Cols, Passes & Tunnels for Chamonix
Mountain Passes
Access 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:
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:
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. Following the disaster the tunnel was closed for three years for repairs, when pollution levels in the valley (clearly a site of importance for world heritage) were dramatically reduced. Since the reopening of the tunnel, and the return of the trucks in June 2002, there have been regular protests and demonstrations from local activists against pollution, noise, and greenhouse gases.We completely support this point of view. The problems highlighted with regards the tunnel focus heavily on its use by the HGVs. The repair work carried out in the tunnel after the fire was apparently mostly cosmetic. The tunnel remains unlawfully narrow (7m instead of the 9m prescribed by French law) and the mandatory escape tunnel can only be called that on paper. The cheaper option of converting the tunnel’s ventilation shaft, situated under the road, into an escape route was chosen (as opposed to building a new purposed built escape route). It is not hard to imagine the problems this would cause in case of a fire, the confusion of people trying to go down a staircase in a smoke filled tunnel, and the unbearable heat that would quickly fill the escape route, separated from the tunnel only by its road (in the 1999 fire, the road melted in the heat). Despite all this, French and Italian Mont-Blanc tunnel operators are presenting their infrastructure as 'the safest tunnel in Europe'. The press, bowled over by perfectly orchestrated visits of the installation, often fail to notice the major shortfalls of a tunnel that will never be suitable for heavy goods vehicles. Lorry traffic has been steadily increasing since the reopening. In January 2005, it was back to more than 50% of the last full pre-tragedy year with a daily average of 1100 lorries using the tunnel per day, compared to 2100 in 1998. Mid week peaks are now reaching 1800 daily lorries. Traffic levels were unbearably high in the 1990’s, which led to the severity of the Mont-Blanc tragedy. As such, tight regulations are in place to ensure maximum security in the tunnel itself. Trucks have to pass through heat detection equipment and speed limits are very strict with speed restrictions applying. The minimum speed limit is 50km/hr and the maximum speed is 70km/hr. There is also a requirement to preserve a 150m gap between vehicles - there is a delay between vehicles leaving the péages (toll booths), and blue lights at regular intervals which mark out the 150m stretches. A Mont Blanc Tunnel Safety leafet is available. Fines and penalties for breaking the restrictions can be severe, including on-the-spot fines of €90-750 for speeding and €135 for driving too close. You can also incur licence penalty points, loose your licence, and/or be banned from driving on French/Italian territory. Information on prices (tolls) can be foundhere. Mont Blanc Tunnel quick facts: More information and toll prices can be found here: Mont Blanc Tunnel - operator's website ATMB - Regional motorways and Mont Blanc Tunnel information ARSMB - Association pour le Respect du Site du Mont - Blanc
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Total length: 11.6 Km Width: 8.6 metres
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Altitude: 1274 metres above sea level at the French entrance, 1381 metres at the Italian entrance
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Maximum altitude in the tunnel: 1395.5 metres halfway through the tunnel
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Height of the rock over the tunnel past the halfway point: over 2 Km
Mont Blanc Tunnel - The Stats
Key dates in the history of the Mont Blanc Tunnel:
| 1946 | Construction of the tunnel began on the Italian side, boring a tunnel through the rock, and marking the beginning of the project |
| 1959 | the French and Italian ministers officially launched the boring work from both entrances of the tunnel |
| 1962 | French and Italian workers meet in the middle, with only a 13cm variation! |
| 1965 | Mont Blanc Tunnel officially opened by Presidents Charles de Gaulle and Giuseppe Saragat |
| 1999 | Mont Blanc Tunnel fire kills 39 victims and closes tunnel for 3 years |
| 2002 | Mont Blanc Tunnel re-opens after significant reconstruction safety improvements |
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 |
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.
Safety is the utmost priority for the operators of the Mont Blanc Tunnel and speed limits must therefore be strictly adhered to. Anyone caught flouting the speed regulations are liable to a hefty fine or confiscation of their licence.
| Minimum Speed limit: Maximum Speed limit: Minimum distance between vehicles: |
50 km/h 70 km/h 150m |
All moving vehicles must use dipped headlights whilst in the tunnel and stopping and/or parking on the carriageway is strictly forbidden, as is overtaking, U-turning and reversing. Each driver is issued with a Mont Blanc Tunnel safety leaflet (pdf format) on payment of the toll which explains the road and safety regulations in three languages (English, French & Italian). Motorists are also asked to listen to the radio whilst driving through the tunnel
There are 126 cameras located within the tunnel which are able to detect the slightest incident. From the control room, 18 traffic safety operators monitor the tunnel 24 hours a day, using an automated assistance system which implements an appropriate operating procedure depending on the type of incident detected – eg. activation of message boards, ventilation, initiating emergency responses and sending warning messages to emergency response personnel. Fire engines are positioned at both entrances and in the middle of the tunnel so that the anticipated response time for any incident is estimated at no longer than 6 minutes.
Tolls
Toll rates for the tunnel differ depending on the class of vehicle you drive – eg. motorbikes, light vehicles or heavy goods vehicles. For a standard car, expect to pay around €33 for a one way and €41 for a return trip. There are frequent travel options available for those who use the tunnel regularly and in the winter, holders of the Mont Blanc Unlimited ski pass are entitled to reduced tunnel rates in order to access the skiing in Courmayeur. Click on the following links for more information on the Mont Blanc Unlimited ski pass and to find the latest toll prices.
Fines
There is a time delay on cars leaving the péages (toll booths) and signs to remind drivers to respect the speed limits and safe distances. Failure to respect these limits will incur severe on the spot fines or possibly the suspension of your licence. For example, driving dangerously close to the car in front could cost you €135 or even your licence. Failure to observe the speed limit could cost you between €90 and €750 and you can expect to lose your licence on the spot when you pay a fine of €750. Non-French & Italian drivers must pay the fines on the spot whereas nationals of either country have a month in which to pay.
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.
It took two days for the emergency services to bring the fire under control, which claimed 39 lives.
A legal inquiry was opened by the Public Prosecutor for Bonneville, Haute Savoie, following the fire. As a result of the inquiry, 14 individuals and companies, including the ATMB and SGTMB appeared before the Bonneville Magistrates’ Court on charges of manslaughter. The verdict and trial was finally concluded in July 2005, where it was found that serious misgivings had taken place and it was "a catastrophe that could have been avoided". You can find further information about the trial verdict in our news.
After the fire, the tunnel had to be completely refurbished at a cost of €380 million before it could re-open on the 09 March 2002, nearly three years after it closed. Initially it was only light vehicles that were permitted to use the tunnel, with heavy goods traffic gradually being phased in over a 3 month period. For 12 months after the re-opening, heavy goods vehicles were only allowed to travel through the tunnel one direction at a time, but today, the traffic flows freely in both directions 24 hours a day.
Now all HGVs undergo rigorous checks by security personnel before being granted entry to the tunnel. Each vehicle is first checked for its clearance height and Euro category (an environmental standard based on vehicle age and pollution level) before passing through two heat detection portals – one at the bottom of the valley in Le Fayet and the second right at the tunnel entrance. These will spot any overheating potential before the vehicle enters the tunnel.
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.Since the early 1990s, the ARSMB (Association pour le Respect du Site du Mont-Blanc) has been tirelessly campaigning to have international heavy goods vehicles banned from entering the Chamonix Valley in an effort to preserve the cultural and environmental surroundings. During the summer of 2005, a separate incident in the Fréjus tunnel in the Suthern Alps, resulted in up to 22,000 heavy goods vehicles a week being forced to use the Mont Blanc tunnel. In response to this, the ARSMB campaigned vigorously to bring the issue to public attention by staging protests and demonstrations at the entrance and surrounding area of the tunnel. See our News section for further information.
Whilst the area close to the tunnel entrance is undoubtedly more polluted than it should be, it is still possible to live and enjoy the valley as normal. Pollution problems are often worst in winter when the fumes get trapped in the valley due to temperature inversions, preventing the upward movement of air.
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