| Situated in a spectacular valley in the | | | | the Peak season but during off peak seasons |
| French Alps and close to Europes highest | | | | there are other highly used features such as |
| peak, in the shadow of Mount Blanc, is the | | | | the casino, cinema complex, sports center and |
| town Chamonix. Chamonix is a popular tourist | | | | prosperous nightlife to entertain the |
| resort for skiers and snowboarders who flock | | | | visitors. There is also a local alpine museum |
| to the resort from all over the world. It is | | | | in the village which offers information about |
| also one of the oldest ski resorts offering | | | | the history of mountaineering in the region. |
| 76 slopes. The ski season in Chamonix begins | | | | |
| in November and ends in April. During the off | | | | Mountain Sports |
| season tourists visit Chamonix to enjoy the | | | | |
| beautiful scenery, hiking and planning | | | | Winter sports are extremely popular in |
| ascents of Mount Blanc. | | | | Chamonix as this region has some of the most |
| | | | popular runs in the world. A cable car runs |
| The Geography of Chamonix | | | | up to the Aiguille du Midi, which reaches a |
| | | | height of 3842 meters. In 1955, when it was |
| The mountain resort Chamonix Mont Blanc is | | | | first constructed, it used to be the heighest |
| located at 45degrees North (longitude) and 6 | | | | cable run in the world. As previously |
| degrees East (latitude). The main valley in | | | | mentioned, during the off peak season, |
| this resort runs from the northeast to the | | | | Chamonix is an extraordinary and beautiful |
| southwest where it rises significantly in Le | | | | place for mountaineering. A major challenge |
| Tour. The summit of Mont Blanc rises in the | | | | is the north face of the Dru, the Frendo spur |
| southeast, but most often than not, the peak | | | | on the Aiguille du Midi and if these are too |
| is not clearly visible due to the persistent | | | | challenging then an easier option is to climb |
| cloud cover. The famous Aiguilles Rouges is | | | | to the summit of Mont Blanc, which can be |
| located on the opposite side of Mont Blanc in | | | | reached through several routes. Mountain |
| the northwest. Along the foot of the valley | | | | bikes are also a popular sport during |
| are a number of small villages and scattered | | | | off-peak season as there are many hidden |
| hamlets that belong to the commune including | | | | single tracks that, most often than not, can |
| Les Bossons and Les Praz. | | | | only be found with the help of a guide. |
| | | | |
| History | | | | Shopping, Food and Drink |
| | | | |
| Chamonix is most famously known as the first | | | | If you like ski fashion, then Chamonix offers |
| ski resort to host the winter Olympics, which | | | | plenty of shops which cater for exactly that |
| was held in 1924 and also contains the | | | | and also allow you to purchase equipment and |
| highest ski jump in the world, at 9,200 feet. | | | | rent equipment. There is also a wide range of |
| During the nineteenth Century many luxury | | | | shops in Chamonix such as opticians food |
| hotels were built on the mountains and around | | | | markets, shoe shops, souvenirs and home |
| 1901 a railway system arrived which brought | | | | wares. Beautiful alpine restaurants are |
| tourists to the area. Around the late 19th | | | | popular for eating out, followed up by a |
| Century on, tourist expansion was primarily | | | | dance in a hotel bar or in one of several |
| liberated by national and international | | | | late night clubs offering cocktails, beer, |
| initiatives rather than local capitalists. | | | | wines and spirits to cater everyones needs. |
| Although this was the case, the community of | | | | |
| Chamonix was deeply dependent on an influx of | | | | Accommodation |
| tourists in order to sustain their community. | | | | |
| By the 1960s there was a drastic reduction in | | | | There is a wide range of accommodation to |
| agriculture and a dramatic increase in the | | | | suit everyones needs in Chamonix, including |
| number of beds in the resort, approximately | | | | alpine lodges, luxury hotels, apartments, |
| 60,000 and by the end of the 20th century | | | | resorts and guesthouses. There are |
| there are an estimated 5 million visitors | | | | approximately 10,000 beds in the resort |
| annually. | | | | therefore accommodation is always plentiful |
| | | | but book early as peak season can get busy. |
| Site seeing in Chamonix | | | | Geneva International Airport is where the |
| | | | majority of International visitors will |
| The most famously visited feature of Chamonix | | | | almost certainly arrive at. Here, car hiring |
| is Mont Blanc, standing at 15,700 feet. | | | | is an option, where you can drive the |
| Tourists are able to travel to an adjacent | | | | remaining journey or catch a connecting bus |
| peak, by gondola, to view the beautiful | | | | or train for the remaining 50 miles to |
| scenery of the mountain range. Chamonix | | | | Chamonix. |
| obtains the highest number of tourists during | | | | |