Chamonix-Mount-white

Geography

Situation

Called Chamonix in the language running, the city is located at the north of the the Alps, the foot of the Massif of Mont Blanc and close to the point of harmony of border of France, Switzerland and Italy. Chamonix Mont Blanc is the fourth larger commune of Metropolitan France in surface with 245 km ².

The top of the Mont Blanc (4810,90 meters) is located on the limit of the commune, which follows the summit watershed, of the Edge of the Bumps at the Mont Blanc de Courmayeur. In fact, the northern slope of the top of the Mount Blanc, and thus the top him even for half, are located on the commune of Chamonix. For the southern slope, the situation is different according to the country… The Italy considers that the border passes by the top. The France as for it considers that the border skirts the Rocks of the Spinner, under the summit cap, placing this one completely in French territory. The southern slope of the cap was, in our country, allotted to the commune of Saint-Gervais-the-Baths which thus shares the top with its Chamoniard neighbor. It is besides this situation “seen of France” which finds itself on the charts of IGN, where one can see an enclave Saint Gervolaine in the south of the top.

See also: Contenu=Voir the section [[Blanc#À Mount which belongs the top of the Mount Blanc]], [[To which belongs the top of the Mount Blanc]] in the article [[Mount Blanc]], and [[History of the border on the Mount Blanc]]

Several tops of more than 4000 meters are in Chamonix: the Green Needle, the Large Jorasses, the Tooth of the Giant, the Cursed Mount and the Mont Blanc of Tacul. The town of Chamonix is frontier with the Suisse and the Italy.

Communes bordering

in France, department of the Haute-Savoie:

in Swiss, Canton of Were worth:

Sorts,
Orsières.

in Italy, area of the Valley of Aoste:

Courmayeur .

Transportation routes

Chamonix is served by the trunk road N205 (2x2 ways), prolongation of the highway A40 ( white highway ) stopping in Fayet, close to Saint-Gervais-the-Baths. On the communal territory is the entry of the Tunnel of Mont Blanc, which connects France to the Italy, and thus the commune of Chamonix to that of Courmayeur.

Chamonix is served by the Railroad of Montenvers, which makes it possible to go up to the Sea of Ice, and by the line the SNCF Saint-Gervais-Vallorcine which connects it to the station Fayet (correspondence TGV) on a side and to the Swiss border of the other. The line continues then, making it possible to join the Swiss city of Martigny.

The common one counts two heliports: DZ of Wood, used by the PGHM and the Civil security and the DZ of Argentière, located in the moraine, used by “Chamonix-Mount-White Helicopter”.

History

Heraldic

Barred azure planted of five Edelweisses buttoned of gold; with sinistral of azure to the spruce of sinople and a peak of money mountain; with dextral of mouths to the head of Chamois of gold (adopted in 1930)

Etymology

The final letter “ X ” of Chamonix does not decide.

Not-known origin shared between the Latin source - campus (camp, place) and munitus (strengthened, protected) - or local - toponym close to chamois , field of the mill , field of Aymon , etc It corresponds to the name mentioned with 11th - Campo Munitum, “strengthened place” - century while however having been able to be altered. For this period, the toponym has evolved/moved in Chammonis in 1229, Chamouny in 1581, Chamony in 1652, finally Chamonix, attested since 1236.

History of the village

Chamonix enters the history in 1091 when the count Aymon 1st of Genevois makes equipment of the valley to the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Michel of the Cluse, in Piedmont.

At the 18th century, Chamouny (old name of Chamonix) is only one small rural village. Its inhabitants live then, after a fashion, of the oats and breeding and rye cultures.

In 1741, two English, William Windham and Richard Pocock, tell in literary gazettes their visit of the valley and them " expédition" towards a gigantic glacier which they baptize “the Mer of Ice”. The curiosity caused by their account rather quickly brings the first tourists who launch out then in what will become the Alpinisme.

In 1760, the rich person Genevese aristocrat Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, promises a strong reward with the first which will reach the top of the Mont Blanc. And the August 8th 1786, two Chamoniards, Jacques Balmat and the doctor Michel Paccard reach that point.

In 1770, the tourists being increasingly numerous, Mrs. Coutterand opens the first inn of the valley: the hotel of England. In 1783, one estimates at 1500 the number of visitors for the season of summer. The first luxury hotel is built as of 1816 (hotel of the Union). Many others will follow.

In 1821, following a fatal accident on the way which leads to the Mont Blanc, is created the Compagnie of the guides of Chamonix.

In 1825, among the many tourists visiting the valley appears Victor Hugo.

In 1860, the Savoy becomes French. To allow the visit of Napoleon {{III}}, a motor-road is built between Chamonix, Sallanches and Geneva.

In 1890, the professor Joseph Vallot installs his observatory with 300 meters of the top of the Mont Blanc.

In July 1901 arrives the railroad which disencloses the valley in winter. The years which will follow will see being born new Chamonix, alive from now on at the rate of two tourist seasons: the summer and the winter.

Chamonix becomes one of the first winter sports resorts in France.

In 1924, Chamonix accommodates the first Winter Olympics. Nearly 15.000 people attend the tests and consequently, Chamonix becomes a tourist resort very appraisal.

In March 1999, the tunnel of Mont Blanc was the theater of a catastrophe, where a broken truck involved a Incendie within the Tunnel involving the death of 30 individuals.

Culture and inheritance

Environmental inheritance

The Massive of the Red Needles, the Massive of Mont Blanc.

Cultural heritage

Chamonix has one of the most Téléphérique S of the world (highest being located at Merida in the Andes with the Venezuela), which connects the city to the Aiguille of the South to 3842 meters.

The commune also has an Alpine Museum: Permanent temporary exhibitions and Collection (Priory of Chamonix; Memories of the valley of XVIIIe and 19th centuries, The conquest of Mont Blanc; First famous rises; Creation of the company of the guides; Winter sports in Chamonix; Beginnings of hotel trade in the valley, Cartography and plan-reliefs of the solid mass of Mont Blanc; Agriculture and the craft industry; Observatories of Mont Blanc; Old posters; Crystal collection)

Economy

Demography

Large companies

The Compagnie of Mont Blanc is more the large company of the city. This company, born in 2000 of the fusion of all the ski lifts of the surroundings employs 215 people (up to 260 with the seasonal workers). Its sales turnover of approximately 50 million euros does of it one of the largest companies of ski lifts of Europe.

Sports and leisures

In summer, the practice of the sport with Chamonix, turns mainly to the sports related to the mountain. It is then, the climbing, the randonné pedestrian one, the VTT or the parapente which occupy an important place in the leisures and sports of the Chamoniards. The golf of Chamonix and its course eighteen holes with the foot of the Mont Blanc makes also the joy of all the followers of this sport.

In winter, the ski in all these forms is practiced in the valley. One then finds a great quantity of ski slopes alpine, of ski touring or the springboard of ski jump of Bossons for the sport of the same name.

Some key figures:

47 ski lifts
a flow of 57.000 people/hour
182km of ski slopes

Moreover the club of Hockey of Chamonix currently evolves/moves in Ligue Magnus (equivalent of League 1) and brings a heat environment to the skating rink the days of match.

Still let us underline that more than twenty-eight sports can be practiced in Chamonix. Curling, with the taekwondo while passing by game of bowls or the stroke with palm.

Demonstrations

Between the January 30th and the February 10th 1930, the Championnat of the world of hockey 1930 takes place on the skating rink of Chamonix. The city will see finally only the first towers of the competition because of the cast iron of the skating rink.

Administrative life

Teaching

Nursery school

Three nursery schools: the Nursery school of the center, the Nursery school Jacque Balmat, and the maternal section of school complex Jeanne d' Arc (private).

Primary education

Four elementary schools: The School of the center, the School Jean Constantin, the School of Let us work, and the primary education section of the school complex Jeanne d' Arc (private).

College

Two colleges: the college Clipping-Rock (public) which, with the general-purpose college, constitutes the school residence, and the section college school complex Jeanne-in Arc (private).

College

The general-purpose college Roger Clipping-Rock (open since the re-entry 2006) comprises classes of mainstream education and sections of vocational training.

Lists of the former mayors

Twinning

Others

Personalities related to the commune

Jacques Balmat (1762-1834), guide of high mountain, carries out the first rise of the Mount Blanc with Michel Gabriel Paccard (1757-1827), doctor and mountaineer.
Charles Bozon (1932-1964), mountaineer and skier, bronze medal of the special slalom to the Winter Olympics of 1960
Michel Charlet (1945-), mayor of the commune since 1983
Gerard Devouassoux (1940-1974 with the Mount Everest), mountaineer, author of several first (winter of the northern face of the Thickly in 1964 and the southern peak of the Annapurna in 1971)
Payot:

Jules Payot (1859-1939), academic, philosopher and moralist, vice-chancellor of the academies of Chambéry (1902) and Aix-en-Provence (1905-1922)
Paul Payot (1912-1977), photographer, scenario writer, writer
Georges Payot (1937-), mountaineer
Michel Payot (), doctor

family Ravanel
Jean Ravanel (1920), adviser of State, doctor in right, mayor of Chamonix (1947 to 1953)

Images and panoramas

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