MONT BLANC
Alpine Guides and Mont Blanc: the first Mountain Conquered by Man.
Mont Blanc is the temple of extreme nature, a humanised mountain: the first where man and nature met at the top. A meeting that led to the birth of the alpine guides
THE BIRTH OF THE ALPINE GUIDES
It isn’t easy to identify a date that marks the birth of the alpine guides.
In the past there were people with expert knowledge of the mountains who for enjoyment, passion or trade pushed themselves up to high altitudes. One example was the crystal miners, who scoured those areas looking for treasures concealed in the rocks.
In the past there were people with expert knowledge of the mountains who for enjoyment, passion or trade pushed themselves up to high altitudes. One example was the crystal miners, who scoured those areas looking for treasures concealed in the rocks.
Indeed it was two cristalliers, Jacques Balmat and Michel Paccard, who completed the first ascent to the peak of Mont Blanc in 1786. So we might say that the trade of the alpine guide was born at that time. For after this first ascent, many people began to undertake similar excursions, hiring those more expert than themselves to accompany them.
THE FIRST ASSOCIATION OF ALPINE GUIDES
In 1850 the first Italian association of alpine guides was founded in Courmayeur, the second in the world after the one in Chamonix.
Many professional guides have followed one another within this institution, all sharing the desire to transmit to others their love and passion for the alpine environment. A group of professionals who each day offer their clients countless high-altitude activities, whether they’re experts or beginners.