After a sharp rise in use of the Tour du Mont Blanc, France is considering new limits on access to the famous alpine loop. Complaints about trash, overcrowding, and hiker behavior have fueled the push.
If adopted, the measures would likely shut out many casual day hikers. Officials say the goal is to ease bottlenecks and limit damage.
Here's what to know
Under the proposal, hikers on the 170-kilometer (106-mile) circuit would need to prove they have reserved a hotel, shelter, bivouac site, or similar accommodation, according to the Daily Mail. The route circles Mont Blanc, Western Europe's highest mountain, and runs through France, Italy, and Switzerland.
About 90,000 people used the route this summer, compared with 60,000 in 2022. Jean-Marc Peillex, chairman of the Federation of Districts of Mont Blanc Country, said hikers can be less than 3.3 feet apart on some days.
Videos have also highlighted the waste being left behind. In one clip, a woman said she found "an astronomical amount of poo, toilet paper, and especially wipes" along the route. Another showed a pile of trash, with the person filming saying: "I'm really disappointed and disgusted. Who do you think is going to take your trash in this place? No one."
More background
Heavy foot traffic can wear down trails, overwhelm sanitation systems, disturb wildlife, and create tension with the people who live and work there. When human waste and trash are left behind, they can pollute water and diminish the experience for everyone else.
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Locals have also complained about hikers camping on private land when official bivouac areas are full. "In the unauthorised bivouac areas, we find toilet paper under every stone," Pierre Arpin, manager of Les Chambres du Soleil hotel in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, told Le Monde, per the Daily Mail.
Some mayors oppose the measures because the tourists the route brings in boost their economies. Stricter access rules could make the route less accessible and more expensive, especially since reservations can fill up a year in advance.
What's being done?
The proposed rules would also ban anything other than trekking backpacks in response to complaints about large wheeled suitcases being transported between sites by taxi. Taxi transport for backpacks would still be allowed during limited hours, likely in the morning and evening.
A team of officials known as the "green brigade" would patrol the route and issue fines. Peillex said penalties would start at €35 ($40) and could rise much higher. Companies that comply with the rules would receive a label; the plan doesn't call for building more accommodations.
There is no sign that Swiss and Italian councils along the route will adopt the same rules.
"I have had to put up wire so that people don't camp in my garden," Arpin told Le Monde, as the Daily Mail noted.
Where can I learn more?
Mont Blanc isn't the only place grappling with visitors who ignore rules.
• In Madeira, officials said trespassing on closed trails continued despite post-wildfire safety warnings.
• In Yellowstone, a roadside video of disrespectful tourists breaking park rules sparked calls for fines.
• In Yellowstone, visitors who ignored park rules near wildlife fueled demands to limit crowds.
• At Iceland's Reynisfjara Beach, a selfish tourist broke the law, angering fellow travelers.
• In Yellowstone, footage showed a tourist's illegal offroad joyride, prompting calls for bans.
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