Behind all those mountain paths...
Many of us have enjoyed the mountain pathways in and around Chamonix, but have you ever wondered who looks after them? Well, the Mountain Pathways Commission met in Chamonix last week, with the new vice president Claire Thiolliere presiding over proceedings.
Claire herself is a mid-mountain guide and by her own admission, very aware of ecological and environmental issues. The commission she now sits on is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of mountain paths, including access routes to refuges, which requires a specialist team to climb up and maintain.
The commission has seven permanent employees and 13 season workers who are responsible for looking after 350km of walkways and paths as well as 20 access routes to refuges, all with an annual budget of 36500 euros.
The job is not an easy one - before the summer season, workers clear fallen trees and debris from the paths which was done as usual this year, but with the storms a couple of weeks ago the team has had to go out again to clear the paths! There's another added inconvenience this summer that many of the paths around the Brevent area are closed due to the major works for building the new bubble lift.
New works for this year include the reworking of the La Floria fire track, the Cerro pathway is to be improved and a pathway next to Les Bois. All of which will mean better access for walkers to the valley!
