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NEWS: President Macron visits Chamonix in Climate and Mont Blanc Talks

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 UKC News 14 Feb 2020
French President Emmanuel Macron spent this Thursday in Chamonix and St Gervais discussing the impact of climate change and overcrowding on Mont Blanc and its Massif, proclaiming 2020 to be a "decisive" year for environmental protection. Gendarmes lined the streets en masse in what was an unusual spectacle for the lively alpine town.

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 lukegorman 14 Feb 2020
In reply to UKC News:

Regarding "limit numbers and prevent overcrowding, particularly in the peak summer period".

Am I right in saying that the Chamonix peak season in terms of number of visitors is in fact the winter ski season?

1
 1234None 14 Feb 2020
In reply to UKC News:

It'll be interesting to see what actually happens and what the impact is on people turning up to climb.  At heart, I'm a big believer in the fact that climbing a mountain shouldn't need to be regulated so tightly and have people checking up on everything.  On the other hand, we humans are too numerous and we do have a tendency to trash our environment in our thirst for good feelings and short term "highs," so I might have to bedgrudgingly accept that perhaps someone needs to put some rules in place to stop us destroying the very mountains we love so much.  

In reply to lukegorman:

No, the summer is noticeably busier. The lack of snow this winter will probably mean fewer and fewer skiers/boarders in future if the trend continues. But it is Chamonix!

"Today, Chamonix has around 10,000 permanent inhabitants, with a further 30,000 visiting in the winter, and 60,000 people in resort during the summer months, totalling around 5 million visitors per year." from Chamonet.

Roadrunner6 14 Feb 2020
In reply to lukegorman:

You should see Cham at the time of the huge races like the UTMB. It is just crazy.

It's a hard balance between wanting the public to experience what we need to protect and not ruining it. Like other's I'm undecided on this.

 morpcat 14 Feb 2020
In reply to UKC News:

I've visited Cham 6 times since my first eye-opening alpine adventure in 2013. In that short time I've seen it become noticeably busier and more congested, even as conditions became less reliable and generally more dangerous. The change in the glacier from when I first stepped onto the ice of the MdG in 2014 compared to last year can only be summed up as horrifying. 

Some of these problems are a product of global change, but many of them are down to a lack of care and planning from local government. I very much hope that these aren't empty promises and they can start to turn things around 

 walts4 14 Feb 2020

In re

> Regarding "limit numbers and prevent overcrowding, particularly in the peak summer period".

The additional problem in summer is that most visitors are day trippers heading up the Midi, arriving, leaving by coach. 

And, just to boost numbers in what used to be the quiet periods:

https://www.chamonix.net/english/news/utmb-2020-big-names-already-announced

https://www.chamonet.com/events/chamonix-unlimited-festival-chamonix-main-t...

But as usual regarding any words uttered by politicians, its a white wash, as making money & increasing visitor numbers is the overriding concern of the local politicians regardless of what you read in the press. You only have to witness the vast increase in hotel beds over the last few years in the Chamonix valley to witness where their priority's lie.

Unfortunately the valley & the surrounding mountains are being ruined by the very popularity that naturally occurs for such a beautiful unique area, but its also not helped by not encouraging sustainable, less environmentally impacting tourism.

Hopefully we may see a change, but its doubtful. 

 phizz4 15 Feb 2020
In reply to UKC News:

They also need to go back to limiting the commercial traffic driving up the valley to use the tunnel. The air quality was so much better when the tunnel was closed after the terrible fire.

 PhilipGBailey 19 Feb 2020
In reply to UKC News:

Please note following headlines, they're out there for checking. I have to respectfully suggest Macron is a bullsh***ing politician. He is not without influence within the EU

Guardian headline 24th October 2019,
"Fossil Fuel 'Big 5 spend €251 million Lobbying EU' Since 2010"

Guardian headline 12th Feb 2020,
"EU accused of climate crisis hypocrisy after backing 32 gas projects"


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