A Tale of the First Ski Trips to Chamonix France
In 1770 the first guest house opened in Chamonix Haute Savoie. Before this Chamonix Haute Savoie France constituted a uncivilized and craggy agrarian hamlet where folks caught animals and produced their own oats.
Farmhouses at this time were used to farm dairy cows over the spring and summer. The milk was conserved by changing it into cheese and stored down in the valley for consumption during the bleak wintertimes. Throughout the winter the barns were barred, and any valuables were locked in a small mazot.
The person who came up with chalet holidays is unknown, however it was probably numerous passionate people who realised a idea that worked. With Erna Low it commenced when she was a homesick graduate who could not visit her siblings in Austria as often as she liked. So in the 1930’s she took a gamble and placed a small advertisement in the broadsheets to ask guests on a ski vacation. For £15 they journeyed to and from the town, enjoyed food and board in the sole inn, and had skiing hire and lessons. The vacation was laborious work, there weren’t any lifts, no safety fixations, just strong leather shoes, it was so successful that she continued to take people on holiday, ensuring she employed great hotels and instructors.
Catered chalet breaks during the formative years were very different from the luxury we enjoy today. Back then hot water was in short supply, the bathrooms would be used by all of the guests, and there was no a chef; the punters needed to help out with the chores. It was a complete lottery as to who may share the lodge for a trip, one may be pleasantly surprised by meeting brand new allies, or spend a week of hell with people you didn’t get on with.
Chalets France was later marketed on their additional benefits. A chef, who served you continental breakfast and dinner and prepared you afternoon tea, private bathrooms hot water.
