Mount Blanc, France

There many excellent places listed in France travel guide as France tourist attractions. Among the places for sightseeing in France, Mount Blanc stands out for the natural opportunities it offers to the visitors. With its rugged and yet hospitable terrain, Mount Blanc massif is a revered place for Alp lovers. Mount Blanc in France means Mont Blanc (white mountain) in French and Monte Bianco (white mountain) in Italian. At 4808 meters above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Western Europe. Mount Blanc lies between Haute-Savoie and Aosta Valley regions of France and Italy respectively. The two most important towns near Mont Blanc are Chamonix in Haute-Savoie, France and Courmayeur in Aosta Valley, Italy. The 11.6 kilometer transalpine tunnel connects the two cities of Chamonix and Courmayeur. The Mont Blanc mountain regions is popular for hiking, mountaineering and skiing.

The first documented climb of Mount Blanc in France was on 8th August 1786 and in 1808, the first woman reached the summit. Today the summit is reached yearly by some 20,000 mountaineer-tourists From l'Aiguille du Midi, the stop of the cable car, Mount Blanc is 1000 meters up. While the Mount Blanc ascent is regarded as an easy and long climb by experienced mountaineers, tourists climbers should not ignore the precautions of taking a local guide or experienced alpine mountaineer along as well as acclimatize themselves suitably for the altitude.

The favorite route to ascend Mount Blanc in France is The Voie des Cristalliers. Starting from Saint-Gervais the Tramway du Mont-Blanc (TMB) is there to get to the Nid d'Aigle. The ascent then leads in the direction of the Tête Rouge cabin and then via the Goûter Corridor, dangerous because of constant rock falls, leading to Goûter cabin for a night halt. The next day the route leads to the Dôme du Goûter, the Vallot cabin and L'arrête des Bosses.