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Word Count: 772 Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 5:29 AM

Travelling in Chamonix

Situated in a spectacular valley in the French Alps and close to Europes highest peak, in the shadow of Mount Blanc, is the town Chamonix. Chamonix is a popular tourist resort for skiers and snowboarders who flock to the resort from all over the world. It is also one of the oldest ski resorts offering 76 slopes. The ski season in Chamonix begins in November and ends in April. During the off season tourists visit Chamonix to enjoy the beautiful scenery, hiking and planning ascents of Mount Blanc.

The Geography of Chamonix

The mountain resort Chamonix Mont Blanc is located at 45degrees North (longitude) and 6 degrees East (latitude). The main valley in this resort runs from the northeast to the southwest where it rises significantly in Le Tour. The summit of Mont Blanc rises in the southeast, but most often than not, the peak is not clearly visible due to the persistent cloud cover. The famous Aiguilles Rouges is located on the opposite side of Mont Blanc in the northwest. Along the foot of the valley are a number of small villages and scattered hamlets that belong to the commune including Les Bossons and Les Praz.

History

Chamonix is most famously known as the first ski resort to host the winter Olympics, which was held in 1924 and also contains the highest ski jump in the world, at 9,200 feet. During the nineteenth Century many luxury hotels were built on the mountains and around 1901 a railway system arrived which brought tourists to the area. Around the late 19th Century on, tourist expansion was primarily liberated by national and international initiatives rather than local capitalists. Although this was the case, the community of Chamonix was deeply dependent on an influx of tourists in order to sustain their community. By the 1960s there was a drastic reduction in agriculture and a dramatic increase in the number of beds in the resort, approximately 60,000 and by the end of the 20th century there are an estimated 5 million visitors annually.

Site seeing in Chamonix

The most famously visited feature of Chamonix is Mont Blanc, standing at 15,700 feet. Tourists are able to travel to an adjacent peak, by gondola, to view the beautiful scenery of the mountain range. Chamonix obtains the highest number of tourists during the Peak season but during off peak seasons there are other highly used features such as the casino, cinema complex, sports center and prosperous nightlife to entertain the visitors. There is also a local alpine museum in the village which offers information about the history of mountaineering in the region.

Mountain Sports

Winter sports are extremely popular in Chamonix as this region has some of the most popular runs in the world. A cable car runs up to the Aiguille du Midi, which reaches a height of 3842 meters. In 1955, when it was first constructed, it used to be the heighest cable run in the world. As previously mentioned, during the off peak season, Chamonix is an extraordinary and beautiful place for mountaineering. A major challenge is the north face of the Dru, the Frendo spur on the Aiguille du Midi and if these are too challenging then an easier option is to climb to the summit of Mont Blanc, which can be reached through several routes. Mountain bikes are also a popular sport during off-peak season as there are many hidden single tracks that, most often than not, can only be found with the help of a guide.

Shopping, Food and Drink

If you like ski fashion, then Chamonix offers plenty of shops which cater for exactly that and also allow you to purchase equipment and rent equipment. There is also a wide range of shops in Chamonix such as opticians food markets, shoe shops, souvenirs and home wares. Beautiful alpine restaurants are popular for eating out, followed up by a dance in a hotel bar or in one of several late night clubs offering cocktails, beer, wines and spirits to cater everyones needs.

Accommodation

There is a wide range of accommodation to suit everyones needs in Chamonix, including alpine lodges, luxury hotels, apartments, resorts and guesthouses. There are approximately 10,000 beds in the resort therefore accommodation is always plentiful but book early as peak season can get busy. Geneva International Airport is where the majority of International visitors will almost certainly arrive at. Here, car hiring is an option, where you can drive the remaining journey or catch a connecting bus or train for the remaining 50 miles to Chamonix.