Chamonix

The Chamonix valley seen from la Flégère

Coat of arms

Chamonix

Location within Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region

Chamonix

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

Country

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Pays du Mont-Blanc

Government

• Mayor (2014–2020)

Éric Fournier

Area¹

245.46 km² (94.77 sq mi)

Population (2014)²

8,997

• Density

37/km² (95/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

INSEE/Postal code

74056 / 74400

Elevation

995–4,810 m (3,264–15,781 ft)
(avg. 1,035 m or 3,396 ft)

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

²Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, more commonly known simply as Chamonix (formerly also spelled Chamounix), is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924. The commune's population of around 8,900 ranks 1,089th within the country of France.

Situated near the massive peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges and most notably the Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix is one of the oldest ski resorts in France and is known as the "gateway to the European Cascades." The north side of the summit of Mont Blanc, and therefore the summit itself are part of the village of Chamonix. To the south side, the situation is different depending on the country. Italy considers that the border passes through the top. France considers that the boundary runs along the rocky Tournette under the summit cap, placing it entirely in French territory. The south side was in France, assigned to the commune of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains sharing the summit with its neighbor Chamonix. It is this situation "for France," which is found on the French IGN maps. The Chamonix commune is well known and loved by skiers and mountain enthusiasts of all types, and via the cable car lift to the Aiguille du Midi it is possible to access the world-famous off-piste skirun of the Vallée Blanche. With an area of 245 km² (95 sq mi), Chamonix is the fourth largest commune in mainland France.

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

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Wikipedia