Disastrous summer for the Tramway du Mont Blanc
After its summer opening date was delayed until the end of June, the Tramway du Mont Blanc is in the news again after last weeks violent storms caused considerable rock fall onto a section of the track.
At around 6pm on Friday evening, a large section of the Rognes couloir collapsed, blocking a 200m stretch of the rails with nearly 2m of debris in places. The slide occurred on the Bellevue – Nid d'Aigle section and is significant enough to close this section of the track for the forseeable future. The problem is not so much clearing and repairing the damaged rails, but securing the rock face above which remains very unstable. Whilst still operating between Le Fayet / St Gervais and Bellevue, alpinists heading for Mont Blanc via the “Voie Normale” and the Gouter Hut are advised to use the chemin de l'Are as the area approaching the Nid d'Aigle is still prone to more rock falls.
The closure will come as a huge blow to the Compagnie du Mont Blanc as the Tramway attracts between 90 000 and 100 000 people each year; either en route up Mont Blanc or to enjoy the spectacular views of the Bionnassay glacier at the top. A revised timetable between Le Fayet and Bellevue is now in operation and is as follows:
Depart Le Fayet: 7.15am, 9.10am, 10.15am, 11.40am, 1.40pm, 2.10pm, 3.40pm and 4.40pm.
Depart Bellevue: 8.10am, 10.45am, 12.10pm, 12.45pm, 2.50pm, 3.45pm, 4.30pm and 6.00pm.
Photo credit: Le Dauphiné
