Preparatory work for the renovation of the Mont Blanc tunnel vault will begin this Monday, September 2 at 5 p.m. Built 60 years ago, the tunnel will be completely closed in both directions until Monday, December 16, 2024 at 5 p.m. According to francebleu.fr, the manager expects that 90% of heavy goods vehicles will be redirected to the Fréjus tunnel.
This is just the beginning: these three and a half months will mark the first of two “test sites” required before the renovation work on the vault, which should lead to major civil engineering works in 2025. Initially planned for 2023, the schedule was pushed back by a year by France and Italy after a landslide on the A43 in Maurienne. Preparatory work had already taken place in the fall of 2023, leading to a 9-week closure.
The tunnel receives around 1,700 heavy goods vehicles per day throughout the year, but the autumn period is more favourable for the work due to less dense car traffic. Subscriptions valid at the start of the work will be automatically extended by four months.