Standing more than 15,000 feet tall and covered with snow and ice, Mont Blanc beguiles travelers and adventure-seekers from all over the world. But Europe’s highest peak wasn't always called Mont Blanc, the "white mountain." Mountaineers and naturalists gave it the name Mont Blanc in the late 18th to early 19th century, a period known as the “birth of alpinism.”
For extra credit, what was the name of this famous mountain before climbers and adventure-seekers started flocking to the region, say, in the year 1598?
Don’t look at the answer.
Seriously. Don’t cheat.
Do you give up?
Mont Blanc was originally called Montagne Maudite, the “Cursed Mountain.” Incidentally, one of my favorite beers is called Maudite. It’s brewed by the Unibroue Brewery in Chambly, Quebec, Canada. The beer is named after the Legend of the Flying Canoe, a topic that we’ll write about in a future blog post.
Bonne Journée!
