The Tunnels Committee heads for the heights!
The Tunnels Committee, which brings together French local authority tunnel operators, met in Monêtier-les-Bains on 3rd and 4th June 2026, at the invitation of the Hautes-Alpes authorities.
The first day was devoted to technical visits to the Marionnaise Gallery and the Galibier Tunnel, at respective altitudes of 2,000 and 2,556 metres.
The Marionnaise avalanche gallery has recently reopened following major works, as the concrete had deteriorated and posed significant structural risks. The new gallery has been extended (to 490 metres) and widened. At the same time, a safe cycle lane has been created, thereby catering for the high volume of cyclists on the Col du Lautaret.
The Galibier Tunnel, which is 365 metres long, also underwent renovation in the early 2000s. It is open to motor traffic on an alternating basis (controlled by traffic lights), but is closed to cyclists and pedestrians due to the lack of lighting.
The second day of this Tunnels Committee meeting was devoted to discussions on the interactions between operators and emergency services. A review of regulations, the Emergency Response and Rescue Plan (PIS), preparation for incident management, training, drills, lessons learnt… the challenges are numerous and an understanding of each party’s roles is essential.
The CETU would like to thank all participants for the productive discussions, with a special mention for the organisers from the Hautes-Alpes Department, and in particular Marcel Cannat (Vice-President), Gilles Delabelle (Director of Road Infrastructure), Franck Gonsolin and Fabien Dombrosio.
Thanks also go to Jean-Philippe Laplanche from the Savoie authorities, who co-chairs the Tunnels Committee alongside the CETU.