Macron called on to legislate against ‘wackos’, including tourist who took dog to summit

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A mayor in the French alps has urged Emmanuel Macron to take action against “wackos” climbing Mont Blanc, after incidents including a British tourist abandoning a rowing machine on western Europe’s highest peak.

Jean-Marc Peillex, mayor of Saint-Gervais, who for years has sounded the alarm against overcrowding on Mont Blanc, said a member of the British “Royal Commandos”, thought to mean the Royal Marines, hauled up the exercise machine for a stunt on Saturday.

But he did not have the strength to bring it back down and left it in an emergency hut situated at 4,362 metres (14,300 feet).

The man gave his name as Disney, said Peillex in an open letter published on Sunday, adding “with a name like that, you’d think he thought he was at an amusement park”.

Also over the weekend, he said, a German tourist made the ascent with his dog, despite warnings not to do so from police brigades who patrol Mont Blanc during the busy summer season. He had promised he would leave his dog at a refuge before attempting the summit, said Peillex.

Instead, he left in the middle of the night for the summit with the dog, which survived but returned with bloodied paws, according to photos posted on Peillex’s Twitter account.

The incidents over the weekend came after two Swiss climbers landed a small plane east of Mont Blanc’s summit in June and started hiking to the top.

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Intercepted by mountain police, they were handed a fine of €38 and allowed to fly off, since technically they had only broken 1960s’ laws designating landing sites in the area.

“This situation has gone on long enough,” Peillex said. He called on Macron to “write and pass laws without delay that from 2020 would severely punish all these wackos who break the law, and restore peace to Mont Blanc”.

Officials are struggling to cope with a huge influx of climbers hoping to scale the 4,810-metre (15,774ft) peak, heightening the security risks as well as environmental impact.

Warmer temperatures in recent years have melted the permafrost, raising the risk of rock falls on the most popular routes.

Retreating glaciers, which are melting under the effect of global heating, are also leaving the granite slopes more vulnerable and prone to erosion.

In May, officials banned climbers from scaling Mont Blanc unless they had booked a room in one of the three official shelters.

The Alpine peak attracts nearly 25,000 climbers every year, but the daily crowds have led to flaring tempers among teams jockeying for position, and rampant illegal camping.

So far this season, at least three climbers have died on Mont Blanc.