The Service Sector Reality

Despite economic diversification rhetoric, most Chamoniards work in traditional service roles—cleaning, cooking, serving, selling. These essential workers, often invisible to tourists, face particular challenges in a high-cost resort town.

Maria Santos cleans vacation rentals, racing between properties during Saturday changeovers. "Tourists see cleaned apartments as magic," she laughs bitterly. "They don't see me hauling laundry up four flights because old buildings lack elevators. €11 per hour doesn't buy much mountain magic."

Kitchen workers face intense conditions. Restaurant kitchens during peak season resemble pressure cookers—literal heat, temporal pressure, demanding customers, slim margins. "Tourists complain about €18 pizzas," notes chef Ahmed Toulouse. "They don't calculate rent, Swiss supplier prices, seasonal revenue. We're not getting rich serving fondue."

The tipping question reveals cultural tensions. American visitors tip generously, Europeans sparingly, creating income disparities among front-line staff. Some establishments add service charges, others resist, fearing price resistance. Workers dependent on tips face income uncertainty tied to tourist nationality mix.

"A bad snow year means fewer Americans, means lower tips, means I can't afford car repairs," calculates server Diane Chen. "My economic security depends on weather patterns and exchange rates. It's insane."