Mont Blanc can be seen from Geneva, Annecy, even Lyon on a clear day: it is the mountain of the Alps that people point at. Our workshop in Thônes is an hour from Chamonix; it is the massif we know best, and the one we are asked for most. Here are the different mountain lamps we make of it, and how to choose the right one.
The roof of the Alps
Rising to about 4,806 m — its height is re-measured every two years, because the snow cap varies — Mont Blanc is the highest summit in the Alps. Its first ascent, on 8 August 1786 by Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard, is seen as the birth of mountaineering. Since then, its great rounded dome, so different from the pyramid of the Matterhorn, has become the silhouette of a whole valley.
Which Mont Blanc lamp to choose?
- The Mont Blanc massif: the Mont Blanc lamp takes in the summit and its glaciers, for those who love the big picture.
- The summit alone: the Mont Blanc – summit lamp tightens the framing on the final dome.
- The normal route: the Tête Rousse and Goûter huts lamp follows the route most climbers take — a gift for those who have climbed it.
- The Chamonix aiguilles: theAiguille du Midi (3,842 m), theAiguille Verte (4,122 m) or the Grandes Jorasses (4,208 m), for granite lovers.
The real relief of the massif
Each lamp is modelled from official topographic data — IGN LiDAR HD on the French side. Ridges, glaciers and couloirs are in their real place: this is not a Mont Blanc "inspired by", it is the massif itself, to scale. The relief is printed in high-definition PLA and set on a pear-wood base hand-turned by L'Atelier du Mont in Le Chinaillon. Every step is told in how a mountain lamp is made.
Who to give a Mont Blanc lamp to?
- The climber who has stayed at the Goûter hut — or who is preparing the ascent;
- Residents and lovers of the Chamonix valley, Saint-Gervais or Les Houches;
- Skiers who have come down the Vallée Blanche;
- Everyone who sees Mont Blanc from their window, and would like to find it again in the evening.
Our ideas by occasion are gathered on the gift a mountain lamppage, and the lamp creator lets you frame another side, for instance the one you see from your chalet.
The Mont Blanc lamp in practice
- About 15 cm across and 400 g, with a pear-wood base hand-turned by L'Atelier du Mont in Le Chinaillon;
- Relief printed in high-definition PLA, translucent once lit;
- Dimmable 5 V LED, USB powered, mains adapter included;
- A numbered one-of-a-kind piece, made to order in Thônes (Haute-Savoie), €89;
- Dispatched within 2 to 3 working days, Colissimo delivery in 3 to 5 days, or free collection from the workshop.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Mont Blanc lamps?
The framing: the Mont Blanc lamp shows the massif and its glaciers, the summit version closes in on the dome, and the huts lamp follows the normal route via Tête Rousse and the Goûter.
Is the Mont Blanc lamp true to the real relief?
Yes, it is modelled from official topographic data (IGN LiDAR HD on the French side): every ridge and glacier is in its real place.
Can I have Mont Blanc as seen from my home?
Yes: with the online lamp creator, you choose the exact place and the framing of the panorama, and we make the lamp to order.