By the mid-19th century, the mountains had become a popular summer holiday destination.
We will have to wait the latest years of the 19th century, especially the 1960s generates a real democratization to winter sports and tourist activity. That definitely anchors the image of the healthy environment, good for the body and mind.
The mountain is looking forward to enrich his image, highlighting his historical, agricultural and gastronomic heritage.
Skiing in the Swiss Mountains 1950
The pleasure of traveling and skiing in the Swiss Alps in the 1950s.
A beautiful movie made by "Films of the Nations, New York, N. Y." Shot in the Klosters (CH) area.
Chamonix / Mont-Blanc 1956, France
The impressive cable car, from Chamonix to Mont Blanc...at that time, the longest in the world !
St-Moritz 1937, Switzerland
150 years ago, winter tourism was born in St Moritz. However, the village had been welcoming guests long before that.
The rich and beautiful from all over Europe flocked to St Moritz in the summer to visit the iron-rich mineral springs, which were discovered in St Moritz over 3,000 years ago. The scintillating Alpine resort has written history in other ways, too.
Switzerland’s first electric light shone here, Europe’s first Palace Hotel was built here, and new sports have been created here that have gone on to achieve worldwide popularity – the most recent being kite-sailing on the nearby Lake Silvaplana. Today this Alpine metropolis is renowned throughout the world as the ultimate holiday resort.
Skiers have fun 1954
"Kandahar in all the snow".
The famous brand of ski bindings organizes in winter 1954 a demonstration of very incredible ski jumps with the star skiers of the time. The Norwegian ski jumper Birger Ruud performs several somersaults on the 30-meter springboard, which he is the only one in the world to know how to do. And as a bonus, a blunderer of the most perilous falls and the presentation of "ski of year 2000"! The Kandahar binding was developed in the 1930s by the Swiss watch manufacturer Reuge. By retaining the heel of the skier, it allows him to achieve better performance. It is one of the main fasteners used until the early 1950s.
Interlaken Region / Lucerne, 1930, Switzerland
