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You are here a stone’s throw from the National School of Skiing and Mountaineering, or ENSA for intimates. It is indeed a national school, because in France, becoming Guide of
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Chamonix
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Stop for a moment at the edge of the Arve to enjoy the view that is available to you. Here, the city opens like a postcard ready to come to life. On the left, you can see the old Chamonix Palace, built at the beginning of the 20th century to welcome the worldly clientele.
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Chamonix
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The streets of Chamonix are overflowing with restaurants, each more enticing than the last. Whether you’re a team with your feet under the table or you prefer to cook, here are some local specialties not to be missed. Winter and summer, in the mountains, cheese rhymes with sharing.
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Chamonix
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The main streets of the city are eminently touristic and you certainly hear a multitude of foreign languages echo around you. Faced with this influx of travelers from all over the world, the city has gradually filled up with many shops of
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Now let’s talk about the little church of St. Michael that you see in the square. Classified as a historical monument, it is of a style known as Baroque Savoyard art that developed in the former Duchy of Savoy from the mid-16th century. But the history of the church of
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The names of Chamonix heroes are everywhere, even on street corners. After walking along the Rue du Docteur Paccard, pioneer of the ascent of Mont Blanc, here you are facing the Avenue Ravanel le rouge, named in honor of another great name of mountaineering, active more than a century more
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If you continue straight down this street for about 200 meters, you will arrive at the Place de l’Aiguille du Midi, where the famous cable car departs. You see the antenna since your arrival in Chamonix, it’s high time to see it more closely! So yes, the tariff can
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Passing along this street, you pass a building well known to mountain enthusiasts and which is, so to speak, part of the decor. This is the UCPA of Chamonix, where generations of passionate young people have been satisfying their thirst for adventure for decades! The UCPA is
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I just wanted to draw your attention to the name of this great restaurant that makes the angle: “Le Monchu”. At the risk of disappointing you, know that here, this name does not designate a good Savoyard dish or an ancient tradition. The Monchus, for the mountain people, are a bit like the Moldus.
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You are now in front of the Maison de la Montagne, an emblematic place that brings together several organizations dedicated to Alpine Things to do. If the building seems old to you and is so close to the church, it is no coincidence: it is in fact the former rectory of
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You can’t miss it in the middle of the square, here is the casino of Chamonix. The history of “gambling circles” in Chamonix dates back to the 19th century, when gambling was not yet completely legal. It should be noted that in France, gambling was at the
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Here is the most representative statue of downtown Chamonix. The famous bronze of two explorers pointing at Mont Blanc. But do you even know who they are? They are often thought to be the first two men to have climbed the famous mountain, but not
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He was not with Balmat looking towards the Mont Blanc, but the city could not fail to pay tribute to Doctor Paccard! Michel-Gabriel Paccard was born in 1757 in Chamonix, then Duchy of Savoy of the Kingdom of Sardinia. No wonder he was studying at
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Chamonix
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Take the Rue des Moulins whose history is intimately linked to that of the Arve, the river that crosses Chamonix with force. As you can imagine, the mountain villages were able to harness the power of the water very early on, arriving by torrents and waterfalls from the
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Chamonix
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Here, on the Place du Mont-Blanc and in front of the Alpine Museum, I would like to talk to you about a major event in Chamonix: the First Olympic Winter Games. Yes, now more than 100 years ago, in 1924, the city hosted the first ever Olympic Games
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Chamonix
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This monument to the dead, soberly installed on the Place du furu, mourns the Chamonards who died for France. Inaugurated in 1921 for the soldiers who died during the First World War, the monument also commemorates those of the Second World War
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What does this small church in typical Anglican style do with its pointed slate roof in the heart of Chamonix? It’s no secret, the British community is very present in the region. It's been a long time. In 1741, British explorers
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The elevated metal walkway on your right allows you to easily reach Montenvers station. This is where the traditional bright red rack train starts, which will take you straight to the Sea of Ice, 1913 meters above sea level! Crossing a scenery
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If you took the rack train, you are now facing one of the most emblematic wonders of the Mont Blanc massif: the Sea of Ice. Even if the glacier has dramatically retreated, the postcard remains striking! In addition to this spectacular decor where one
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Here you are back on the Place du Mont Blanc, facing the massif. A majestic decor... but which sometimes also recalls the darker part of the mountain. I would like to talk to you here about two tragedies that have deeply marked the valley, both linked, in a way
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The pretty trompe l’oeil on the back façade of the building, representing a film crew, confirms that Chamonix is not only equipped with a cinema, but also that the city has inspired the big screen several times! Opened in 1957, the Vox cinema today offers three
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Chamonix
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Take a closer look here at the trompe l’oeil facade that occupies the entire building. This 180m2 mural, created in 2010 by the mural artist “A-Fresco” pays tribute to those who shaped the history of mountaineering in Chamonix.
