Anyone visiting Chamonix this winter cannot fail to
have noticed the lack of lorries in the valley. The
air was certainly cleaner, a fact supported by the
decrease in the number of children suffering from
asthma in the valley.
However, since
the the fatal fire and closing of the Mont Blanc tunnel
more than a year ago tourism in Chamonix and Courmayeur
has decreased significantly.
Overall tourism business is reported to be down 20%,
with Chamonix's casino, starved of Italian gamblers,
reported to have lost half of its business. Hardest
hit however have been the roadside cafés and petrol
stations some of which have been forced out of business
completely in some cases.
Despite
this loss of trade it's reassuring that more than
120,000 locals and visitors have signed a petition
calling for a ban on lorries using the tunnel when
it re-opens in 2001. Sometimes quality of life isn't
just based on monetary values.
