Saint-Gervais Mayor Jean-Marc Peillex ordered 32 climbers stranded on Mont Blanc to pay €95 each for a private helicopter evacuation after ignoring a refuge closure order.
The group requested air assistance on Tuesday, August 11, after becoming stuck at a high-altitude shelter along the standard ascent route. Peillex refused to authorize free public emergency services, arguing taxpayers should not foot the bill for irresponsible behavior.
France's high mountain rescue unit, the Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne, assessed the situation and determined that the mountaineers were in no immediate danger. With public emergency intervention ruled out, local authorities called a private helicopter firm and required each individual to settle their own €95 repatriation fee.
Peillex said local authorities could no longer tolerate such imprudence on the mountain. He stated that the idea of the mountain as an unrestricted space where anything is permitted is over, emphasizing that nature operates as it sees fit and people must adapt.
Following the incident, Peillex posted on social media that the evacuated climbers appeared proud of their conduct and were even boasting about the experience on Instagram. He added that their reaction confirmed he was right to charge them for the flight.
Drought and dangerous rockfalls on Mont Blanc
The dispute arose after Peillex issued a municipal order closing both the Tête Rousse refuge and the Goûter refuge. The mayor enacted the closures in response to an exceptional drought that caused severe and repeated rockfalls along the main climbing route.
Mont Blanc is the highest peak in Western Europe, rising to 4,805 metres in the French Alps. The Goûter Route, which passes through Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in the Haute-Savoie department, serves as the most popular path to the summit, relying on high-altitude shelters to house ascending climbers.
Climbing federation disputes mayor's timeline
The official account has been challenged by the French Federation of Alpine and Mountain Clubs. Speaking to regional newspaper Le Dauphiné, federation president Charles Van der Elst urged commentators not to let an inaccurate narrative take hold regarding the incident.
Van der Elst stated that the published narrative did not reflect what actually took place. He noted that the 32 mountaineers had already begun their ascent before the mayor officially issued the municipal closure order for the refuges.
The French Federation of Alpine and Mountain Clubs oversees alpine sports and maintains mountain shelters across French ranges. Mayor Peillex maintained that his decision on the helicopter fees was intended to set a firm precedent for future climbing safety enforcement.
