Overview
- Mayor Jean‑Marc Peillex of Saint‑Gervais issued an order on Tuesday closing the Tête Rousse (74 places) and Goûter (120 places) refuges because the Goûter couloir has become a mortal hazard.
- Local guide companies from Saint‑Gervais–Les Contamines and Chamonix have suspended planned Mont Blanc ascents until conditions stabilize to avoid risking climbers and rescuers.
- Authorities pointed to a string of recent rockfalls, including notable events recorded on August 6 and social‑media footage of a large landslide, as the immediate trigger for the closures.
- Officials and Météo‑France say successive heatwaves and drought are accelerating melt of residual snow, glaciers and permafrost, which increases the sudden detachment of rock blocks in high‑altitude corridors.
- The move follows mid‑July rockfall deaths on the same route and echoes a similar 2022 closure, and it is likely to disrupt the climbing season while mountain services monitor stability and public safety.