Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc / Monte Bianco, straddling the French-Italian border, stands as the highest peak in the Alps and Western Europe, reaching an elevation of 4,805.59 meters. This iconic mountain, part of the Mont Blanc massif that extends into France, Italy, and Switzerland, is noted for its prominence, second in Europe only to Mount Elbrus and ranking eleventh globally.

The summit of Mont Blanc, amidst territorial disputes between France and Italy, is located at the watershed line between several valleys in both countries. The massif is a hub for outdoor enthusiasts, offering activities like hiking, climbing, skiing, and snowboarding. The most favored route to the summit is the two-day Goûter Route.

Surrounding Mont Blanc are the towns of Courmayeur in Italy, and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and Chamonix in France, with the latter known for hosting the first Winter Olympics. A notable feature is the Mont Blanc Tunnel, a major transalpine transport route beneath the mountain.

Geologically, Mont Blanc is primarily composed of granite, formed during the Variscan orogeny of the late Palaeozoic era. The summit marks the junction of granite and older gneiss and mica schists. Tectonic activity and glaciation have sculpted the massif into its current form. The area is also rich in mineral diversity, with at least 68 different mineral species identified, as first systematically catalogued by Venance Payot in 1873.