An ecofriendly Marathon

Since the creation of the Mont-Blanc Cross in 1979, the Chamonix Sports Club has been committed to offering quality races while limiting their impact on the environment. With this in mind, each year we assess our environmental impact and implement several key actions, which we continue to develop from year to year.

Reducing waste and promoting rational use of resources

Since 2021, still and sparkling water bottles have completely disappeared from our refreshment stands, thanks to an ingenious production and distribution system developed by our technical team. Thanks to a financial investment of €50,000, the use of 40,000 plastic bottles has been avoided (every year!).

In 2024, we're going one step further by also suppressing Coca-Cola plastic bottles: from now on, we'll be offering runners the chance to mix Coca-Cola syrup with the sparkling water we already produce.

All single-use containers have also been eliminated since 2017: each runner is required to bring his or her own reusable cup, bowl and spoon.

In collaboration with SITOM (the valley's waste sorting center) and Ecotrivelo association, we sort recyclable and non-recyclable waste and provide compost bins for organic waste. Volunteers in charge of our refreshment stands are made aware of this issue and ensure that runners comply with the sorting instructions. Therefore, 85% of our waste is organic and composted in Chamonix.

Since 2011, we have used only eco-friendly toilets, requiring no chemicals or water supply, and whose waste is entirely biodegradable.

When registering, runners can choose a vegetarian meal option, offset their transportation carbon footprint to Chamonix, and tell us whether or not they would like a T-shirt. We've also replaced the trophies formerly offered to runners with diplomas and gifts that are eco-friendly and/or consumable.

We also prefer to purchase large quantities of minimally-packaged products with recyclable packaging. We keep paper-based administrative procedures to a minimum, with online registrations and a reducted number of paper documents required for race bib delivery (digital system).

Last but not least, our teams of race closers are responsible for cleaning up all the trails after the runners.

Favoring organic and local products

Buying organic and local products is also a matter of course for us.

For 2/3 of our purchases, we use local producers and retailers: among others, our tommes come from the Montroc farm and the Vallorcine farm; our sausages are supplied by Salaisons du Mont-Blanc; we work with Brasserie du Mont-Blanc for the beers served at race arrivals; our fruit is organic and bought from local early fruit growers; the bread, sandwiches and cakes come from local bakeries; and the hot dogs and diots are prepared by Viret, a local caterer.

For the Emosson refreshment station, the only one in Switzerland, we also use local producers: Ferme des Lisats, Duay & fils, and Boucherie Chanson.

Trophies symbolizing our commitments

2024 news : the trophies awarded to the winners are made by Pahapa, a young company made in Chamonix. Made from bio-sourced corn, they are recyclable and industrially compostable!

Reducing the carbon impact of transport

The environmental impact assessment we carried out on the 2023 edition of the Mont-Blanc Marathon showed that 96% of the Marathon's carbon impact was linked to the transport used by runners and their companions before the eventto get to Chamonix.

We therefore encourage runners to use eco-responsible public transport such as the train (by sending out information on this subject in particular), and we offer participants the opportunity to make a donation to a local environmental project to offset their carbon emissions. In 2024, as soon as they register and at any time before the race, runners will be able to make a voluntary donation. From 2025, carbon offsetting will be mandatory for all runners.

In 2023, more than 2,000 runners chose to offset their carbon emissions, raising €5,000, all of which was donated to the Sylv'acctes and CREA Mont-Blanc associations.

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In addition, in order to limit the use of individual vehicles during the event, we have set up shuttle systems , enabling runners in the 90km and 42km races to be taken to their starting lines, and accompanying persons to be able to follow the runners through the valley without using their personal vehicles.

Where it is not possible to use public transport, we strongly encourage runners, accompanying persons and members of the organization (volunteers, partners, members of the Club des Sports, etc.) to carpool. To do this, we promote the use of car-sharing platforms and put people in touch with each other who are offering or looking for car-sharing (by creating Facebook groups or Whatsapp communities, for example). Members of the organization also have access to a fleet of electric bikes, which they use whenever possible.

Finally, since 2021, we no longer use helicopters to produce aerial images of the event: these are now 100% produced by drones.

Protecting the Aiguilles Rouges Natural Reserve

Four of the Mont-Blanc Marathon races are crossing the Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve : the 90km, the 42km, the 23km and the Young Race Marathon. Thus, we raise runners' awareness to take care of this environment, applying zero tolerance to littering and requiring them to stay on the trails. We also encourage them to keep their eyes open for animals, flowers and plants along the trails, and to avoid disturbing the animals (ibex, chamois, wild boar, eagles, etc.)!

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