The Modern Era: Resort and Community

Post-war Chamonix faced choices that would define its future. The Aiguille du Midi cable car, completed in 1955, made high-altitude experiences accessible to millions. The Mont Blanc Tunnel, opened in 1965, connected Chamonix to Italy's autostradas. Mass tourism had arrived.

The valley's transformation accelerated through the 1960s and 70s. Concrete apartment blocks rose alongside traditional chalets. Traffic clogged medieval streets. Property prices soared beyond local reach. Young Chamoniards found themselves priced out of their birthplace.

"We gained the world but almost lost ourselves," reflects Mayor Eric Fournier, whose family traces its Chamonix roots to the 1400s. "The challenge became maintaining community identity while remaining open to the world. Not everyone agreed on the balance."

Environmental awareness grew alongside development pressures. The creation of nature reserves, beginning in the 1970s, represented attempts to protect what remained wild. Battles over helicopter skiing, new lift construction, and hotel development revealed deep divisions between economic and ecological priorities.