Mount Mont Blanc - tourist center of the Alps and Western Europe

Mount Mont Blanc on the map of Europe is located right on the border of France and Italy. Inside the tunnel, a length of eleven and a half kilometers is constructed. Through him, communication is carried out between the two states. The peak is part of the Western Alps and is a very popular tourist destination. This is especially true of skiers, for whom a whole resort is built - Chamonix. In literal translation from French, the name "Mont Blanc" means "white mountain".

Dimensions

The height of Mount Mont Blanc is 4810 meters. It stretched about 50 kilometers long and 30 inches wide. Its total area is a little over two hundred kilometers square. The mountain system of the same name, which includes a peak, occupies a territory that is comparable in size to half of Luxembourg.

Location

The question of where Mont Blanc is located, or rather on the territory of which state, has been quite controversial for a long period of time. From 1723 until the Napoleonic wars in Europe, all of its territory was regarded as the property of the Kingdom of Sardinia. March 24, 1860 in the Italian city of Turin was signed an act according to which the summit was on the border between Italy and France. This document is still recognized today by the governments of both countries. The coordinates of Mount Mont Blanc are 45 degrees and 50 minutes of northern latitude, as well as 6 degrees and 51 minutes of eastern longitude. It is in this place that the state border between the countries is passing now. Now most of the mountain is located in the French city of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains.

The conquest of the top

The first historical memories of the ascent to the summit date back to August 8, 1786. Then she was subdued by Michel Gabriel Packard. The traveler made the ascent in a pair with assistant Jacques Balma. It should be noted that this was preceded by several unsuccessful attempts. As for the first woman who conquered the "white mountain", on July 14, 1808 she became Maria Paradis. An interesting fact is that she carried out her trip all with the same Jacques Balma, who subsequently participated in several other similar expeditions. This kind of activity was noted by King Victor Amedey the Third. Now in the territory of Chamonix there is even a monument to Jacques Balma.

Tourism and mountaineering

Currently, Mount Mont Blanc is considered one of the main European centers of tourism and mountaineering. According to the number of annual visits among all objects of natural origin, it ranks third in the world. Many professional alpinists and amateurs dream of climbing this peak. As already noted above, at the foot is the French ski resort of the famous resort of Chamonix. On the opposite side is his Italian counterpart - Courmayeur. It should be noted that the constant interest in this place, in addition to fans of extreme sports, is expressed by scientists who specialize in a wide variety of activities. For example, one of the most significant of their achievements is the discovery of the mummified remains of a man of prehistoric times, which occurred in 1991. According to the researchers, they lay under a layer of snow with ice for about five thousand years.

Ascent to Mont Blanc

Mount Mont Blanc, where there are many different beauties, attracts many tourists. However, it is not so easy to conquer. If a person wants to climb to the top, he must be well prepared physically. Moreover, you can not do it on your own - here you need the support and assistance of professional climbers. Even then, it takes about twelve hours to conquer. Many guides recommend climbing here at least for the sake of going down on skis, thus gaining unforgettable sensations for life.

Aiguille du Midi

Despite the fact that Mount Mont Blanc is a very attractive and picturesque place, not everyone can climb it, because not everyone has the skills of mountaineering. The most impressive view of it opens from the peak of Aiguille du Midi, which is in the heart of the massif. There is also a special observation deck. However, to get here and go back, it can take up to five hours.

The whole way starts from the center of Chamonix, where the cable station is located. Twenty minutes' drive from the funicular from here will be the first stop. The place is at an altitude of 2317 meters. It is from here that almost all mountaineering expeditions start. The next section of the rope hoist is the steepest on the planet. At an altitude of 3842 meters, a survey site has been built, which has the same name. It's pretty cool here, so it's recommended to take warm clothes with you. Next, you must move to the neighboring peak through the bridge, hanging between the two rocks, after which you go up another 42 meters in the elevator.

It should be noted that the ropeway functions for almost the entire year. The exception is the period from early November to mid-December. In addition, it is closed in strong winds and other unfavorable weather conditions.

Tunnel under the Mont Blanc

In 1814, the King of Sardinia received the first request for the construction of a tunnel inside the mountain. However, construction started only in 1959 and lasted for eight years. The total length of the tunnel is 11.6 kilometers. One part of it is in French territory (at an altitude of 1274 meters), and the other - in Italian (at an altitude of 1381 meters). March 24, 1999, there was a great tragedy - inside it a truck caught fire, which led to a great fire. The temperature reached a mark of one thousand degrees, so many of the jammed cars melted in the literal sense of the word. Among the dead were 39 people. In addition, they suffered more than thirty. After the investigation, which lasted about a year, the object underwent reconstruction.

Now the passage through the tunnel, which pierced Mount Mont Blanc, is paid and costs about forty euros. As a road it is used by far not all, preferring in their travels a bypass. The length of the "hook" in this case is 130 kilometers.

Tragic reputation

Very unpleasant statistics are associated with this peak, which often discourages many tourists and climbers. The fact is that it ranks first in the world for such an indicator as lethality. According to information obtained from various sources, when trying to conquer the summit on the slopes, several thousand people died. On account of no other peak on the planet, there are so many deaths. According to official statistics, 10 to 100 people do not return from here every year.

In addition, twice in history, Mount Mont Blanc was the cause of the crash of aircraft. The first case occurred in 1950. Then the pilot of the airliner belonging to the Indian company could not correctly calculate the route for landing at the Geneva airport, as a result of which the plane hit the slope at an altitude of about 4600 meters. The result of the tragedy was the death of 48 people. Another plane crash occurred in 1966. The situation in many respects was repeated: the board of the same company from India crashed in about the same place. This time, 117 people died, among whom were both passengers and crew members.