French Geograhical Name Derivations
From WikiSki
- Chamonix
- The growth of tourism in the early 19th century led to the formation of the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix in 1821 , to regulate access to the mountain slopes (which were communally or co-operatively owned), and this association held a monopoly of guiding from the town until it was broken by French government action in 1892. This appears to be the first emergence of the name in its own right.
- La Plagne
- There were many skirmishes with the Germans including one above Champagny which gave rise to a piste being named "Mont de la Guerre". At Plagne Centre there is a war memorial to British aircrew who were involved in the dropping of 12 plane loads of munitions; these were then hidden in the mines of what is now Plagne 1800 before being distribute more widely across the region.
