Presidents Open Mont Blanc Road Tunnel

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30807, 20 July 1965, Page 20

Presidents Open Mont Blanc Road Tunnel

(N.Z.P A - Reuter—Copyright)

PARIS, July 18. Presidents de Gaulle and Saragat have opened the world’s longest road tunnel and hailed it as a new symbol of ItalianFrench friendship. The 7.3-mile tunnel which took six years to build, cost 13 lives and according to Italian statistics, £22,500,000, links France and Italy beneath Europe’s highest peak, Mont Blanc. The two leaders formally opened the tunnel by cutting tricolour ribbons of France and Italy at Chamonix, at the French entrance, and then drove through the tunnel to Courmayeur, on the Italian side. Massive security precautions were’ in force. About 5000 French gendarmes and Italian carabinieri guarded the presidents and combed the Alpine valleys. The tunnel, cutting out a wearying, winding mountain road journey, will take 450 vehicles an hour —and 600 an hour if necessary. Travellers pay a toll. The Italian leader appealed to President de Gaulle to join in working for closer unity among the Common Market nations.

President de Gaulle, in reply, did not mention the Common Market. The tunnel he said, was additional proof for the solidarity between Italy and France. “Our continent,” he said, “which for centuries rocked and scandalised the world with its wars, is today giving an example of peace.” From the tunnel, the leaders drove to the Villa Bagnara for private talks and lunch. The talks centred on the Common Market problems.