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Chamonix

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (French pronunciation: [ʃamɔni mɔ̃ blɑ̃]; Arpitan: Chamôni-Mont-Blanc), more commonly known simply as Chamonix (Chamôni),[a][b] is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Southeastern France. It was the site of the first Winter Olympics, held in 1924.

Chamonix
Chamôni (Arpitan)
The Chamonix Valley seen in 2010 from La Flégère with Mont Blanc in the background
Location of Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix
Coordinates: 45°55′23″N 6°52′11″E / 45.9231°N 6.8697°E / 45.9231; 6.8697
CountryFrance
RegionAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes
DepartmentHaute-Savoie
ArrondissementBonneville
CantonLe Mont-Blanc
IntercommunalityCC de la Vallée de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Éric Fournier[1]
Area
1
245.46 km2 (94.77 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
8,642
 • Density35/km2 (91/sq mi)
DemonymChamoniards
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
74056 /74400
Elevation995–4,807 m (3,264–15,771 ft)
(avg. 1,035 m or 3,396 ft)
Websitewww.chamonix.fr
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Chamonix is situated in the French Alps just north of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe. Between the peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges and the notable Aiguille du Midi, it borders both Switzerland and Italy. It is one of the oldest ski resorts in France, popular with alpinists and mountain enthusiasts. Via the cable car lift to the Aiguille du Midi it is possible to access the off-piste (backcountry) ski run of the Vallée Blanche (White Valley).

Name edit

The name Campum munitum, meaning fortified plain or field, had been used as early as 1091. By 1283 the name had been abbreviated to a similar form to the modern Chamonis. Other forms through the ages include Chamouny in 1581, Chamony in 1652, Chamouni in 1786, and the particular spelling Chamonix from 1793.

Status edit

Chamonix is the fourth-largest commune in metropolitan France, with an area of 245 km2 (95 sq mi). Its population of around 8,900 ranks 1,089th within the country of France.[6]

History edit

 
Horace Bénédict de Saussure, with Jacques Balmat (left) who points towards the summit of Mont Blanc, Monument at Chamonix.

The valley was first mentioned in 1091, when it was granted by the Count of the Genevois to the great Benedictine house of St. Michel de la Cluse, near Turin, which by the early 13th century had established a priory there.[7] However, in 1786 the inhabitants bought their freedom from the canons of Sallanches, to whom the priory had been transferred in 1519.[citation needed]

In 1530, the inhabitants obtained from the Count of the Genevois the privilege of holding two fairs a year, while the valley was often visited by the civil officials and by the bishops of Geneva (first recorded visit in 1411, while St. Francis de Sales came there in 1606).[citation needed] But travellers for pleasure were very rare.

Chamonix was part of the historical land of Savoy emerged as the feudal territory of the House of Savoy during the 11th to 14th centuries. The historical territory is shared between the modern countries of France, Italy and Switzerland. The House of Savoy became the longest surviving royal house in Europe. It ruled the County of Savoy to 1416 and then the Duchy of Savoy from 1416 to 1860.[citation needed]

The first party to publish (1744) an account of their visit was that of Richard Pococke, William Windham and others, such as the Englishmen who visited the Mer de Glace in 1741. In 1742 came P. Martel and several other Genevese, in 1760 Horace Bénédict de Saussure,[7] as well as rather later Marc-Théodore Bourrit.

The growth of tourism in the early 19th century led to the formation of the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix in 1821, to regulate access to the mountain slopes (which were communally or co-operatively owned), and this association held a monopoly of guiding from the town until it was broken by French government action in 1892; thereafter guides were required to hold a diploma issued by a commission dominated by civil servants and members of the French Alpine Club rather than local residents.[citation needed]

From the late 19th century on, tourist development was dominated by national and international initiatives rather than local entrepreneurs, though the local community was increasingly dependent upon and active in the tourist industry.[citation needed]

The commune successfully lobbied to change its name from Chamonix to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in 1916.[citation needed] However, following the loss of its monopoly, the Compagnie reformed as an association of local guides, and retained an important role in local society; it provided the services of a friendly society to its members, and in the 20th century many of them were noted mountaineers and popularisers of mountain tourism, notably the novelist Roger Frison-Roche, the first member of the Compagnie not to be born in Chamonix.

 
Chamonix Valley: crossing the glacier on foot (between 1902 and 1904)

Serving as the host city for the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924 further raised Chamonix's profile as an international tourist destination.

During the Second World War, a Children's Home operated in Chamonix, in which several dozens of Jewish children were hidden from the Nazis. Some of those who hid them were recognised as "Righteous Among the Nations".[8]

By the 1960s, agriculture had been reduced to a marginal activity, while the number of tourist beds available rose to around 60,000 by the end of the 20th century, with about 5 million visitors a year.[citation needed]

Geography edit

Settlements edit

The commune of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc includes 16 villages and hamlets. From north to south: Le Tour 1,462 m (4,797 ft),[9] Montroc, Le Planet, Argentière 1,252 m (4,108 ft),[9] Les Chosalets, Le Lavancher, Les Tines, Les Bois, Les-Praz-de-Chamonix 1,060 m (3,478 ft),[9] Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Les Pècles, Les Mouilles, Les Barrats, Les Pélerins, Les Gaillands, and Les Bossons 1,012 m (3,320 ft).[9]

Climate edit

Due to its elevation, Chamonix has a humid continental climate (Dfb, according to the Köppen climate classification), with an average annual precipitation of 1,280 mm (50 in). Summers are mild and winters are cold and snowy.

Climate data for Chamonix, elevation: 1,042 m (3,419 ft), 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1880–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 15.3
(59.5)
19.6
(67.3)
22.1
(71.8)
26.4
(79.5)
31.7
(89.1)
36.4
(97.5)
37.2
(99.0)
36.0
(96.8)
31.1
(88.0)
26.0
(78.8)
22.3
(72.1)
16.5
(61.7)
37.2
(99.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 2.7
(36.9)
5.0
(41.0)
8.9
(48.0)
12.7
(54.9)
17.6
(63.7)
21.2
(70.2)
23.9
(75.0)
23.1
(73.6)
19.1
(66.4)
14.7
(58.5)
7.4
(45.3)
2.6
(36.7)
13.3
(55.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) −2.2
(28.0)
−0.7
(30.7)
3.0
(37.4)
6.6
(43.9)
11.2
(52.2)
14.3
(57.7)
16.5
(61.7)
15.9
(60.6)
12.5
(54.5)
8.6
(47.5)
2.7
(36.9)
−1.6
(29.1)
7.3
(45.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −7.1
(19.2)
−6.3
(20.7)
−3.0
(26.6)
0.4
(32.7)
4.8
(40.6)
7.5
(45.5)
9.1
(48.4)
8.7
(47.7)
6.0
(42.8)
2.5
(36.5)
−2.1
(28.2)
−5.7
(21.7)
1.3
(34.3)
Record low °C (°F) −31.0
(−23.8)
−25.0
(−13.0)
−23.2
(−9.8)
−15.0
(5.0)
−6.0
(21.2)
−3.6
(25.5)
−1.8
(28.8)
−1.7
(28.9)
−3.5
(25.7)
−13.0
(8.6)
−22.0
(−7.6)
−25.0
(−13.0)
−31.0
(−23.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 93.9
(3.70)
83.8
(3.30)
86.6
(3.41)
89.0
(3.50)
121.4
(4.78)
130.4
(5.13)
119.0
(4.69)
125.9
(4.96)
103.6
(4.08)
116.8
(4.60)
100.7
(3.96)
109.8
(4.32)
1,280.9
(50.43)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 9.7 8.4 9.8 10.1 13.6 12.6 11.8 12.1 9.9 10.1 9.6 10.6 128.3
Source: Meteo France[10]

Demographics edit

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 1,830—    
1800 1,925+0.73%
1806 1,949+0.21%
1821 2,232+0.91%
1836 2,528+0.83%
1846 2,304−0.92%
1856 2,308+0.02%
1861 2,304−0.03%
1866 2,415+0.95%
1872 2,455+0.27%
1876 2,406−0.50%
1881 2,420+0.12%
1886 2,450+0.25%
1891 2,447−0.02%
1896 2,435−0.10%
1901 2,729+2.31%
1906 3,482+4.99%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1911 3,109−2.24%
1921 3,040−0.22%
1926 3,811+4.62%
1931 4,446+3.13%
1936 4,633+0.83%
1946 5,883+2.42%
1954 5,699−0.40%
1962 7,213+2.99%
1968 7,745+1.19%
1975 8,393+1.15%
1982 8,746+0.59%
1990 9,701+1.30%
1999 9,830+0.15%
2009 9,054−0.82%
2014 8,997−0.13%
2020 8,644−0.66%
Source: EHESS[11] and INSEE[12]

Mountain and winter sports edit

Chamonix is a winter sports resort town that still attracts skiers ready to test themselves both on the pistes in the official area and against the challenges of the backcountry skiing.[13] As the highest European mountain west of Russia,[14] Mont Blanc attracts mountain climbers. The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc has been held every August since 2003.

There is a cable car up to the 3,842 m (12,605 ft) Aiguille du Midi. Constructed in 1955, it was then the highest cable car in the world[15] and remains the highest vertical ascent cable car in the world.[16]

Chamonix is divided into three separate ski areas (Les Grands Montets, Brévent - Flégère, le domaine de Balme) which run along the valley from Le Tour down to Les Houches.[17] In addition to the 1924 Winter Olympic Games, the town hosts a round of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup and the Arlberg-Kandahar. It previously hosted the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1937 and the 1984 and 1988 Biathlon World Championships for women.

The 1930 Ice Hockey World Championships was mostly held at Chamonix. The town also hosted the European Curling Championships in 1991 and 1999.

Transportation edit

Roads edit

The town of Chamonix is served by French Route Nationale 205 (RN 205), nicknamed the Route blanche,[18] or "white route", due to its snowiness. This is an extension of French autoroute 40 (A40), similarly nicknamed the autoroute blanche, which ends at Le Fayet, a village in the commune of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains.[19] The 11.6-km Mont Blanc Tunnel, which opened in 1965, links Chamonix to Courmayeur in Italy.[20] Chamonix is linked to Switzerland by what used to be RN 506a. In 2006, it was converted to a Route Départementale 1506, with a part of it integrated into RN 205. The nearest airport to Chamonix is Geneva Cointrin International and it is 88 kilometres (55 miles) away.[citation needed]

Rail edit

 
Front and façade of the Chamonix - Mont-Blanc railway station.

Chamonix is served by the metre-gauge St Gervais-Vallorcine Line, operated by SNCF. The line from Saint Gervais (on the standard-gauge rail network) to Chamonix opened in 1901; it was extended to Vallorcine in 1908. The line holds the record for the steepest gradient on any standard (adhesion) railway. There are 10 stations on this line within the commune of Chamonix: Montroc-le-Planet, Argentière, La Joux, Les Tines, Les Praz-de-Chamonix, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Chamonix-Aiguille-du-Midi, Les Moussoux, Les Pélerins and Les Bossons.

From Vallorcine, the rail route continues over the border into Switzerland, meeting the SBB network at Martigny. This latter section, a metre-gauge cog railway, is operated by Transports de Martigny et Régions SA. The train service from Vallorcine to Martigny is known as the Mont Blanc Express. Timetables on the St Gervais-Vallorcine and Vallorcine-Martigny sections are synchronized.[21]

The 5.1-km Montenvers Railway is a cog railway that provides access to the tourist site of Montenvers. Opened in 1909, its rail station was built next to SNCF's Chamonix station on the St Gervais-Vallorcine Line. In fact the two stations are directly linked.[22] Montenvers provides further tourist access to middle and high mountain areas.[23]

Cable cars edit

Chamonix has one of the highest cable cars in the world, which links the town to the summit of the Aiguille du Midi at 3842 m.[24] It is based on an older system built in 1920, rebuilt in the first half of the 1950s over five summer seasons,[25] fully modernized in 1979, and upgraded again in 2008. On the other side of the valley, another cable car links Chamonix to the viewpoint of Planpraz. A second line links Planpraz to the summit of Le Brévent at 2525 meters.[26][27] Many other cable cars exist in the valley, and are heavily used by skiers and residents. The Plan Joran chairlift at the base of Les Grands Montets is due to be replaced by a 10-person gondola for the Winter 2014/15 season.[28]

Sister cities edit

Chamonix is twinned with:

Notable people edit

See also edit

 
Panorama of the Chamonix Valley

Notes edit

  1. ^ English pronunciation: UK: /ˈʃæməni, -mɒni/ SHAM-ə-nee, -⁠on-ee,[3][4] US: /ˌʃɑːmˈn/ SHAH-moh-NEE.[5]
  2. ^ Formerly spelled Chamounix.

References edit

  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Chamonix". Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  4. ^ . Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 2020-03-22.
  5. ^ "Chamonix". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  6. ^ Sources des données : INSEE – Chamonix: Données générales
  7. ^ a b The Development of the Appreciation of Mountain Scenery in Modern Times, Walter Woodburn Hyde, Geographical Review, Vol. 3, No. 2 (February 1917), pp. 107–118
  8. ^ the Children's Home in Chamonix, at Yad Vashem website
  9. ^ a b c d . Archived from the original on 2010-01-03. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  10. ^ "Chamonix (74)" (PDF). Fiche Climatologique: Statistiques 1981–2010 et records (in French). Meteo France. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  11. ^ Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Chamonix, EHESS (in French).
  12. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  13. ^ "Ski Chamonix". Ski Resorts. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Chamonix Resort Information". Freedom Snowsports. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  15. ^ . Summit Post. 6 April 2008. Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  16. ^ Berne, Laurent (2012). L'aventure du premier téléphérique de France: Chronique du premier téléphérique de l'Aiguille du Midi, dit "des Glaciers", à Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. Éditions des Rochers. ISBN 9782746641556. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  17. ^ Chamonix ski resort guide
  18. ^ Le Comité de préservation du village des Houches – Dossier publié le 12/05/2004[permanent dead link] (PDF)
  19. ^ Site de l'association de défense des usagers de l'A40 et de l'A41 – Revue de presse
  20. ^ . Archived from the original on 2008-11-14. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  21. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-02-10. [in French]
  22. ^ Site de Christophe Jacquet spécialisé sur les trains du Mont-Blanc
  23. ^ . Compagnie du Montblanc. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  24. ^ Site de l'Aiguille du Midi – Histoire du téléphérique July 24, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ Cable Way to the Top of the Alps. Popular Mechanics, April 1956, pp. 81-84.
  26. ^ . Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2010-02-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  27. ^ . Archived from the original on 2010-02-11. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  28. ^ New for Winter 2014/15 - http://www.skicollection.co.uk/Ski/Chamonix.htm
  29. ^ "Aspen's Sister Cities | Aspen CO Chamber". www.aspenchamber.org. Retrieved 2018-12-11.
  30. ^ . List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Archived from the original on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2015.

External links edit

chamonix, mont, blanc, french, pronunciation, ʃamɔni, blɑ, arpitan, chamôni, mont, blanc, more, commonly, known, simply, chamôni, commune, haute, savoie, department, auvergne, rhône, alpes, region, southeastern, france, site, first, winter, olympics, held, 192. Chamonix Mont Blanc French pronunciation ʃamɔni mɔ blɑ Arpitan Chamoni Mont Blanc more commonly known simply as Chamonix Chamoni a b is a commune in the Haute Savoie department in the Auvergne Rhone Alpes region in Southeastern France It was the site of the first Winter Olympics held in 1924 Chamonix Chamoni Arpitan CommuneThe Chamonix Valley seen in 2010 from La Flegere with Mont Blanc in the backgroundCoat of armsLocation of ChamonixChamonixShow map of FranceChamonixShow map of Auvergne Rhone AlpesCoordinates 45 55 23 N 6 52 11 E 45 9231 N 6 8697 E 45 9231 6 8697CountryFranceRegionAuvergne Rhone AlpesDepartmentHaute SavoieArrondissementBonnevilleCantonLe Mont BlancIntercommunalityCC de la Vallee de Chamonix Mont BlancGovernment Mayor 2020 2026 Eric Fournier 1 Area1245 46 km2 94 77 sq mi Population 2021 2 8 642 Density35 km2 91 sq mi DemonymChamoniardsTime zoneUTC 01 00 CET Summer DST UTC 02 00 CEST INSEE Postal code74056 74400Elevation995 4 807 m 3 264 15 771 ft avg 1 035 m or 3 396 ft Websitewww chamonix fr1 French Land Register data which excludes lakes ponds glaciers gt 1 km2 0 386 sq mi or 247 acres and river estuaries Chamonix is situated in the French Alps just north of Mont Blanc the highest mountain in Western Europe Between the peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges and the notable Aiguille du Midi it borders both Switzerland and Italy It is one of the oldest ski resorts in France popular with alpinists and mountain enthusiasts Via the cable car lift to the Aiguille du Midi it is possible to access the off piste backcountry ski run of the Vallee Blanche White Valley Contents 1 Name 2 Status 3 History 4 Geography 4 1 Settlements 4 2 Climate 5 Demographics 6 Mountain and winter sports 7 Transportation 7 1 Roads 7 2 Rail 7 3 Cable cars 8 Sister cities 9 Notable people 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References 13 External linksName editThe name Campum munitum meaning fortified plain or field had been used as early as 1091 By 1283 the name had been abbreviated to a similar form to the modern Chamonis Other forms through the ages include Chamouny in 1581 Chamony in 1652 Chamouni in 1786 and the particular spelling Chamonix from 1793 Status editChamonix is the fourth largest commune in metropolitan France with an area of 245 km2 95 sq mi Its population of around 8 900 ranks 1 089th within the country of France 6 History edit nbsp Horace Benedict de Saussure with Jacques Balmat left who points towards the summit of Mont Blanc Monument at Chamonix The valley was first mentioned in 1091 when it was granted by the Count of the Genevois to the great Benedictine house of St Michel de la Cluse near Turin which by the early 13th century had established a priory there 7 However in 1786 the inhabitants bought their freedom from the canons of Sallanches to whom the priory had been transferred in 1519 citation needed In 1530 the inhabitants obtained from the Count of the Genevois the privilege of holding two fairs a year while the valley was often visited by the civil officials and by the bishops of Geneva first recorded visit in 1411 while St Francis de Sales came there in 1606 citation needed But travellers for pleasure were very rare Chamonix was part of the historical land of Savoy emerged as the feudal territory of the House of Savoy during the 11th to 14th centuries The historical territory is shared between the modern countries of France Italy and Switzerland The House of Savoy became the longest surviving royal house in Europe It ruled the County of Savoy to 1416 and then the Duchy of Savoy from 1416 to 1860 citation needed The first party to publish 1744 an account of their visit was that of Richard Pococke William Windham and others such as the Englishmen who visited the Mer de Glace in 1741 In 1742 came P Martel and several other Genevese in 1760 Horace Benedict de Saussure 7 as well as rather later Marc Theodore Bourrit The growth of tourism in the early 19th century led to the formation of the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix in 1821 to regulate access to the mountain slopes which were communally or co operatively owned and this association held a monopoly of guiding from the town until it was broken by French government action in 1892 thereafter guides were required to hold a diploma issued by a commission dominated by civil servants and members of the French Alpine Club rather than local residents citation needed From the late 19th century on tourist development was dominated by national and international initiatives rather than local entrepreneurs though the local community was increasingly dependent upon and active in the tourist industry citation needed The commune successfully lobbied to change its name from Chamonix to Chamonix Mont Blanc in 1916 citation needed However following the loss of its monopoly the Compagnie reformed as an association of local guides and retained an important role in local society it provided the services of a friendly society to its members and in the 20th century many of them were noted mountaineers and popularisers of mountain tourism notably the novelist Roger Frison Roche the first member of the Compagnie not to be born in Chamonix nbsp Chamonix Valley crossing the glacier on foot between 1902 and 1904 Serving as the host city for the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924 further raised Chamonix s profile as an international tourist destination During the Second World War a Children s Home operated in Chamonix in which several dozens of Jewish children were hidden from the Nazis Some of those who hid them were recognised as Righteous Among the Nations 8 By the 1960s agriculture had been reduced to a marginal activity while the number of tourist beds available rose to around 60 000 by the end of the 20th century with about 5 million visitors a year citation needed Geography editSettlements edit The commune of Chamonix Mont Blanc includes 16 villages and hamlets From north to south Le Tour 1 462 m 4 797 ft 9 Montroc Le Planet Argentiere 1 252 m 4 108 ft 9 Les Chosalets Le Lavancher Les Tines Les Bois Les Praz de Chamonix 1 060 m 3 478 ft 9 Chamonix Mont Blanc Les Pecles Les Mouilles Les Barrats Les Pelerins Les Gaillands and Les Bossons 1 012 m 3 320 ft 9 Climate edit Due to its elevation Chamonix has a humid continental climate Dfb according to the Koppen climate classification with an average annual precipitation of 1 280 mm 50 in Summers are mild and winters are cold and snowy Climate data for Chamonix elevation 1 042 m 3 419 ft 1981 2010 normals extremes 1880 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high C F 15 3 59 5 19 6 67 3 22 1 71 8 26 4 79 5 31 7 89 1 36 4 97 5 37 2 99 0 36 0 96 8 31 1 88 0 26 0 78 8 22 3 72 1 16 5 61 7 37 2 99 0 Mean daily maximum C F 2 7 36 9 5 0 41 0 8 9 48 0 12 7 54 9 17 6 63 7 21 2 70 2 23 9 75 0 23 1 73 6 19 1 66 4 14 7 58 5 7 4 45 3 2 6 36 7 13 3 55 9 Daily mean C F 2 2 28 0 0 7 30 7 3 0 37 4 6 6 43 9 11 2 52 2 14 3 57 7 16 5 61 7 15 9 60 6 12 5 54 5 8 6 47 5 2 7 36 9 1 6 29 1 7 3 45 1 Mean daily minimum C F 7 1 19 2 6 3 20 7 3 0 26 6 0 4 32 7 4 8 40 6 7 5 45 5 9 1 48 4 8 7 47 7 6 0 42 8 2 5 36 5 2 1 28 2 5 7 21 7 1 3 34 3 Record low C F 31 0 23 8 25 0 13 0 23 2 9 8 15 0 5 0 6 0 21 2 3 6 25 5 1 8 28 8 1 7 28 9 3 5 25 7 13 0 8 6 22 0 7 6 25 0 13 0 31 0 23 8 Average precipitation mm inches 93 9 3 70 83 8 3 30 86 6 3 41 89 0 3 50 121 4 4 78 130 4 5 13 119 0 4 69 125 9 4 96 103 6 4 08 116 8 4 60 100 7 3 96 109 8 4 32 1 280 9 50 43 Average precipitation days 1 0 mm 9 7 8 4 9 8 10 1 13 6 12 6 11 8 12 1 9 9 10 1 9 6 10 6 128 3 Source Meteo France 10 Demographics editHistorical populationYearPop p a 17931 830 18001 925 0 73 18061 949 0 21 18212 232 0 91 18362 528 0 83 18462 304 0 92 18562 308 0 02 18612 304 0 03 18662 415 0 95 18722 455 0 27 18762 406 0 50 18812 420 0 12 18862 450 0 25 18912 447 0 02 18962 435 0 10 19012 729 2 31 19063 482 4 99 YearPop p a 19113 109 2 24 19213 040 0 22 19263 811 4 62 19314 446 3 13 19364 633 0 83 19465 883 2 42 19545 699 0 40 19627 213 2 99 19687 745 1 19 19758 393 1 15 19828 746 0 59 19909 701 1 30 19999 830 0 15 20099 054 0 82 20148 997 0 13 20208 644 0 66 Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki org Source EHESS 11 and INSEE 12 Mountain and winter sports editChamonix is a winter sports resort town that still attracts skiers ready to test themselves both on the pistes in the official area and against the challenges of the backcountry skiing 13 As the highest European mountain west of Russia 14 Mont Blanc attracts mountain climbers The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc has been held every August since 2003 There is a cable car up to the 3 842 m 12 605 ft Aiguille du Midi Constructed in 1955 it was then the highest cable car in the world 15 and remains the highest vertical ascent cable car in the world 16 Chamonix is divided into three separate ski areas Les Grands Montets Brevent Flegere le domaine de Balme which run along the valley from Le Tour down to Les Houches 17 In addition to the 1924 Winter Olympic Games the town hosts a round of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup and the Arlberg Kandahar It previously hosted the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1937 and the 1984 and 1988 Biathlon World Championships for women The 1930 Ice Hockey World Championships was mostly held at Chamonix The town also hosted the European Curling Championships in 1991 and 1999 Transportation editRoads edit The town of Chamonix is served by French Route Nationale 205 RN 205 nicknamed the Route blanche 18 or white route due to its snowiness This is an extension of French autoroute 40 A40 similarly nicknamed the autoroute blanche which ends at Le Fayet a village in the commune of Saint Gervais les Bains 19 The 11 6 km Mont Blanc Tunnel which opened in 1965 links Chamonix to Courmayeur in Italy 20 Chamonix is linked to Switzerland by what used to be RN 506a In 2006 it was converted to a Route Departementale 1506 with a part of it integrated into RN 205 The nearest airport to Chamonix is Geneva Cointrin International and it is 88 kilometres 55 miles away citation needed Rail edit nbsp Front and facade of the Chamonix Mont Blanc railway station Chamonix is served by the metre gauge St Gervais Vallorcine Line operated by SNCF The line from Saint Gervais on the standard gauge rail network to Chamonix opened in 1901 it was extended to Vallorcine in 1908 The line holds the record for the steepest gradient on any standard adhesion railway There are 10 stations on this line within the commune of Chamonix Montroc le Planet Argentiere La Joux Les Tines Les Praz de Chamonix Chamonix Mont Blanc Chamonix Aiguille du Midi Les Moussoux Les Pelerins and Les Bossons From Vallorcine the rail route continues over the border into Switzerland meeting the SBB network at Martigny This latter section a metre gauge cog railway is operated by Transports de Martigny et Regions SA The train service from Vallorcine to Martigny is known as the Mont Blanc Express Timetables on the St Gervais Vallorcine and Vallorcine Martigny sections are synchronized 21 The 5 1 km Montenvers Railway is a cog railway that provides access to the tourist site of Montenvers Opened in 1909 its rail station was built next to SNCF s Chamonix station on the St Gervais Vallorcine Line In fact the two stations are directly linked 22 Montenvers provides further tourist access to middle and high mountain areas 23 Cable cars edit Chamonix has one of the highest cable cars in the world which links the town to the summit of the Aiguille du Midi at 3842 m 24 It is based on an older system built in 1920 rebuilt in the first half of the 1950s over five summer seasons 25 fully modernized in 1979 and upgraded again in 2008 On the other side of the valley another cable car links Chamonix to the viewpoint of Planpraz A second line links Planpraz to the summit of Le Brevent at 2525 meters 26 27 Many other cable cars exist in the valley and are heavily used by skiers and residents The Plan Joran chairlift at the base of Les Grands Montets is due to be replaced by a 10 person gondola for the Winter 2014 15 season 28 Sister cities editSee also List of twin towns and sister cities in France Chamonix is twinned with nbsp Aosta Italy nbsp Aspen Colorado 29 nbsp Cilaos Reunion nbsp Courmayeur Italy nbsp Fujiyoshida Japan 30 at the foot of Mount Fuji nbsp Garmisch Partenkirchen Germany nbsp Davos Switzerland nbsp Bariloche ArgentinaNotable people editMichel Gabriel Paccard 1757 1827 a Savoyard doctor and alpinist citizen of the Kingdom of Sardinia Venance Payot 1826 1902 a naturalist glaciologist mountain guide scholar author and twice mayor of Chamonix Edward Whymper 1840 1911 the English mountaineer explorer illustrator and author best known for the first ascent of the Matterhorn died here in 1911 Joseph Vallot 1854 1925 a scientist astronomer botanist geographer cartographer and alpinist Charles Bozon 1932 1964 an alpine ski racer and bronze medallist at the 1960 Winter OlympicsSee also editCommunes of the Haute Savoie department Mer de Glace Mont Blanc Massif Montroc The Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt nbsp Panorama of the Chamonix ValleyNotes edit English pronunciation UK ˈ ʃ ae m e n i m ɒ n i SHAM e nee on ee 3 4 US ˌ ʃ ɑː m oʊ ˈ n iː SHAH moh NEE 5 Formerly spelled Chamounix References edit Repertoire national des elus les maires in French data gouv fr Plateforme ouverte des donnees publiques francaises 13 September 2022 Populations legales 2021 The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies 28 December 2023 Chamonix Collins English Dictionary HarperCollins Retrieved 18 August 2019 Chamonix Lexico UK English Dictionary Oxford University Press Archived from the original on 2020 03 22 Chamonix Merriam Webster com Dictionary Retrieved 18 August 2019 Sources des donnees INSEE Chamonix Donnees generales a b The Development of the Appreciation of Mountain Scenery in Modern Times Walter Woodburn Hyde Geographical Review Vol 3 No 2 February 1917 pp 107 118 the Children s Home in Chamonix at Yad Vashem website a b c d Chamonix Valley Website Archived from the original on 2010 01 03 Retrieved 2010 02 10 Chamonix 74 PDF Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1981 2010 et records in French Meteo France Retrieved 14 February 2019 Des villages de Cassini aux communes d aujourd hui Commune data sheet Chamonix EHESS in French Population en historique depuis 1968 INSEE Ski Chamonix Ski Resorts 23 May 2022 Retrieved 13 August 2022 Chamonix Resort Information Freedom Snowsports Retrieved 30 July 2018 Chamonix Capitale Mondiale De L alpinisme Summit Post 6 April 2008 Archived from the original on 13 April 2015 Retrieved 30 May 2016 Berne Laurent 2012 L aventure du premier telepherique de France Chronique du premier telepherique de l Aiguille du Midi dit des Glaciers a Chamonix Mont Blanc Editions des Rochers ISBN 9782746641556 Retrieved 14 June 2017 Chamonix ski resort guide Le Comite de preservation du village des Houches Dossier publie le 12 05 2004 permanent dead link PDF Site de l association de defense des usagers de l A40 et de l A41 Revue de presse Chamonix Valley Website Archived from the original on 2008 11 14 Retrieved 2010 02 10 Mont Blanc Express timetables for 2010 PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2011 07 07 Retrieved 2010 02 10 in French Site de Christophe Jacquet specialise sur les trains du Mont Blanc Montenvers Mer De Glace Compagnie du Montblanc Archived from the original on 2 April 2016 Retrieved 30 May 2016 Site de l Aiguille du Midi Histoire du telepherique Archived July 24 2009 at the Wayback Machine Cable Way to the Top of the Alps Popular Mechanics April 1956 pp 81 84 Map of the Brevent Flegere area Archived from the original on 2010 05 27 Retrieved 2010 02 10 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Summer timetables for Chamonix gondolas and funicular railways Archived from the original on 2010 02 11 Retrieved 2010 02 10 New for Winter 2014 15 http www skicollection co uk Ski Chamonix htm Aspen s Sister Cities Aspen CO Chamber www aspenchamber org Retrieved 2018 12 11 International Exchange List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures Council of Local Authorities for International Relations CLAIR Archived from the original on 5 February 2016 Retrieved 21 November 2015 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chamonix nbsp Chamonix travel guide from Wikivoyage Coolidge William Augustus Brevoort 1911 Chamonix Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 5 11th ed p 827 Official site of the city of Chamonix Mont Blanc Chamonix Tourist Information Office and Website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chamonix amp oldid 1207865045, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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