The low-altitude flight over a high mountain area around the summit of Mont Blanc, on the French side, will now be prohibited, the prefecture of Haute-Savoie, a measure deemed insufficient by local elected officials.
The State creates a restricted zone which, from June 1 until October 15, provides for the prohibition of low-altitude overflight of the Mont-Blanc natural habitat protection zone, except for piloted aircraft with electric motors
, specifies the prefecture.
This decision follows the appeal launched on April 13 by the mayors of Chamonix and of Saint-Gervais, overwhelmed by real airshows
which took place on the glaciers of the Mont-Blanc massif and led to noise pollution quite considerable
in these grandiose landscapes.
Read also: At Mont Blanc, the ever-increasing overflights of planes irritate elected officials
“The answer is very partial”
The prohibition area is modeled on a protection zone created in October 2020 and intended to supervise, on the ground, the frequentation of the summit of the Alps and to curb incivilities and eccentric initiatives observed for years.
This perimeter is restricted to the classic access areas to the roof of Western Europe which rises to 4,810 meters, to the chagrin of local elected officials.
The answer is very partial, not satisfactory
, reacted Éric Fournier, the mayor of Chamonix. We are asking for a restriction on aerial activities which concerns the entire Mont-Blanc massif, I do not know in which language I have to say it!
On Sunday, he says, two gyroplanes (a type of very light aircraft, close to a microlight) landed in the Vallée Blanche – outside this famous protection zone – and the two pilots, stranded, gave up their devices on the Mer de Glace.
This is the type of behavior we want to avoid in the future
, added Éric Fournier, who calls for continue thinking
with state services.
It is insufficient,
added Jean-Marc Peillex, the mayor of Saint-Gervais, but on the other hand (this protection zone) is, I think, the only tool the State has today
, to establish a perimeter of prohibition quickly, pending a larger measure.
Evaluation at the end of the summer
The measures taken, which strike the right balance between the expectations of all the parties concerned, will be evaluated at the end of the summer period with all the local actors.
, writes the prefecture in its press release, in order to consider any changes to be made to them for their sustainability.
In recent years, a series of landings of small planes to drop tourists on glaciers, or even in the immediate vicinity of the summit of Mont Blanc, had provoked the anger of elected officials and mountain professionals.
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