Chamonix
Chamonix
Location within Rhône-Alpes region  Chamonix
Administration
Country	France
Region	Rhône-Alpes
Department	Haute-Savoie
Arrondissement	Bonneville
Canton	Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Intercommunality	Pays du Mont-Blanc
Mayor	Éric Fournier (2008–14)
Statistics
Elevation	995–4,810 m (3,264–15,780 ft) (avg. 1,035 m or 3,396 ft)
Land area1	245.46 km2 (94.77 sq mi)
Population2	9,514  (2006)
- Density	39 /km2 (100 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	74056/ 74400
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 45°55′23″N 6°52′11″E / 45.9231°N 6.8697°E / 45.9231; 6.8697

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix^[1] is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics. The commune's population of around 9,800 ranks 865th within the country of France.^[2]

Situated near the massive peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges, Chamonix shares the summit of Mont Blanc with its neighbouring commune of Courmayeur in Italy, and owns the title of highest commune in France. The commune is well known and loved by skiers and by mountain enthusiasts of all types. With an area of 245 km² (95 sq mi), Chamonix is the fourth largest commune in mainland France.

Geography[link]

Settlements[link]

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

Mountain sports[link]

Chamonix is a popular winter sports resort town in France. As the highest European mountain west of Russia, Mont Blanc holds a special allure for mountain climbers, and Mark Twight described the town as "the death-sport capital of the world" because it is a base for almost all types of outdoor activity, especially their more extreme variants, such as ice climbing, rock climbing, extreme skiing, paragliding, rafting, and canyoning.

Chamonix is famous for its spectacular cable car up to the Aiguille du Midi (3,842 m (12,605 ft)). Constructed in 1955, it was then the highest cable car in the world. Together with a cable car system going up to the Pointe Helbronner (3,462 m (11,358 ft)) from Entréves in the Aosta Valley (Italy) it is possible to cross the entire Mont Blanc massif by cable car (the latter is only open during the summer).

In the summer months Chamonix is a mecca for alpine mountaineers, drawn to the area by challenges like the north, west and south-west faces of the Dru, the Frendo Spur on the Aiguille du Midi, the north face of the Grandes Jorasses and the massive face climbs on the south side of Mont Blanc. Traversing the Alps on the GR 5 footpath or more accessible challenges like reaching the summit of Mont Blanc (by a number of possible routes) are also popular.

Chamonix is also a destination for mountain bikers. Besides the obvious lift-assisted areas for Freeriders there are hundreds of kilometres of challenging hidden singletrack trails – often only found with the help of guides, although since the summer of 2008 mountain biking is only permitted on a small selection of trails during July and August.

History[link]

Horace-Benedict de Saussure's monument at Chamonix. Jacques Balmat (left) points towards the summit of Mont Blanc.

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.^[4] However, in 1786 the inhabitants bought their freedom from the canons of Sallanches, to whom the priory had been transferred in 1519.

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). But travellers for pleasure were very rare.

The first party to publish (1744) an account of their visit was that of Dr. Richard Pococke, Mr. William Windham and other Englishmen who visited the Mer de Glace in 1741. In 1742 came P. Martel and several other Genevese, in 1760 H.B. de Saussure,^[4] and rather later Marc Th. 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.

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.

The commune successfully lobbied to change its name from Chamonix to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in 1916. 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, for example the novelist Roger Frison-Roche, the first member of the Compagnie not to be born in Chamonix.

The holding of the first Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix in 1924 further raised Chamonix's profile as an international tourist destination.

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.

Demography[link]

Sightseeing[link]

• Montenvers Railway (Cog railway from Chamonix to Montenvers, above the Mer de Glace)
• Mont Blanc Tramway (Cog railway from St. Gervais to Nid d'Aigle at Mont Blanc)
• Telepherique d'Aiguille du Midi
• Panoramic restaurant at the top station of the Brévent cable car (impressive views of the Mont Blanc Massif)
• Alpine Museum Chamonix
• Statue of Horace Bénédict de Saussure (initiator of the first ascent of Mont Blanc)
• Statue of Michel-Gabriel Paccard who along with Jacques Balmat, made the first successful ascent of Mont Blanc in 1786

Transportation[link]

Roads[link]

The town of Chamonix is serviced by French Route Nationale 205 (RN 205), nicknamed the Route blanche,^[8] 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.^[9] The 11.6-km Mont Blanc Tunnel originates here, linking Chamonix to Courmayeur in Italy.^[10] 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 km in distance.

Rail[link]

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 (i.e. adhesion) railway.

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.^[11]

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 line. In fact the two stations are directly linked.^[12] Montenvers provides further tourist access to middle and high mountain areas.

Cable cars[link]

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.^[13] On the other side of the valley, another cable car links Chamonix to the viewpoint of Planpraz. This cable car is based on an older system built in 1920, modernized in 1979, and upgraded again in 2008. A second line links Planpraz to the summit of Le Brévent at 2525 m.^[14][15] Many other cable cars exist in the valley, and are heavily used by skiers and residents.

Twin towns[link]

Chamonix is twinned with:

• Aspen (Colorado)
• Cilaos (La Reunion)
• Courmayeur (Italy)
• Davos (Switzerland)
• Fujiyoshida (at the foot of Mount Fuji in Japan)
• Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany)

See also[link]

• Communes of the Haute-Savoie department
• Mer de Glace
• Mont Blanc Massif
• Mont Blanc Tunnel
• Montroc
• The Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt

Panorama of the Chamonix valley

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Chamonix

• Chamonix on Wikitravel
• Official site of the city of Chamonix Mont-Blanc (French)
• Official site of the Chamonix Tourism Office – events, news, accommodation and more for visitors (English) (French)
• Official site of the mountain infrastructure in the Chamonix valley – first hand lift & piste info, lift passes, avalanche risk, etc (English)(French)
• Chamonix.net Tourist Site for Accommodation & Travel (English)(French)(Russian)
• Chamonet.com Tourist site for nightlife, news and everything cool about Chamonix
• Montblanc Valley Touring directory for the Chamonix Valley (French)
• Chamonixfirst local information about Chamonix, updated news and travel services

v t e Communes of the Haute-Savoie department Abondance Alby-sur-Chéran Alex Allèves Allinges Allonzier-la-Caille Amancy Ambilly Andilly Annecy Annecy-le-Vieux Annemasse Anthy-sur-Léman Arâches-la-Frasse Arbusigny Archamps Arenthon Argonay Armoy Arthaz-Pont-Notre-Dame Aviernoz Ayse Ballaison La Balme-de-Sillingy La Balme-de-Thuy Bassy La Baume Beaumont Bellevaux Bernex Le Biot Bloye Bluffy Boëge Bogève Bonne Bonnevaux Bonneville Bons-en-Chablais Bossey Le Bouchet Boussy Brenthonne Brizon Burdignin Cercier Cernex Cervens Chainaz-les-Frasses Challonges Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Champanges La Chapelle-d'Abondance La Chapelle-Rambaud La Chapelle-Saint-Maurice Chapeiry Charvonnex Châtel Châtillon-sur-Cluses Chaumont Chavannaz Chavanod Chêne-en-Semine Chênex Chens-sur-Léman Chessenaz Chevaline Chevenoz Chevrier Chilly Choisy Clarafond-Arcine Les Clefs Clermont La Clusaz Cluses Collonges-sous-Salève Combloux Cons-Sainte-Colombe Contamine-Sarzin Les Contamines-Montjoie Contamine-sur-Arve Copponex Cordon Cornier La Côte-d'Arbroz Cran-Gevrier Cranves-Sales Crempigny-Bonneguête Cruseilles Cusy Cuvat Demi-Quartier Desingy Dingy-en-Vuache Dingy-Saint-Clair Domancy Doussard Douvaine Draillant Droisy Duingt Éloise Entremont Entrevernes Épagny Essert-Romand Etaux Étercy Étrembières Évian-les-Bains Évires Excenevex Faucigny Faverges Feigères Fessy Féternes Fillinges La Forclaz Franclens Frangy Gaillard Les Gets Giez Le Grand-Bornand Groisy Gruffy Habère-Lullin Habère-Poche Hauteville-sur-Fier Héry-sur-Alby Les Houches Jonzier-Épagny Juvigny Larringes Lathuile Leschaux Loisin Lornay Lovagny Lucinges Lugrin Lullin Lully Lyaud Machilly Magland Manigod Marcellaz Marcellaz-Albanais Margencel Marignier Marigny-Saint-Marcel Marin Marlens Marlioz Marnaz Massingy Massongy Maxilly-sur-Léman Megève Mégevette Meillerie Menthonnex-en-Bornes Menthonnex-sous-Clermont Menthon-Saint-Bernard Mésigny Messery Metz-Tessy Meythet Mieussy Minzier Monnetier-Mornex Montagny-les-Lanches Montmin Montriond Mont-Saxonnex Morillon Morzine Moye La Muraz Mûres Musièges Nancy-sur-Cluses Nangy Nâves-Parmelan Nernier Neuvecelle Neydens Nonglard Novel Les Ollières Onnion Orcier Passy Peillonnex Perrignier Pers-Jussy Le Petit-Bornand-les-Glières Poisy Praz-sur-Arly Présilly Pringy Publier Quintal Reignier-Esery Le Reposoir Reyvroz La Rivière-Enverse La Roche-sur-Foron Rumilly Saint-André-de-Boëge Saint-Blaise Saint-Cergues Saint-Eusèbe Saint-Eustache Saint-Félix Saint-Ferréol Saint-Germain-sur-Rhône Saint-Gervais-les-Bains Saint-Gingolph Saint-Jean-d'Aulps Saint-Jean-de-Sixt Saint-Jean-de-Tholome Saint-Jeoire Saint-Jorioz Saint-Julien-en-Genevois Saint-Laurent Saint-Martin-Bellevue Saint-Paul-en-Chablais Saint-Pierre-en-Faucigny Saint-Sigismond Saint-Sixt Saint-Sylvestre Sales Sallanches Sallenôves Samoëns Le Sappey Savigny Saxel Scientrier Sciez Scionzier Serraval Servoz Sevrier Seynod Seyssel Seythenex Seytroux Sillingy Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval Talloires Taninges Thollon-les-Mémises Thônes Thonon-les-Bains Thorens-Glières Thusy Thyez La Tour Usinens Vacheresse Vailly Val-de-Fier Valleiry Vallières Vallorcine Vanzy Vaulx Veigy-Foncenex Verchaix La Vernaz Vers Versonnex Vétraz-Monthoux Veyrier-du-Lac Villard Les Villards-sur-Thônes Villaz Ville-en-Sallaz Ville-la-Grand Villy-le-Bouveret Villy-le-Pelloux Vinzier Viry Viuz-en-Sallaz Viuz-la-Chiésaz Vougy Vovray-en-Bornes Vulbens Yvoire

v t e Mont Blanc massif Settlements Argentière · Chamonix · Champex · Courmayeur · La Fouly · Les Houches · Montroc · Les Praz · Saint-Gervais-les-Bains Mountains Aiguille d'Argentière · Aiguille de Bionnassay · Aiguille de Blaitière · Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey · Aiguille du Chardonnet · Aiguilles du Diable · Aiguilles Dorées · Aiguille du Dru · Aiguille des Glaciers · Aiguille du Goûter · Aiguille des Grands Charmoz · Aiguille des Grands Montets · Aiguille du Grépon · Aiguille du Jardin · Aiguille du Midi · Aiguille de l'A Neuve · Aiguille Noire de Peuterey · Aiguille du Pissoir · Aiguille du Plan · Aiguille de Rochefort · Aiguille du Tour · Aiguille de Triolet · Aiguille Verte · La Breya · Le Catogne · Le Châtelet (Mont Blanc) · Dent du Géant · Dôme du Goûter · Dôme de Rochefort · Les Droites · Le Génépi · Grand Capucin · Grand Darray · Grand Pilier d'Angle · Grande Lui · Grande Pointe des Planereuses · Grande Rocheuse · Grandes Jorasses · Mont Blanc · Mont Blanc de Courmayeur · Mont Blanc du Tacul · Mont Brouillard · Mont Dolent · Mont Mallet · Mont Maudit · Pic Eccles · Picco Luigi Amedeo · Pointe Allobrogia · Pointe Helbronner · Pointe d'Orny · Pointe des Plines · Pointe Ronde · Pointe Walker · Le Portalet · Punta Baretti · Tita Neire · Tour Noir Cols Col Ferret · Col des Montets Glaciers Argentière · Bossons · Mer de Glace · Miage · Saleina · Trient Huts Albert Premier · Argentière · Cosmiques · Couvercle · Durier · Elisabetta Soldini Montanaro · Grands Mulets · Leschaux · Mont-Blanc · Nid d'Aigle · Plan de l'Aiguille · Quintino Sella · Tête Rousse · Torino · Tré la Tête · Trient · Vallot Mountaineers (first or major ascents) Allain · Almer · Anderegg (J.) · Anderegg (M.) · Balmat · Blanchard · Blodig · Boivin · Bonatti · Bonington · Brown · Burgener · Cassin · Clough · Cordier · Couzy · Croz · Dent · Desmaison · Destivelle · Długosz · Eccles · Eckenstein · Gabarrou · Ghirardini · Graham Brown · Güssfeldt · Harlin · Heckmair · Hemming · Hudson · Kennedy · King · Klucker · Kuffner · Kukuczka · Kurtyka · Lachenal · Lafaille · Lambert · Mazeaud · Messner · Moore · Mummery · Paccard · Paradis · Patey · Ratti · Rébuffat · Robbins · Roch · Rouse · de Saussure · Smythe · Stephen · Terray · Twight · Vallençant · Walker · Whillans · Whymper · Winthrop Young Other Arve (river) · Chemin de fer du Montenvers · Giardino Botanico Alpino Saussurea · Haute Route · Mont Blanc glacier flood  · Mont Blanc Tramway · Mont Blanc Tunnel · Saint-Gervais–Vallorcine railway · Tour du Mont Blanc · Val d'Aosta · Val Veny · Vallée Blanche Aerial Tramway

Danny MacAskill

Personal information
Full name	Danny MacAskill
Born	(1985-12-23) 23 December 1985 (age 26) Scotland
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Team information
Discipline	Trials
Role	Rider
Rider type	Street Trials

Danny MacAskill, (born 23 December 1985) also known as 'Danny MegaSkill', is a Scottish trials cyclist, from Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye. He works professionally as a street trials pro rider for Inspired Bicycles Ltd.^[1] He released 'April 2009', a five-and-a-half-minute street trials video, filmed by his flatmate Dave Sowerby, on YouTube on the 19th April 2009. The video quickly gained popular acclaim and widespread media attention. The video features stunts performed by MacAskill set to 'The Funeral' by Band of Horses.^[2]

As of April 2009, MacAskill, who was brought up in Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye,^[3] had been practising for more than 12 years. He gave up his job as a mechanic so he could ride full time.^[2] He now lives in Edinburgh.^[4] In June 2009, MacAskill appeared in the music video for Doves' single "Winter Hill".^[5] MacAskill also appeared in a TV-commercial for the new Volkswagen Golf Estate.^[6]

On 16 November 2010 MacAskill released a new video "Way Back Home" produced by Red Bull Media House. The video showcases locations around Scotland including Edinburgh Castle, North Berwick, wartime bunkers on the island of Inchgarvie beneath the Forth Bridge and a hydro-electric power station in the Scottish Highlands.^[7] In May 2011 Leica Cameras released a "Go Play" promo video featuring him doing tricks in the city of Cape Town. In August 9 of 2011 Cut Media released a video named "Industrial Revolutions". The video, set to 'The Wolves' by Ben Howard, features MacAskill doing tricks in an abandoned Scottish iron works. It was created for Channel 4's documentary Concrete Circus.^[8]

On 19 October 2011 MacAskill along with Inspired Bicycles released his signature trials frame, the Inspired Skye, to the public making him a full fledged professional rider.^[9]

In 2012 Danny MacAskill was nominated for the 2012 Adventurer of the Year Award. Danny MacAskill was nominated for changing the way a street trials rider can redefine how we view urban landscapes—and become a global icon in the process. The award is organised by the National Geographic.

Macaskill is currently managed by the German agency Rasoulution.^[10][11]

References[link]

External links[link]

• dannymacaskill.co.uk