History of Chamonix
Historical Dates

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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.

In 1770 Mme Coutterand opened the first tourist hotel - l'Hotel d'Angleterre (the 'English Hotel') as English visitors outnumbered other nationals even though the journey took 9 days. Since then the region has been inspirational to sporting enthusiasts, mountaineers, painters, writers such as Byron and Shelley, and those seeking inspiration or a change of pace in their lives. Marie Pardis became the first woman to reach the top of Mont Blanc in 1803 by which time the number of ascents to the summit had multiplied greatly. Following an accident in 1821 La Compagnie des Guides 'The Chamonix Mountain Guide Company' was founded to provide financial support to Guides and their families in the event that they were no longer able to work or stricken by accident. It was the first foundation of its kind and remains the most prestigious to this day. By 1860, as part of an agreement for helping the Italians against the Austrians, the people of the Savoie and Haute-Savoie regions voted overwhelmingly to rejoin France. Access routes to the valley began to open up starting with the construction of an improved road from Geneva to Chamonix in preparation for Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie’s visit in September 1860.

Between 1863 and 1865 more than 100 peaks were reached, mainly by English climbers, but the surrounding mountains continued to hold a fascination for scientists. In 1890 Joseph Vallot was permitted to build an observatory for high mountain studies, near the summit of the Mont Blanc, as long as it served as a refuge for climbers as well. A second observatory was built actually at the summit by Jules Janssen in 1893, but was soon swallowed by the glacial ice a few years later! The start of the 20th century saw tourism continue to flourish in the valley and hoteliers overtook mountain guides as the predominant economic power. Amid strong protestations from local guides and Sherpa who felt a threat to their livelihood, a decision was made to construct the Montenvers rack railway to the Mer de Glace which still runs today. When it opened in 1908, it tool 55 minutes at a speed of 7km/h to complete the climb. (Electrification of the line in 1954 more than doubled the speed of the train and reduced the duration of the journey to 20 mins). After the success of this railway, at one stage it was envisaged that it would be possible to reach the summit of the Mont Blanc by train! The construction of the Tramway du Mont Blanc was the closest anyone came, reaching the Nid d'Aigle 'The Eagle's Nest' (2372m) from Le Fayet in 1913. Plans to complete it were dropped following the war. Today during the summer it still runs the 12km through the mountains to the bottom of the Glacier de Bionnassay.

There followed a period of frenzied construction and the development of winter sports, culminating in the hosting of the first ever Winter Olympics in Chamonix in 1924. The cable-cars of Planpraz (2200m) and Le Brévent (2525m) were completed by 1928 and 1930 respectively allowing access to the mountain-tops by 'suspended trains'. It wasn’t until 1956 that the Flégère cable-car was in service and eventually in 1997 was linked to the Brévent area. 1946 saw the creation of the first ice grotto carved right into the heart of the Mer de Glace. Due to the movement of the glacier (90-130m per year) the cave has to be re-cut each year and is sculped into the shape of an icy chalet interior complete with fireplace. Although the original project started in 1905, the plan to reach the Aiguille du Midi by cable-car did not succeed until 1955. The original attempt, via the Glacier des Bossons (2414m) saw the completion of the first cable-car of the valley in 1924, and eventually the second stage reached the Col du Midi (3558m) but never the top. This route was in fact judged too dangerous and was abandoned in favour of that of the present Aiguille du Midi cable-car, work on which started in 1951 and was completed in 1955, just 4 years later. In 1953 a project which would reveal the last secrets of Mont Blanc began - the Tunnel du Mont Blanc through to Italy - which was finally completed in 1965. With the construction of the Autoroute Blanche completed just before this, Chamonix was now firmly established on the European road network. The last great expanse of the valley that remained to be conquered was Les Grands Montets (3300m). Work started on the area in 1961 and it was opened in 1963 creating a ski area with more than 2200m descent.

Chamonix has been the base for numerous World and Olympic champions in skiing, snowboarding, and climbing - including James Couttet, Charles Bozon, Lucienne Smith-Couttet, and more recently Karine Ruby. Over the years many of Chamonix's streets and landmarks have been named after its heroes and heroines, names such as Balmat, Paccard, Edward Whymper, Joseph Ravanel, Jean-Esteril, Charlet-Straton, Vallot, Bozon, and many more, some of whom having given their lives saving and protecting others in what is an environment we will never fully tame.... More of the history of Chamonix can be discovered at the Musée Alpin (the 'Alpine Museum') situated in the Chamonix-Palace (89 Ave Michel Croz) in the centre of town. Open 2-7pm daily and additionally 10-12am during school holidays; Adults €5 (€4 with a guest card), Children €1.50, Under-12 Free.

Edward Whymper - British explorer & mountaineer

The year 2011 marks the 100^th year commemoration of the death of the British explorer Edward Whymper. The famed mountaineer climbed many of the world's most treacherous summits. He was the first to ascend several of the highest peaks in the Alps, the Canadian Rockies and the Andes. But it was his Matterhorn triumph and the subsequent tragedy that befell his party that he is most known for.

Edward was born the son of an artist in London, April 1840. He was trained to become a wood engraver to follow in the steps of his older brother the noted illustrator and explorer, Frederic Whymper.

At the age of 20, Edward received a commission to make a series of sketches of Alpine scenery and undertook an extensive journey in the Central and Western Alps.

"I had only a literary acquaintance with mountaineering, and had not even seen- much less set foot upon -a mountain"

The objective of his commission was to illustrate the mountaineering efforts for a Professor Bonney who was attempting to scale Mont Pelvoux. The mountain at that time was believed to be the highest peak in the Daughin Alps. Unfortunately the trip ended in failure for the Bonney contingent.

But the failure provided Edward with the inspiration to make his own attempt at Pelvoux, despite his lack of climbing experience.

"As if by mere chance I fell in with a very agreeable Frenchman who accompanied this party, and was pressed by him to return the assault. In 1861 we did so with my friend Macdonald and we conquered"

The conquest of Pelvoux now convinced him to become an explorer first and an illustrator second. Flushed with his recent achievement he then laid plans to add more Alpine peaks to his mountaineering resume.

Between 1860 and 1864 he lead dozens of expeditions within the Alps that vastly contributed to the understanding of the local topography.  He completed the first assents of Barre des Ecrins, Aiguille d'Argentiere and Mont Dolent in 1864 and in 1865, Aiguille Verte, Grand Cornier and Pointe Whymper (Grands Jorasses, Chamonix), the latter named in his honor.

But during this period he became obsessed with the Matterhorn, at that time a mountain thought to incapable of human attainment. During the 1860's Edward made seven unsuccessful attempts to discover a route to the top with his friend Jean-Antoine Carrel.  However each failure brought him new insights about the mountain and only served to fire his desire to add the Matterhorn to his growing list of accomplishments. 

In July of 1865, he assembled a group of alpinists to make yet another attempt on the peak. Edward's team of seven consisted of three Englishmen-Lord Francis Douglas, Douglas Hadow and Charles Hudson, French climber Michel Croz and two Swiss guides, a father and son tandem both named Peter Taugwalder.

The British climber Douglas Hadow was the least experienced among them and this would factor into the event that would forever haunt Whymper to his dying day.

The group left before dawn on July 13^th and several hours later they arrived at the base of the peak heading for the east face. By noon they reached a height of 3,380 meters and Whymper called for a halt to the day's ascent and here they bivouacked for the night.

The following morning, July 14^th they set off at sunrise and later decided to alter their course after encountering a near vertical wall. They moved to the more accommodating north face, where they carefully negotiated their way up to the summit. Finally 200 feet from the top, the slope eased and Whymper and Croz untied themselves from the rope and scrambled to the top.

"At 1:40 p.m. the world was at our feet, and the Matterhorn was conquered"

The group celebrated atop the mountain before starting their triumphant return.  Michel Croz led the way, followed by the three Englishmen- Hadow, Hudson and Douglas -in that order. The father and son team was next in the fifth and six positions with Whymper in the rear.

The seven were roped together and as they worked their way down, the inexperienced Hadow suddenly slipped. His forward motion sent him into Michel Croz and their combined momentum dragged down Hudson and Douglas.

Seeing the calamity unfolding before them, the Taugwalders and Whymper grabbed some nearby outcrops in a desperate attempt to arrest the fall of the four men. The rope tightened, tugged violently and then suddenly snapped.

Croz was heard to scream "Impossible!" as he sped forward.

Whymper later described the event:
"For two or three seconds we saw our unfortunate companions sliding downward on their backs and spreading out their hands endeavoring to save themselves; then they disappeared one by one and fell from precipice to precipice into the Matterhorn glacier below, a distance of nearly 4,000 feet in height"

At only 24 years of age the tragedy would affect Whymper for the rest of his life.

"Every night, do you understand, I see my comrades of the Matterhorn slipping on their backs, their arms outstretched, one after the other, in perfect order at equal distances-Croz the guide, first, then Hadow, then Hudson, and lastly Douglas. Yes, I shall always see them..."

Despite the tragedy Edward went on to other great achievements around the globe which earned him recognition from the British Royal Geographical Society. He discovered rare fossils in Greenland, scaled Chimboazo in the Andes and several peaks in Canada. He also published many books about his wanderings including Travels Among the Great Andes of the Equator, Chamounix and Mont Blanc and Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

But his most famous book was Scrambles Amongst the Alps. It includes over 80 of illustrations (many of which are Edward's) and a detailed account of his experience in the Alps from 1860-1869. His advice is one for the ages and has application far beyond exploration:

" Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end".

Edward Whymper died at the age of 71, most appropriately shortly after his last climb in the Alps. He is buried in Chamonix, France.

Author : Thomas Clark