The Arve, Rhone, Mont Blanc en Geneva
14 February 2024
At first glance, the Arve and Rhone rivers have little in common. The source of the Arve is near the village of Le Tour on the French-Swiss border at the Col de Balme, which is part of the Mont Blanc Massif.
The Arve in Chamonix
The river first flows west and is fed by the mighty glaciers of Glacier du Tour, Argentière, Mer de Glace, Des Bossons and Tête Rousse and numerous streams. In Chamonix, it already has a respectable volume before curving northwards towards Geneva.
In Geneva, it streams into the Rhône at the Carouge district before turning south and ending in the Mediterranean. This course is somewhat reminiscent of the river Le Doubs.
The Arve in Carouge (Geneva)
The Mont Blanc viewpoint Geneva
Geneva: Neptune, Arve and Rhône, mosaic in the cathedral
It originates in the French Jura before flowing eastwards into the Swiss Jura to go in the opposite direction again after St Ursanne (canton of Jura) and flowing into the Saône, which also ends in the Rhône at Lyon.
Chamonix (Department of Haute-Savoie) is not just any place but the location of the Mont Blanc ( 4 808 m), Europe’s highest mountain (apart from the Ebroes in the Caucasus).
Chamonix
Chamonix is also home to the first successful climbers of Mont Blanc: Jacques Balmat (1762-1834) and Michel-Gabriel Paccard (1757-1824). They were the first alpinists to climb a 4,000+ meter giant.
Monument of Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard
Chamonix, monument of Horace-Bénédicte de Saussure
The scientist, alpinist, botanist and geologist Horace-Bénédicte de Saussure (1740-1790) was the second climber of Mont Blanc in 1787. He was a citizen of Geneva, which was then an independent republic.
Chamonix Catholic church, a monument to some of the climbers who perished
Nowadays, about 20,000 tourists – climbers is often a big word – make it to the summit every year. Moreover, a cable car transports interested parties to the top of the Aiguille du Midi ( 3842).
Not surprisingly, Swiss engineers initially devised the plan. They had already gained extensive experience building cable cars and train stations, even at 3454m altitude (Jungfraujoch). However, French (1927) and later Italian (1955) entrepreneurs and engineers made the route what it is today.
The Aiguille du Midi
This location offers excellent views of the valley, the Mont Blanc Massif, and the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps. On a clear day, even the Matterhorn can be seen!
The locomotive No8, Winterthur 1923
The cog railway of Montenvers
Another interesting railway station (a cog railway) runs from Montenvers station in Chamonix to the Mer de Glace glacier. The opening of this route in 1909 was a sensation and typical of technical progress in the Belle Époque. Moreover, a cable car goes to the Italian side of the Mont Blanc Massif.
The distance between the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc is about 70 kilometres. What lies between Switzerland’s most famous but not highest mountain and Mont Blanc is another story and will be covered in other contributions.
La Mer de Glace
La Mer de Glace in 1907
La Mer de Glace in 2024
