Chamonix history episode 5, 19th century: Situated near the massive peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges and most notably the Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix is one of the oldest ski resorts in France and is known as the gateway to the European Cascades. The north side of the summit of Mont Blanc, and therefore the summit itself are part of the village of Chamonix. From the late 19th century on, tourist development was dominated by national and international initiatives rather than local entrepreneurs, though the local community was increasingly dependent upon and active in the tourist industry. The commune successfully lobbied to change its name from Chamonix to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in 1916. However, following the loss of its monopoly, the Compagnie reformed as an association of local guides, and retained an important role in local society; it provided the services of a friendly society to its members, and in the 20th century many of them were noted mountaineers and popularisers of mountain tourism, for example the novelist Roger Frison-Roche, the first member of the Compagnie not to be born in Chamonix. The holding of the first Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix in 1924 further raised Chamonixs profile as an international tourist destination. Skiing was introduced in Chamonix at the end of the 19th century by Dr Payot. The first big winter season was in 1906-07. Much of the initiative came from the Club Alpine Français which organized a local winter sports competition. From then on, the mountains were transformed forever with the construction of the first custom built tourist attractions: The Montenvers railway in 1908. The cable-car des glaciers in 1924 (no longer operational). The Planpraz cable-car in 1927. The Brevent cable-car in 1930. The Aiguille du Midi cable-car in 1955. The Flégère cable-car in 1956. By the 1960s, agriculture had been reduced to a marginal activity, while the number of tourist beds available rose to around 60,000 by the end of the 20th century, with about 5 million visitors a year.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 16:23:42 +0000
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