On 1 May 2023 two avalanches of exceptional magnitude occurred in Chamonix, Mont-Blanc; the snowslide descended on the town.
The first avalanche at Argentière
The door to the Argentière refuge, maintained by Béatrice and Frédéric Laurenzio, was reached first. On their Facebook pages you can see a photo showing them shoveling to gain access to their establishment.
The second avalanche at Planards
Later in the morning, an avalanche was triggered naturally at Les Planards, a resort mainly intended for learning how to ski. The heavy spring snow has descended a long corridor, to the level of the cemetery of the commune. The flow was observable from the city center.
These two phenomena, normal for this time of year according to the Chamonix High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon (PGHM) did not cause any injuries. The rescuers carried out a check at Les Planards and did not have to go up to Argentière, after talking on the phone with the managers of the refuge.
Source: @Le Dauphiné
