Chamonix moves to set tourist quotas, a first in the Alps

Chamonix plans to require advance reservations for visitors to Lac Blanc and the nearby Chéserys lakes from summer 2027, in a bid to curb overcrowding and environmental damage. If approved, the scheme would be the first visitor quota system for a natural site in the Alps.

Visitor numbers in the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve have doubled since 2020, reaching 130,000 in 2025, with an average of 2,350 people a day and up to 4,000 at peak times. The proposed cap is 600 visitors daily in June and 900 to 1,000 in July to September; reservations would be checked at entry points, and the scheme would be reviewed annually during a three-year trial.