Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc (BrE: /ˌmɒˈblɒ(k)/; AmE: /ˌmɑːn(t)ˈblɑːŋk/; French: Mont Blanc [mɔ̃ blɑ̃]; Italian: Monte Bianco [ˈmonte ˈbjaŋko], both meaning "white mountain") is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, and the highest mountain in Europe outside the Caucasus mountains, rising 4,805.59 m (15,766 ft) above sea level, located on the French-Italian border. It is the second-most prominent mountain in Europe, after Mount Elbrus, and it is the eleventh most prominent mountain summit in the world.
| Mont Blanc | |
|---|---|
Summit of Mont Blanc and the Bosses ridge | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,805.59 m (15,766.4 ft) |
| Prominence | 4696 m ↓ by Lake Kubenskoye Ranked 11th |
| Parent peak | Mount Elbrus |
| Isolation | 2,812 km → Kukurtlu Dome |
| Listing | Country high point Ultra Seven Summits |
| Coordinates | 45°49′58″N 06°51′54″E |
| Geography | |
Mont Blanc Location Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (France) Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (Italy) Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (Europe) | |
| Location | Aosta Valley, Italy Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France |
| Countries | France and Italy |
| Parent range | Graian Alps |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 8 August 1786 by |
It gives its name to the Mont Blanc massif, which straddles parts of France, Italy and Switzerland. Mont Blanc's summit lies on the watershed line between the valleys of Ferret and Veny in Italy, and the valleys of Montjoie, and Arve in France. Ownership of the summit area has long been disputed between France and Italy.
The Mont Blanc massif is popular for outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, trail running and winter sports like skiing, and snowboarding. The most popular climbing route to the summit of Mont Blanc is the Goûter Route, which typically takes two days.
The three towns and their communes which surround Mont Blanc are Courmayeur in Aosta Valley, Italy; and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and Chamonix in Haute-Savoie, France. The latter town was the site of the first Winter Olympics. A cable car ascends and crosses the mountain range from Courmayeur to Chamonix through the Col du Géant. The 11.6 km (7+1⁄4 mi) Mont Blanc Tunnel, constructed between 1957 and 1965, runs beneath the mountain and is a major transalpine transport route.