Chamonix Mont Blanc

Chamonix is probably best known as the skiing and alpine capital of the world. As a destination it has a reputation for the extreme and this, whilst undoubtedly true, can mask a wide array of sporting and leisure activities (particularly in summer), peace and quiet, great nightlife, and superb scenery that can be enjoyed at whichever pace suits you. Chamonix is the perfect place to come for a weekend break, a week's holiday, a season, or a lifetime, as you will never run out of things to do or tire of the views!

The lively streets of Chamonix are a colourful mix of sport shops, guide offices, restaurants, bars and cafés. Every Saturday the town hosts an outdoor market brimming with local crafts and produce. On bad weather days there is a cinema, a bowling alley, an ice rink, a large sports centre with a pool, gym and indoor climbing wall and numerous museums in which to while away the day. ... more

Chamonix first appeared in the history books in 1091 when the Count Aymon I of Genevois donated the valley to the Abbey Saint-Michel de la Cluse of the Piedmont region in Italy. At the time the valley was inhabited by sheep farmers and the area was not appreciated for its beauty but deplored for its constant troublesome terrain, glaciers, landslides and avalanches.

The modern era of tourism in the 'Vallée de Chamouny' started in 1741 when two English explorers, William Windham and Richard Pocock 'discovered' Montenvers (bottom of La Vallée Blanche and La Mer de Glace 'the Sea of Ice'). Their enthusiastic tales of the trip (documented in “Voyages aux Glaciers de Savoie”) whetted the appetite of many a would-be wanderer and undoubtedly initiated the flow of tourism into the valley. From this date on the mountains were revered by those who visited, but were also there to be conquered. So in 1760 Genevois Doctor Horace Benedict de Saussure offered a prize to the first person to reach the summit of Mont Blanc which he had observed from the top of the Brévent. It wasn't until August 8th 1786 that Dr Paccard & Jacques Balmat, two locals, first made it. Saussure himself made it the following year, leading the first of many scientific expeditions conducted on the peak. ... more

For anyone that spends time in the mountains, be it summer or winter, the weather is a constant topic of conversation. And it is easy to understand why, as a change in the weather can impact so dramatically on your day. Should I take a coat? How many layers should I wear? Am I going to burn? Is it going to rain? These are questions we ask ourselves daily and normally the answer is based on a lucky guess, or perhaps on judgment gained from experience and/or the weather forecast. However, by acquiring some knowledge of local weather patterns and understanding how and why systems develop, along with a few bits of weather terminology, you can certainly reduce that element of luck, and learn to make a more educated decision on your days activity and clothing requirements with the information at your disposal. ... more