Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc (mɔ̃ blɑ̃, Monte Bianco)

Colorful summer view of the Lac Blanc lake with Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) on background, Chamonix location. Beautiful outdoor scene in Vallon de Berard Nature Reserve, Graian Alps, France

Mont Blanc, meaning “White Mountain,” stands as the highest mountain in the Alps, as well as in Western Europe. It is located in the Graian Alps mountain range, which sits between the regions of Italy’s Aosta Valley and France’s Chamonix Valley in the Savoie and Haute-Savoie areas.

View of the Alps from Aiguille du Midi mountain in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps. Summit tourist station in foreground. Alps, France, Europe.

The mountain has numerous visitors, including everyone from casual tourists wanting to see the spectacular views of the region to ambitious mountaineers, and the Chamonix Valley has come to be one of the most popular tourist centers in the Alps.

Mont Blanc mountaineers walking on snowy ridge. The mountain is the highest in the alps and the European Union.

Mont Blanc reflected in Lac Blanc, Mont Blanc Massif, Alps, France

The closest peaks to Mont Blanc are Monte Bianco to the east, Mont Blanc de Courmayeur and then Grand Pilier d’Angle to the southeast, and Picco Luigi Amedeo directly to the south and Mont Brouillard a little further south.

Also, a bit further out, Mont Maudit is located northeast of the peak, with Dôme du Goûter and Pointe Bayeux to the northwest.

Countries: Italy, France

State/Province: Aosta Valley, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Cable Car from Chamonix to the summit of the Aiguille du Midi and lift station high in the mountains Chamonix, France.

Mountain Range: Mont Blanc massif, Graian Alps, Alps

Parents: Graian Alps

Elevation: 15,774 feet / 4,808 meters

Prominence: 15,407 feet / 4,696 meters

First Ascent: August 8th, 1786, by Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard

Fun Fact: Mont Blanc is the highest mountain peak in the Alps, and it is the highest peak in Europe west of Russia’s Caucasus peaks.

Mont Blanc reflected in Cheserys Lake, Mont Blanc Massif, Alps, France

Best Time to Visit: June through September usually offers the best weather conditions for climbers and hikers.

Amazing panorama of French Alps, part of famous trek – Tour du Mont Blanc | Kojin

Plant Life: Common plants of the area include edelweiss, amaryllis, rose mallow, and lavatera.

The sharp Alpine peaks of Mont Blanc with snow and glaciers soar above the spring meadows, where rhododendrons bloom | Roman Mikhailiuk

Mont Blanc glacier with Lac Blanc (White Lake)

Animal Life: The chamois, Alpine ibex, red fox, Alpine marmot, red squirrel, snowshoe and mountain hare, red and roe deer, wild boar, European badger, Alpine ptarmigan, stone and European pine marten, European hedgehog, weasel, European mole, shrew, wood mouse, and black grouse live in the Mont Blanc area.