Guardians of the Valley

The Chamonix Valley's environmental protections reflect growing recognition of its global significance. Multiple overlapping designations safeguard different aspects of this landscape:

- The Aiguilles Rouges National Nature Reserve, established in 1974, protects 3,300 hectares of pristine alpine habitat - The Mont Blanc Massif is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site - Numerous smaller reserves protect specific features like wetlands and rare plant communities - The Espace Mont-Blanc initiative coordinates conservation across international borders

These protections involve constant negotiation between preservation and access, between the valley's role as a natural sanctuary and its economic dependence on tourism. "Protection doesn't mean putting nature under glass," argues Nadia Ben Salem, director of the Aiguilles Rouges Reserve and daughter of Tunisian immigrants. "It means finding ways for humans and wilderness to coexist with respect."