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26 unusual facts about Chamonix


1930 World Ice Hockey Championships

The 1930 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships were held between January 30 and February 10, 1930 in Chamonix, France, Vienna, Austria, and Berlin, Germany.

1989 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

Eight teams contested the second tier this year in Chamonix France from March 19 to 28.

Aarne Valkama

He won a bronze medal in the individual event at the 1937 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Chamonix.

Aigle–Sépey–Diablerets railway

The ASD put forward many railway projects in the early 20th century: a link with Gstaad via the Col du Pillon, connections with Chesières and Villars forming part of a grand Boulevard des Alpes linking Interlaken with Chamonix.

Alexander Pines

In 2005, an Ampere Symposium was held in honor of Pines' 60th birthday in Chamonix, France, and in 2008, he was awarded the Russell Varian Prize at the European Magnetic Resonance Conference.

Avalanche

Attempts to model avalanche behaviour date from the early 20th century, notably the work of Professor Lagotala in preparation for the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix.

The mayor of Chamonix was convicted of second-degree murder for not evacuating the area, but received a suspended sentence.

Bert McCaffrey

By virtue of playing for the reigning senior amateur champions, McCaffrey and the Granites represented Canada at the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France.

Biathlon World Championships 1988

The 5th women's world championships were held in 1988 for the second time in Chamonix, France.

Bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics

Bobsleigh has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the first Winter Games in 1924 in Chamonix, France, with the exception of the 1960 games in Squaw Valley when the organizing committee decided not to build a track in order to reduce expenses.

Coupe de Chamonix

The Coupe de Chamonix was an international ice hockey tournament held in Chamonix, France from 1909-1914.

Courmayeur

Courmayeur also shares access to the famous glacial ski run of the Vallee Blanche with another French town, Chamonix, which sits at the other side of the peak known as the Aiguille du Midi.

This links to the Vallée Blanche Aerial Tramway going to the Aiguille du Midi, which connects to the Téléphérique de l'Aiguille du Midi, the cable car from Chamonix.

Curling at the Winter Olympics

Curling was included in the program of the inaugural Winter Olympic Games in 1924 in Chamonix.

Cyanometer

arranged in a circle; he used the device to measure the color of the sky at Geneva, Chamonix and Mont Blanc.

Gary Hemming

Together with Royal Robbins he made the first ascent of the American Direct route on the Aiguille du Dru in Chamonix in 1962, and was widely known in France for his role as a rescuer of a party on the same mountain in 1966, earning him the moniker "le Beatnik".

Henry Louis Hudson

During the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix and the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz he won the gold medal in olympic ice hockey as part of the Canadian national ice hockey team.

Herb Drury

In 1924, Drury once again saw Olympic action as a member of the U.S. Olympic team that played in the first Winter Games at Chamonix, France.

History of figure skating

In 1922, the World and European Championships were renewed and in 1924 figure skating was part of the first Winter Olympics, held in Chamonix, France.

Jeita Grotto

In December 2003, on behalf of the Beirut-based private company MAPAS, Jeita received a prestigious award from the fifth Tourism Summits in Chamonix, France.

Mark the Mountain Guide

The author, Mark Seaton, is a British mountain guide who lives with his wife and children in the Chamonix valley.

Mika Kojonkoski

His best result was his 9th place in Chamonix, he also achieved a 16th place in the 1985 Ski flying World Championships in Planica.

Stade Olympique de Chamonix

Stade Olympique de Chamonix is an equestrian stadium in Chamonix, France.

Storm over Mont Blanc

When the weather is clear, he is able to use his telescope to gaze down at the town of Chamonix in the valley far below.

Wagner Dream

The composer also visited Chamonix to sample a thunderclap, used to preface an argument between Wagner and his wife.

William Windham, Sr.

In June 1741, several members of the circle, including Windham, joined Richard Pococke in making an expedition to Chamonix.


Similar

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Aiguille du Dru

From 17–22 August 1955, the Italian climber Walter Bonatti climbed a difficult solo route on the south-west pillar of the Petit Dru (the Bonatti Pillar); this route – like many on the west face – no longer exists in its original state owing to rockfall, the scars of which remain clearly visible from the Chamonix valley.

Aiguilles Rouges National Nature Reserve

A site at the Col des Montets mountain pass was chosen, In 1971 with the support of mountaineer Maurice Herzog, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and Vallorcine created the la réserve intercommunale du col des Montets (Intercommunal reserve of the Col des Montets).

Cabane

Cabane du Trient, mountain hut in the Swiss alps near the Swiss town of Martigny and the French town of Chamonix

CEVA rail

It will link the CFF route Lausanne – Geneva Cornavin – Geneva Airport and the SNCF route Geneva Cornavin – Bellegarde-sur-Valserine – Lyon with lines in the Haute Savoie serving Thonon-les-Bains, Évian-les-Bains, the valley of the Arve to St Gervais and Chamonix and from Annemasse to Annecy.

Claude Kogan

Following the war, the couple became members of the Groupe de Haute Montagne and climbed Chamonix, Dauphiné, the north face of the Dru and the south ridge of the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey.

Col de la Forclaz

After the Col, and Le Châtelard, the road leads to Chamonix in France via Vallorcine and the Col des Montets.

There is another connection from Martigny to France (by train only) through the Vallée du Trient (Gorges du Trient): the line Martigny au Châtelard (Chemin de Fer de Martigny au Châtelard)/Chamonix (Ligne de Saint Gervais - Vallorcine).

Finsteraarhorn

It was the first British ascent, made by John Frederick Hardy, William Mathews, Benjamin St John Attwood-Mathews, J.C.W. Ellis and Edward Shirley Kennedy, accompanied by the guides Auguste Simond and Jean Baptiste Croz from Chamonix, Johann Jaun the Elder from Meiringen, Aloys Bortis from Fiesch and the porter Alexander Guntern from Biel in Goms.

French Ice Hockey Hall of Fame

The French Ice Hockey Hall of Fame, was founded in 2008 by the French Ice Hockey Federation, in the commune of Chamonix, on the occasion of the centenary of the French Championship.

Georges Berthet

Georges Berthet (18 September 1903 – 14 August 1979) was a French sportsman who took part in the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix and the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam.

Isère

It comes as the third largest ski & winter destination of France after Savoie (Tignes, the 3 Valleys...) and Haute-Savoie (Chamonix, Morzine...) and before Hautes-Alpes (Serre-Chevalier, Montgenèvre, etc.) It also hosts Coupe Icare, an annual festival of free flight, such as paragliding and hang-gliding, held at the world-renowned paragliding site at Lumbin.

Saint-Gervais-les-Bains

The Saint-Gervais–Vallorcine railway departs from Le Fayet station and takes you to Chamonix and across the Swiss border to Martigny.

Tour du Mont Blanc

The route passes through seven valleys around the Mont-Blanc massif, an anti-clockwise start in Chamonix would lead through the Chamonix (or Arve) valley, then Montjoie, Vallee des Glaciers, Italian Val Veni, & Val Ferret, Swiss Val Ferret, and either the Arpette or Trient valley in Switzerland, dependent on route taken.

Vallorcine

Located at the foot of the Mont Blanc Vallorcine is a tiny and so far unspoilt little ski village located within the Chamonix Valley and forming part of the Domaine de Balme ski area (which includes Le Tour).

Wilhelm Henie

Henie managed to get Sonja enrolled at the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix in 1924, and followed her to preparaions in St. Moritz prior to the games.