1770. At the time of writing that’s 137 years ago – when the first hotel was opened in Chamonix. Before this date Chamonix was a wild and rugged farming town where people caught their own animals and grew their own oats. Chalets at this time were used to farm dairy herds over the summer months. Their milk was preserved by making it into cheeses and butter and stored down in the valley for use over the harsh winters. During the snow season the chalets were locked, and any valuables were locked safely in a small hut called a Mazot. This was at the time when the term WAGGGS was not…