France to impose daily cap of 214 climbers on Mont Blanc

Rockfall a growing risk as high temperatures thaw ground at higher altitudes

France will impose a daily cap of 214 climbers on Mont Blanc next year, one of several measures taken to limit overcrowding on one of Europe's highest peaks.

"It's a tough decision but a very good one, because Mont Blanc is a climb unlike any other. You have to be prepared," said Jean-Marc Peillex, mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, the Alpine town where the most popular route to the top of the mountain begins.