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The incredible story of how a tiny village, lost in the Alps at an altitude of 1850 m, became an international ski resort.
A single mule's path wound its somewhat perilous way across the mountain passes to Bourg St Maurice, allowing the "Avalins" `inhabitants of Val d'Isere) to go there to sell their local
specialties : blue moulded cheeses and lacework.
Huddled around its church spire, Val d'Isere, formerly "1'Aval de Tignes", lived a life typical of a mountain village, buried in snow for 8 months of the year. Little by little, its inhabitants, known as "winter swallows", drifted towards towns until mountain holidays became fashionable at the turn of the century.
Val d'Isere had a natural advantage, its position, which from 1930 onwards was considered as one of the most
favorable for skiing due to its long winter season, the exposition of its slopes and the numerous and extensive snowfields.
Its second advantage was the construction of the Iseran mountain pass, opened in 1937 by President Albert Lebrun, a road which opened up the valley and created a new itinerary between Bourg St Maurice and Italy.
The relentless efforts of a certain few created the third advantage : from 1929 onwards, Charles Diebold and Jacques Mouflier put all their energy into establishing Val d'Isere as one of the world's most famous winter sports resorts.
Jacques Mouflier related how it was necessary to start from scratch, with a dying village, to struggle against harsh elements due to the altitude, climate, isolation and firm traditional customs. The preservation of the original village had to be taken into consideration and combined with the expansion of the resort in relation to town planning, sports equipment and the installation of various ski lifts.
In 1936 emigration diminished. In 50 years, the population grew from 169 to 1600 inhabitants. 2 hotels were built in 1932, 11 were to be seen in 1938, 36 in 1952 and one could count 62 in 1966. During this time, Charles Diebold opened the ski school in 1932 and Jacques Mouflier built the first ski lift in 1934, the Rogoney, still used today by beginners.
The Val d'Isere ski lift company (STVI) created in 1938, began the illicit construction in 1940 of the Solaise cable car. This was finished 2 years later. In 1945, construction of the Bellevarde cable car began.
After prosperity, Val d'Isere wished for glory. This was gained thanks to Henri Oreiller, and Jean?Claude Killy, with Marielle and Christine Goitschel, and Val d'Isere became a resort of international repute, a reputation which it has kept until this day.
Since then, Val d'Isere continues to expand, opting for a specific style of alpine architecture, relentlessly improving service and welcome and setting itself new challenges to do justice to its reputation ? that of leader of the world's skiing resorts. |