge of high summits on the southern side of the massif, many of which are over 4,000 metres (13,123 ft) in height, including the Grandes Jorasses , Rochefort Ridge , Dent du Géant , Mont Maudit , Mont Blanc and its western satellite, the Aiguille de Bionnassay . From here

6216-589: The summit of Mont Blanc) precipitation is considerably less, with only around 1,100 mm (43 in) recorded, despite the latter measurements being taken at a height of 4,300 metres (14,100 ft). In the mountains further south of the Mont Blanc range, annual precipitation is significantly less than at equivalent altitudes within the massif. For example, the valleys in the Pelvoux massif at around 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) receive only around 600 to 700 mm (24 to 28 in) of precipitation per year, which

6300-481: The summit of the Aiguille du Midi . At this spot, it lies 2,480 metres (8,140 ft) beneath the surface, making it the world's second deepest operational tunnel after the Gotthard Base Tunnel . The Mont Blanc Tunnel was originally managed by the two building companies. Following a fire in 1999 in which 39 people died, which showed how lack of coordination could hamper the safety of the tunnel, all

6384-480: The tunnel was opened to traffic on 19 July 1965. The tunnel is 11.611 km (7.215 mi) in length, 8.6 m (28 ft) in width, and 4.35 m (14.3 ft) in height. The passageway is not horizontal, but in a slightly inverted "V", which assists ventilation. The tunnel consists of a single gallery with a two-lane dual direction road. At the time of its construction, it was twice as long as any existing highway tunnel. The tunnel passes almost exactly under

6468-428: The tunnel with a reservation. The tunnel crossing is subject to a toll; the toll differs from Italy to France because of their different VAT rates. In 2013, the one-way ticket for a car was €40.90 (€41.40 on the Italian side), while the return ticket, valid for 7 days, was €51 (€51.60 on the Italian side). In 2016, the one-way ticket for a car cost €43.50 (€44.20 on the Italian side). Mont Blanc Tunnel Tolls on

6552-421: The twin passes of Col Ferret. The massif contains 11 main summits over 4,000 metres (13,123 ft) in altitude, as well as numerous subsidiary points above this height. Crowning the massif is Mont Blanc (4,808 metres (15,774 ft)), the highest mountain in the Alps and in western Europe. From the summit of Mont Blanc to the Arve near Chamonix there is a 3,800 metres (12,500 ft) drop in altitude over

6636-506: The upper station at 3,777 m (the building contains an elevator to the summit). The span of the second section is 2,867 m (1.781 mi) measured directly, but only 2,500 m (1.6 mi) measured horizontally. Thus it remains the second longest span width , measured directly. The cable car travels from Chamonix to the top of the Aiguille du Midi – an altitude gain of over 2,800 m (9,200 ft) – in 20 minutes, costing around €75 for an adult ticket from Chamonix and back. There

6720-599: The west it is bounded by the Val Montjoie, containing Les Contamines-Montjoie and the river Le Bon Nant which flows northwards to a confluence with the Arve near Saint-Gervais-les-Bains , and onwards to the Rhône . The southern side of the massif lies mostly within Italy and is bounded by the Val Veny and Val Ferret whose watercourses meet just above Courmayeur . From Courmayeur these waters flow southwards as

6804-464: The world, as well as the rest of the Mont Blanc massif. The many published accounts of climbs and impressive sights amongst or around the mountain range attracted numerous wealthy and notable visitors, for whom a visit to marvel at the Sea of Ice (the Mer de Glace) became a fashionable thing to experience. In July 1816, Mary Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley toured the Alps and visited Chamouni (as it

6888-428: Was inspired by the river Arve, the snow-covered summits, the chaotic glaciers and the forests that he experienced during their visit. Far, far above, piercing the infinite sky, Mont Blanc appears—still, snowy, and serene— Its subject mountains their unearthly forms Pile around it, ice and rock; broad vales between Of frozen floods, unfathomable deeps, Blue as the overhanging heaven, that spread And wind among

6972-548: Was successful, with an axis variation of less than 13 centimetres (5 inches). The tunnel was inaugurated by the French president, Charles de Gaulle , and the Italian President, Giuseppe Saragat on 16 July 1965. The tunnel opened to traffic on 19 July. Surveillance cameras were installed in 1978. The tunnel underwent extensive modernisation works in 1990, including the addition of safety features such as new video surveillance cameras, 8 pressurized emergency shelters,

7056-544: Was then known), as well as the Mer de Glace and the Bossons Glacier. They jointly published their accounts and letters in a work entitled: History of a Six Weeks' Tour through a part of France, Switzerland, Germany, and Holland; with Letters Descriptive of a Sail Round the Lake of Geneva and of the Glaciers of Chamouni . The book concludes with Mont Blanc , a 144-line poem by Percy Shelley, written whilst in Chamonix and which

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