The History of the Early Luxury Chalet Trips
In 1770 the inaugural guest house was opened in Chamonix ski resort, and it was nothing like today’s luxury ski chalets.
Before this date Chamonix Mont Blanc embodied a savage and sturdy agrarian hamlet where the people caught animals and grew their own cereals.
Chalets back then were used to raise dairy herds during the summer months.
Their milk was kept by turning it into cheeses and stored down in the valley for consumption over the hard winters.
In the winter the chalets were fastened, and all valued possessions were locked in a shack.
Who invented chalet holidays is nameless, however it was probably a few passionate chaps who recognised a set up that was new and exciting.
For Erna Low it commenced whilst she was a unhappy graduate and couldn’t see her siblings in Austrias often as she liked.
And so in 1933 she took a risk and placed a small ad in the London Times to ask punters on a ski break. For only £15 they journeyed to and from the town, were provided with breakfast and dinner and accommodation in the sole chalet, and paid for skiing hire and instruction.
The trip was strenuous, there weren’t any ski lifts, no quick release bindings, only heavy leather shoes, it was so popular that Erna continued to take skiers on holiday, making sure she sourced superior chalets and instructors.
Chalet trips during the beginning were a long way to the standards we have nowadays.
In the early days hot water was in short supply, bathrooms had to be shared out by all of the customers, and there was no a cook; the guests were expected to muck in.
It was a real gamble who might share the chalet for the trip, you may be pleasantly surprised to meet fresh skiers, or spend a week of hell with people you didn’t get on with.
