Thursday 4 August 2022 06:49 PM Climbers on Mont Blanc must pay £12,640 deposit up front to cover cost of ... trends now
Climbers wishing to conquer Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, will have to pay £12,640 (€15,000) before they start in case they need rescuing or die.
The deposit will apply to adventurers who attempt to reach the 15,773ft summit via a popular path in France, after the local mayor blasted 'pseudo-mountaineers' who play 'Russian roulette' with their lives.
Jean-Marc Peillex, the mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, from where climbers can make it to the top along the Goûter Route, introduced the measure after dozens of people continued to defy warnings.
The considerable deposit is split up in two sections, €10,000 covers the cost of a mountain rescue and €5,000 covers the cost of a funeral.
Mountaineers who wish to ascend Mont Blanc (pictured) will have to pay a £12,640 euro (€15,000) deposit if they climb along the Goûter Route
The mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, who introduced the fee, said the money would cover the cost of a rescue and funeral (pictured: climber on Mont Blanc)
Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Europe at 15,773ft and is situated along the border between France and Italy
The route is accessible to anyone of any skill level and officials have said the number of inexperienced climbers in increasing.
Heavy rockfall in mid July caused the local administration to strongly advise people avoid climbing and local guides suspended their operations.
A recent heatwave has made conditions on the mountain more dangerous and exposed giant cracks in
