Ice on the Land - Geography

Chamonix - Case study of Glacial Area used for tourism

Where: Chamonix Valley in Eastern France at the foot of Mont Blanc (highest mountain in Alps)

Key Facts:

1) It is one of the most popular tourist destinatins in the world with around 5 million visitors a year.

2) The region has lots of glaciers including the Mer de Glace. The Mer de Glace is the longest glacier in France (7 km long)

3) There are also many other tourist attractions such as 6 ski areas, 350 km of hiking trails, an Alpine museum, mountain bike tracks and an exhibition centre.

What are the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism on the region?

Economic

• Tourism creates lots of jobs. 2,500 people work as seasonal workers every year.
• Companies make a lot of…