Studying the long-term water cycle around Mont Blanc, from snow to glaciers

A unique scientific tourism project, dubbed 'Jade,' is offering a new way to experience the Mont Blanc region, focusing on the intricate water cycle from snow to glaciers. Led by the Research Centre for Alpine Ecosystems (CREA) of Mont-Blanc and the Flore-Alpe Alpine Garden in Champex-Lac, the initiative invites participants to explore the Alps with a heightened environmental awareness.

This week-long experience, which follows a route similar to the popular Tour du Mont Blanc, emphasizes a sensitive and rich engagement with the mountain environment rather than a focus on physical performance. Participants, including the author, are guided through the landscape, observing how water, in its solid and liquid forms, shapes the mountains over millennia.

The project highlights the crucial role of mountainous reliefs in the water cycle, acting as natural concentrators of precipitation. Researchers are studying the visible traces of water's action on the rock, the flow of torrents and rivers like the Arve, and the phenomenon of glacier melt, which has accelerated significantly over the past century. The emergence of spring water, vital for hikers, is also a key observation point.

"Impossible to contemplate a slope of a mountain without seeing water on the slopes, in all its forms, and the traces of its action on the rock," the article notes, underscoring the pervasive influence of water. The 'Jade' project aims to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of these natural processes, connecting scientific inquiry with the immersive experience of the alpine environment.