▁places ▁the ▁main ▁sum mit ▁on ▁the ▁border , ▁but ▁also ▁suggests ▁that ▁the ▁border ▁should ▁follow ▁a ▁line ▁north wards ▁from ▁the ▁main ▁sum mit ▁towards ▁Mont ▁Ma ud it , ▁leaving ▁the ▁sout heast ▁r idge ▁to ▁Mont ▁Bl anc ▁de ▁Cour may eur ▁wh olly ▁within ▁Italy . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁Franco - Ital ian ▁border ▁was ▁re defined ▁in ▁both ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁the ▁commission ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁both ▁It ali ans ▁and ▁French ▁ignored ▁the ▁Mont ▁Bl anc ▁issue . ▁The ▁area ▁from ▁the ▁Tor ino ▁H ut ▁to ▁the ▁sum mit ▁is ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁authority . ▁NAT O ▁uses ▁Italian ▁military ▁maps ▁to ▁operate . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 1 st ▁century , ▁administration ▁of ▁the ▁mountain ▁is ▁shared ▁between ▁the ▁Italian ▁town ▁of ▁Cour may eur ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁town ▁of ▁Saint - G erva is - les - B ains , ▁although ▁the ▁larger ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁mountain ▁lies ▁within ▁the ▁commune ▁of ▁the ▁latter . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁press ▁reports ▁suggested ▁that ▁claims ▁by ▁Italian ▁mount aine ers ▁and ▁cart ograph ers ▁on ▁the ▁disput ed ▁territory ▁were ▁still ▁on going . ▁ ▁Vall ot ▁▁ ▁The ▁first ▁professional ▁scientific ▁investig ations ▁on ▁the ▁sum mit ▁were ▁conducted ▁by ▁the ▁botan ist – met eor ologist ▁Joseph ▁Vall ot ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁He ▁wanted ▁to ▁stay ▁near