Italy protests over France setting up protection zone on Western Europe's highest peak

ROME (Reuters) - Italy on Wednesday voiced its "strong disappointment" to France for what it said was interference on Italian territory on Mont Blanc, an Alpine peak long affected by territorial squabbles between the two states.

Mont Blanc, or Monte Bianco, in Italian, Western Europe's highest mountain, marks the Alpine border between the countries but has no physical boundary separating the Italian and French parts.

On Oct.1 the French Haute-Savoie region set up a natural protection zone on Mont Blanc around the areas of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Houches and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains.

The move created a stir among Italian authorities, unhappy at seeing any French move aimed at taking full control of a favourite holiday destination of Italian skiers and hikers.

Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said in a statement on Wednesday he had instructed the Italian embassy in Paris to issue a formal complaint to the French government.

"Such unilateral measures which cannot and must not impact Italian territory ... are not recognised by Italy," Di Maio said.

The measures include bans on any type of vehicle and on taking pets to the area, as well as tough rules to protect plants and wildlife.

(Reporting by Angelo Amante, editing by Gavin Jones and Alexandra Hudson)