Cols, Passes & Tunnels for Chamonix: Driving Access
also see Driving to Chamonix & the Valley

Mountain PassesAccess to Cols

Here you can find links to the French road network traffic site which gives live infomation (in French only) on the opening for the following mountain passes:

Col des Montets | Cormet de Roseland | La Madeleine | Petit Saint Bernard

The Mont Blanc Tunnel

The Mont Blanc Tunnel links Chamonix (France) to Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley (Italy). Opened in 1965 mainly for tourism and regional trade purposes there is a great deal of controversy surrounding the use of the tunnel by international Heavy Goods Vehicles - particularly after a disaster in 1999 in which 39 victims died in a fire which was started by a truck. This is not a reason to stop using the tunnel forever, and we frequently do use it, as do thousands of others per day. ...more

Mont Blanc Tunnel Information and Traffic Status

At certain times of year, particularly during the holidays, the Mont Blanc Tunnel experiences heavy volumes of traffic which can cause lengthy delays to your journey. To find out the current road and traffic conditions click on the links below:

Driving Rules & Regulations in the Mont Blanc Tunnel

Management of the tunnel is the responsibility of both French and Italian authorities. The ATMB (Autoroutes et Tunnel du Mont Blanc) holds half the license for the Mont Blanc Tunnel, and the SITMB (Società Italiana per Azioni per il Traforo del Monte Bianco) is responsible for the other. ...more

Mont Blanc Tunnel - The Stats

Key dates in the history of the Mont Blanc Tunnel:

SomeTunnel statistics:

• Length: The tunnel is 11.6kms
• Width: 8.6 metres
• Journey Time: 17 minutes
• Altitude: 1274m on French side, 1381m on Italian side, with maximum height of 1395.5 halfway through the tunnel. At the midpoint, the rock above the tunnel is nearly 3kms thick!
• Border: The actual border between France and Italy is 7.6km into the tunnel from the French side
• Traffic Levels: In 2007, the average number of vehicles using the tunnel each day was measured at 4860 – 3201 light vehicles, 1616 HGVs and 42 coaches

Pollution and the Tunnel

The popularity of the tunnel and the easy access it provides to the rest of Europe is not without its downside. The environmental impact on the surrounding valleys being the primary cause of concern, and secondly, the general pollution caused by intensive road-traffic instead of the cleaner, though more costly overall, rail options. ...more

The Mont Blanc Tunnel Fire

On 24 March 1999, a heavy goods vehicle carrying flour and margarine came to a stop 6.7 kilometres into the tunnel after entering from the French side. A fire broke out and quickly spread to nearby vehicles; such was the intensity of the heat, French emergency teams were prevented from making their way through the tunnel. Thick black smoke was produced by the burning vehicles in just a matter of minutes. ...more