{"id":2114,"date":"2022-05-10T14:22:50","date_gmt":"2022-05-10T14:22:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chaletline.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2114"},"modified":"2022-05-10T14:23:38","modified_gmt":"2022-05-10T14:23:38","slug":"the-remarkable-story-of-avoriaz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chaletline.co.uk\/blog\/2022\/05\/the-remarkable-story-of-avoriaz\/","title":{"rendered":"The Remarkable History of Avoriaz"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you look at bustling ski resort of Avoriaz today, it\u2019s hard to imagine that just over 50 years ago, the area was simply a meadow for summer grazing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps the most avant-garde of all ski resorts, its unique architecture has helped Avoriaz<\/a> stand out since it opened in 1966.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how did this ski resort, perched on a cliff at 1800m, come into existence?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From \u2018Rovor\u00e9e\u2019 to \u2018Avoriaz\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Originally, the plateau on which the resort was built once belonged to a wealthy Chablais family – the Earls of Rovor\u00e9e.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The land was given to the commune of Morzine, and the mountain pastures became known as \u2018Rovor\u00e9e\u2019. As time passed, the pronunciation became \u2018Avor\u00e9e\u2019, then \u2018Avor\u00e9az\u2019 and finally \u2018Avoriaz\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this time, the plateau numbered only a few huts used to give shepherds shelter in spring as the valley\u2019s herds headed up to higher pastures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Avoriaz in the 1960s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Power of Three<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The creation of Avoriaz the ski resort itself was down to the dreams of three men: Jacques Labro, Gerard Br\u00e9mond and Jean Vuarnet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All three were in their twenties and combined the skills of an Olympic champion (Vuarnet), an artist (Br\u00e9mond) and an architect (Labro).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Ideas Man: Jean Vuarnet<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jean Vuarnet won the gold medal in the downhill at Squaw Valley in the 1960 Winter Olympics and in retirement to his home town of Morzine started the Avoriaz project (as well as the famous sunglasses business in 1961).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His dream from the start was of a car-free ski resort with streets covered in snow. In the early 1960s \u2013 when car ownership was still aspirational and part of the consumer dream \u2013 this was a radical idea and such a resort was completely contrary to conventions at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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