Chamonix France

Mont Blanc (French for white mountain) is a mountain in the Alps with a summit reaching approximately 13,000 feet into the sky is the highest mountain in Western Europe and the Alps. This La Dame Blanche (French for the white lady) as it is sometimes referred to stands between the Aosta Valley in Italy and the Haute-Savoie in France. The summit of Mont Blanc is claimed by both France and Italy and is subjected to constant dispute between the two while appearing within its borders on maps of each respective country.
The two best known and most frequently visited towns near Mont Blanc are Courmayeur on the Italian side and Chamonix on the French. The Mont Blanc Tunnel that runs beneath the mountain between these two towns was completed in 1965 and has become one of the major trans-Alpine transport routes.

The town Chamonix (officially known as Chamonix-Mont-Blanc) is part of the valley lying at the foot of Mont Blanc in eastern France by the same name. It is a significant and booming winter sports resort, a climbing and skiing center of international repute and was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics. Chamonix is definitely not a good choice for beginner skiers and boasts one of the longest ski runs in the world is the Vallée Blanche. To get to it, however, one must be lead by a knowledgeable guide, carry the skis on the back and be aided by ropes down a narrow ridge.
With an estimated population of 10,000, cozy little Chamonix with its charming narrow streets is nestled between Mont Blanc and its magnificent glaciers on the southeast and Aiguilles Rouges with its scenic beauty and a series of mountainous pinnacles that are unique in their rugged formations.
The principal setting of Chamonix is the intersection of its main street, Rue Dr-Paccard and Rue J.- Vallot, which runs along the whole length of the town, with the Avenue de la Gare (formerly Avenue Foch). Close to the junction is the town hall, Hôtel de Ville and just south of there, on the banks of the Arve, is the Saussure Monument by J. Salmson, 1887. This monument memorializes the first scientific scaling of Mont Blanc in 1786. Also near by is the Musée Alpin that depicts the history of the valley and men’s role in its development.

The rapid escalation of tourism in the area in the early part of the nineteenth century and the need to regulate access to the mountain slopes that were communally owned at the time, led to the establishment of the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix in 1821. This group held a monopoly of guiding visitors from the town to the mountain until it was dissolved by French government action in 1892. From then on forward guides were required to hold official diplomas issued by a commission governed by civil servants and members of the French Alpine Club rather than local residents.
Agriculture was greatly reduced by the 1960’s in the Chamonix area while the number of tourist beds available climbed to about 60,000 by the end of the twentieth century to accommodate five million visitors a year.

Chamonix retains its natural splendor all year round but the summer offers significantly different activities.

Posted in France Vacation Guide