inhabited the valley for centuries before this; but living tucked away among the high mountains, cut off from the lower valleys for a good six months of the year and the rest of the time struggling to scrape some sort of existence, the inhabitants of the Chamonix valley didn’t attract any attention for many centuries.
Traditionally the peaks and glaciers struck fear into the hearts of the locals; the source of violent storms, avalanches, mud slides, often wreathed in clouds and battered by winds, such places could only be the cursed home of dragons and evil spirits.
The glaciers themselves gave cause for great concern in the 18th century when what is now referred to as the ‘Little Ice Age’ occurred. This caused the glaciers to increase in size at an alarming rate, pushing these frozen rivers down into the valleys where they threatened to destroy homes and farmland.
The Mer de Glace seen from the air
However, not everyone shared this fear of the glaciers and the destiny of Chamonix changed in 1741 when two English chaps, Wyndham and Pococke, set off from Geneva to visit Chamonix and discovered this rural mountain village, where people struggled to survive on what they could cultivate during the short summer season. Wyndham and Pococke were mesmerised and enchanted by the glaciers and having visited the Mer de Glace they left and spread the word. Soon, well-heeled visitors were flocking to Chamonix from all over Europe and it became a sought-after feature on any European Tour. By the 1770s, it is estimated that 1500 people a year were visiting Chamonix. The locals were quick to seize the opportunity and soon teams of ‘guides’ and porters were ready to lead these tourists onto the glaciers. Summit ascents soon followed, with Mont Blanc itself first climbed in 1786.
This growth in tourism equally lead to the construction of hotels and the formation of the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix in the early 19th century. In 1860 a road was built from Geneva to Chamonix, via Sallanches. This was also the year that Chamonix became French, having previously been attached to the mountain Kingdom of Savoy.
In 1901 the railway arrived in Chamonix, which enabled travel in winter, and by the middle of the 20th century not only did Chamonix boast a mountain railway and numerous cable cars but the town had also hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924.
Today, Chamonix sees its permanent population grow from around 10,000 to 60,000 in the summer season, and on a sunny summer’s day more than 200 people may stand on the summit of Mont Blanc.
Mountain adventures
The valley base itself provides the full range of activities at a lower level. Whatever activity you decide on, it will be done against a jaw-dropping backdrop of glaciated peaks, soaring rocky spires, and deep rivers and gorges.
Walks
The beautiful Tré-les-Eaux valley (Adventure Walks, Route 5)
First and foremost, Chamonix is a region where people walk in the hills and it makes sense that this guide features lots of walks. Any walk can be an adventure, a discovery of a new path, a surprising view, a summit or a hamlet. One person’s stroll is another person’s challenge, so the walks are divided into different categories:
Classic Walks
These are the walks people come to Chamonix to do, the real classics, although obviously the choice is somewhat subjective. They vary in length but they almost all require hiking fitness and, apart from one hike, they involve significant ascent.
Family Walks
These are walks that can be done by most people, committed hikers or not. Children, dogs, the elderly – everyone can come along. However, check the details for each walk – there are some places where dogs have to be kept on a lead or not even taken at all. These walks all take you to scenic vistas and on pleasant trails, but without the relentless climbs so often a feature of alpine ascents, and without any dodgy bits for those who are not steady on their feet or who are totally unaware of danger.
Hut Walks
A hut provides a marvellous objective for a walk, maybe just for lunch or to spend the night. Huts are always interesting and are often an opportunity to meet local people and sample some regional specialities. Most huts enjoy fine views and a night spent in a mountain hut will almost always be an unforgettable experience –for various reasons. Even if you’re not keen on sleeping in close proximity to lots of other people, the evening spent watching the sunset from the terrace while sipping a home-made digestif and the morning with breakfast taken in the early sunshine while the rest of Chamonix is still in deep shade, should make it all worthwhile. If in doubt, just go for lunch.
Adventure Walks
These are the hikes that require lots of energy and a steady footing, and often a desire for an exposed ridge, a scramble or just a really challenging day out. These are not for children or dogs, and the times and distances should be taken into account.
THE EMOSSON LAKES REGION
Emosson Lake
The Lac d’Emosson and the Lac du Vieux Emosson are located to the north of Chamonix, just over the border in Switzerland. They form the northern edge of the area covered in this guide, and several walks are described there.
At the time of writing, this area is somewhat compromised aesthetically, and also from the point of view of access, by works which are currently underway and expected to last until at least 2018. These works revolve around the construction of a pump storage system, which requires the building of a tunnel from Le Châtelard down in the valley up to the Vieux Emosson Lake.
The main change for walkers is that access across the Emosson Lake dam is restricted and there is now a series of walkways and bridges to allow passage from one side of the dam to the other. There is also a shuttle bus service across the dam. There are trucks moving around the area between the two lakes, with associated buildings and debris but once you’re away from the immediate building site, the trails and the views are not affected.
However, there are plans to raise the height of the Vieux Emosson Lake dam in the next few years, which will undoubtedly impact on the east end of that lake.
All this said, the walks around Emosson are some of the best, so don’t let these works put you off – just go to the Emosson website for updated info (www.emosson-lac.ch) or contact the company in charge of the works on [email protected], tel +41 27 720 47 30.
Alpine mountaineering
Abseiling on the Cosmiques Arête (Alpine Mountaineering, Route 7)
While this book does not aim to describe hard climbs and ascents in the high mountains, there are glacier hikes and climbs that can be seen as entry-level routes to take hill-walkers onto glaciers, up to summits and onto rocky scrambles, but at a reasonably accessible standard.
Venturing onto the glaciers was once considered suicidal, which is why it took so long for anyone to find a route up Mont Blanc. These days, glacier travel is pretty routine for many mountaineers,
