Tourists banned from camping on popular route in France

French authorities are planning to restrict tourists access to the route around Mont Blanc. Mayors of local communities and representatives of the ski industry agreed on the principles of the new charter, the newspaper Ouest-France reports. The document provides for the introduction of mandatory booking and a complete ban on camping in the wrong places.

The reason for the tightening of the rules was the problematic behavior of tourists and a sharp increase in tourist flow after the COVID-19 pandemic. The congestion of the route negatively affects the environment, safety and private property.

The article gives examples of violations: tourists feed wild mountain goats with their hands, defecate in the fields and order a taxi to transport heavy suitcases between shelters. Some travelers only imitate hiking, covering a significant part of the way in cars.

The new rules will be enshrined in the charter, which is scheduled to be signed before the end of this year. The restrictions will be analogous to the already existing measures for climbing to the very top of Mont Blanc, where the reservation system is used earlier.