The Mont Blanc tunnel has closed at 8am this morning 16 October 2023.
It will remain closed to all traffic for 9 weeks.
The scheduled re-opening is on Monday 18 December 2023 at 10am local time.
It is possible that the tunnel may re-open before the projected date & time.
If that happens, we will update.
The extensive scope of the project has changed. The new shorter deadline for re-opening, no longer allows for experimentation with renovation work on the vault. This work has been pushed down the road, to 2024. Nevertheless, the maintenance programme still has a significant scope and scale.
The 76 accelerators hung from the ceiling, which regulate the wind in the tube, will all be changed. In addition, elements in the central portion of the tunnel will be prepared for upgrades due in 2024.
The TMB-EEIG is committed to "doing everything possible to ensure that traffic can be restored before 18 December". Therefore, an early reopening of the tunnel is possible, depending on the progress of the work.
For 9 weeks, the road network between France & Italy has lost a major route.
Alternative routes
With the closure of one of the three road routes between France & Italy, all traffic has to take an alternative route.
For 90% of traffic and all HGVs that typically use the Mont Blanc tunnel, they should use the Fréjus tunnel. Until the snow comes, there is an alternative for light vehicules. The Col du Grand Saint-Bernard or the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard are open at the moment.
Le Dauphiné
