Spectacular collapse of parts of Les Drus monolith

Neighbour to Les Aigulles Vertes, Les Drus are 'the' most technically challenging rock-climbs in the Chamonix valley. Reaching 3,754m high their west face regularly circums to rock falls, the last significant falls affecting this granite monolith happening in 1997 and 2002.

Yesterday afternoon around 13h30 local time another huge rockfall sent thunderous rumbling noises down the valley and raised the heads of a few locals. No-one is quite sure how much rock, which tumbled as far as the morraine of the Vallée Blanche, fell away - the zone is extremely dangerous and off-limits for climbers and surveyors on foot. Mountain rescue police flew over the scene to check if any climbers could be witnessed as having been near the scene, though none seemed to have been.

The area remains extremely hazardous and unstable - it is highly recommended not to be ventured into, potentially for several weeks or months.

Photo credit: Dauphiné Libéré | Elika ROMAND