The E.U. comes to Chamonix and climbs Mont Blanc (Jun 27 2008)
From the 1st of July 2008 to the 31st of December 2008, France will head the European Union Presidency.
In honor of this responsibility, Chamonix will host a group of 26 female representatives from European nations to climb Mont Blanc. The climb is to demonstrate France's commitment to combating climactic change.
The representatives from 25 of the 27 nations (every nation except Austria and Finland) arrived Wednesday night in Chamonix to prepare to bring the European Union flag to the summit of Europe. In honor of this responsibility, Chamonix will host a group of 26 female representatives from European nations to climb Mont Blanc. The climb is to demonstrate France's commitment to combating climactic change.
Under Franco-Italian guidance with guides from Chamonix, St. Gervais and Courmayeur, the group trained yesterday with a glacier walk from Point Helbronner in Italy to the Cosmiques Refuge on the shoulder of the Aiguille du Midi.
In fitting ceremony, the representative of the outgoing Slovenian presidency, Magdalena Sverc will rope up with French alpinist, Laurence de la Ferrière. The climb is planned for the 1st of July to correspond with the handover of the presidency from Slovenia to France.
