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Recently, after a week in the Gran Paradiso (thanks to Luca for his advice) and a visit to the Chagall exhibition in Martigny we crossed back into France and decided to see if we could find somewhere to stay in Chamonix for a day or two before heading homewards. The tourist information in Argentière suggested a quiet B&B just outside Chamonix and so we ended up at La Cremerie Balmat.
After dinner I realised we were close to Snell’s Field*, where I’d spent all my previous summer visits to Chamonix (this was my first summer visit for many years) and thought I’d take a trip down memory lane & see what the place looked like now. At first I wasn’t sure if I was heading the right way as the track seemed a bit different but then I spotted the boulder & suddenly it all seemed to fit. There was no one around, the sun had set & there were bats flitting about in the darkening sky as the memories of 25 plus years ago came flooding back. I don’t believe in ghosts or spirits but there seemed something almost physical in the air and I could almost hear the voices from long ago as I remembered a few weeks in that corner, a few days in another, evenings spent around a camp fire with a bottle or 3 of wine and wondered what had happened to my companions of long ago, most of whom I’ve lost touch with. Seems almost a lifetime away but for a few minutes as if it was just yesterday. I don’t think I’ve ever felt the past was so close.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=72574
Following evening I went back a little earlier to take some photos & to all but fail to get off the ground on the boulder. In the brighter light the memories didn’t seem so intense but bizarrely I bumped into a French guy who had worked in Scotland and knew some of my old climbing partners.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=72575
Any other memories of life on Snell's Field ?
* Note for the young – this field was where most British climbers stayed during the 70s & early 80s, no facilities but it was free. Not sure how legal it was but camping was mostly tolerated although the site was occasionally cleared by the gendarmes. Somewhere in an old Mountain there’s an article by Ian McNaught-Davis about summer in Chamonix that captures the period quite well
After dinner I realised we were close to Snell’s Field*, where I’d spent all my previous summer visits to Chamonix (this was my first summer visit for many years) and thought I’d take a trip down memory lane & see what the place looked like now. At first I wasn’t sure if I was heading the right way as the track seemed a bit different but then I spotted the boulder & suddenly it all seemed to fit. There was no one around, the sun had set & there were bats flitting about in the darkening sky as the memories of 25 plus years ago came flooding back. I don’t believe in ghosts or spirits but there seemed something almost physical in the air and I could almost hear the voices from long ago as I remembered a few weeks in that corner, a few days in another, evenings spent around a camp fire with a bottle or 3 of wine and wondered what had happened to my companions of long ago, most of whom I’ve lost touch with. Seems almost a lifetime away but for a few minutes as if it was just yesterday. I don’t think I’ve ever felt the past was so close.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=72574
Following evening I went back a little earlier to take some photos & to all but fail to get off the ground on the boulder. In the brighter light the memories didn’t seem so intense but bizarrely I bumped into a French guy who had worked in Scotland and knew some of my old climbing partners.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=72575
Any other memories of life on Snell's Field ?
* Note for the young – this field was where most British climbers stayed during the 70s & early 80s, no facilities but it was free. Not sure how legal it was but camping was mostly tolerated although the site was occasionally cleared by the gendarmes. Somewhere in an old Mountain there’s an article by Ian McNaught-Davis about summer in Chamonix that captures the period quite well
In reply to blueshound: Story I heard (& I've no idea if its true) is that the same M Snell who owned the shop in Chamonix owned the field. Also that there was an unofficial understanding that he let the police use it as a football pitch part of the year in return for not hassling the campers - again maybe not true
In reply to blueshound: Because it was owned by Mr Snell I think. The same Snell as the large Snell outdoor shop in the centre of Cham.
In reply to Doug: My mate was talking about this on Monday and talking about the Burgess brothers who allegedly, amongst others used to steal food from the shops and if they needed to go to Italy would just nick a car as required.
Is this true?
Is this true?
In reply to Doug: I obviously never knew it when it was the hotbed of Alpinism, but have stopped in on the way past. I definitely felt the place had a bit of an aura about it and we played on the boulder for a bit. It feels more like it has a spiritual feel to it to me now though, as one of the friends who I was with at the time died in a climbing accident not long after.
In reply to Doug:
Boulder is called 'Pierre de ortaz' (or close to this) and is polished to hell. I think I've managed two routes on it.
Boulder is called 'Pierre de ortaz' (or close to this) and is polished to hell. I think I've managed two routes on it.
In reply to Doug: i was going to ask if you'd seen this but i see you've commented on it
even so . . .
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=33652
even so . . .
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=33652
In reply to Doug:
Oh my God - ghosts indeed. Hard to believe that a click of the cursor could arouse such a plethora of bittersweet memories. Thank you for posting this.
Mick
Oh my God - ghosts indeed. Hard to believe that a click of the cursor could arouse such a plethora of bittersweet memories. Thank you for posting this.
Mick
In reply to Removed User: That's 2 more than I could manage this visit, don't think I could do more than a couple of the problemw even when younger. The French guy in the linked photo obviously had several well wired but was impressive to watch. He spoke a little about having bouldered quite a bit with Cubby in the past
In reply to Doug:
The main reason the gendarmes cleared the place was because some people were slobs, leaving food and rubbish all over the place. Sometimes the gendarmes would come round and warn people to clean up or else, if they didn't they were turfed off. Petty thieving was done by some people, we did pinch a lettuce out of someones garden on the way back to the site one night but generally it was people trying to live there long periods on little money that pinched food.
The gendarmes eventually cleared everyone off, that field in your picture was the top one and we had to pay to camp on that last time we were there, though really it was only the hedge that divided the two sections, but we had litter bins.
I think we also had a rudimentary portaloo but am not sure now.
The main reason the gendarmes cleared the place was because some people were slobs, leaving food and rubbish all over the place. Sometimes the gendarmes would come round and warn people to clean up or else, if they didn't they were turfed off. Petty thieving was done by some people, we did pinch a lettuce out of someones garden on the way back to the site one night but generally it was people trying to live there long periods on little money that pinched food.
The gendarmes eventually cleared everyone off, that field in your picture was the top one and we had to pay to camp on that last time we were there, though really it was only the hedge that divided the two sections, but we had litter bins.
I think we also had a rudimentary portaloo but am not sure now.
In reply to sutty:
And I thought you were one of the good guys.
> we did pinch a lettuce out of someones garden on the way back to the site one night
And I thought you were one of the good guys.
In reply to sutty: I though there were 2 camping sites, the one in the photo next to the river which (at least for me) was the real Snell's Field which was free and another on the other side of the track, nearer to the boulder, which was a commercial site called something like 'camping des Drus' with some fairly primitive loos but no other facilities
I heard at least once that the gendarmes were called by the owner of the nearby hotel who thought we spoilt the view for his guests
I heard at least once that the gendarmes were called by the owner of the nearby hotel who thought we spoilt the view for his guests
In reply to sutty:
Petty thieving was done by some people, we did pinch a lettuce out of someones garden on the way back to the site one night
Stealing a poor rabbit’s food, shame on you. Your halo has slipped, I hope you do not look down on us mere mortals from the moral high ground ever again.
> (In reply to Doug)
Petty thieving was done by some people, we did pinch a lettuce out of someones garden on the way back to the site one night
Stealing a poor rabbit’s food, shame on you. Your halo has slipped, I hope you do not look down on us mere mortals from the moral high ground ever again.
In reply to Doug:
At a Boy Scout camp.
Where were the poly sheet shelters of the early 70's?
> (In reply to Norrie Muir)
>
> When did you last see so many Vango tents together ?
>
> When did you last see so many Vango tents together ?
At a Boy Scout camp.
Where were the poly sheet shelters of the early 70's?
In reply to rich: er no, not sure how I missed it
In reply to Doug: Do you know the name of the guy in the photo at all? He loks familiar, or did everybody in the 70/80s look the same?
In reply to Doug: no worries - i'd remembered that photo and your first post made me think of it straight away
In reply to Doug:
Ah, happy days...
The camp site was sort-of in use until 1989 or 90 I think. Snells itself wasn't used then, but the field around the boulder was used for camping and the police tolerated it. Whenever a tent appeared in Snell's it was soon moved on, but "Pierre's" was OK. I don't think the field was owned by Pierre, it just took it's name from the boulder. The site was a bit more official than Snell's and was run by a chap called M. Cachat, and even though it only cost a couple of francs a night the site would always empty when he turned up to collect his money. Looking back it was pretty shameful behaviour, but at the time every penny counted. I stopped going to Cham at about the same time the site closed, but I did go back for a few days one summer and the atmosphere at the other popular British site in Argentiere wasn't the same. Mind you, Snell's / Pierre's was a hovel and a real health hazard.
Ah, happy days...
The camp site was sort-of in use until 1989 or 90 I think. Snells itself wasn't used then, but the field around the boulder was used for camping and the police tolerated it. Whenever a tent appeared in Snell's it was soon moved on, but "Pierre's" was OK. I don't think the field was owned by Pierre, it just took it's name from the boulder. The site was a bit more official than Snell's and was run by a chap called M. Cachat, and even though it only cost a couple of francs a night the site would always empty when he turned up to collect his money. Looking back it was pretty shameful behaviour, but at the time every penny counted. I stopped going to Cham at about the same time the site closed, but I did go back for a few days one summer and the atmosphere at the other popular British site in Argentiere wasn't the same. Mind you, Snell's / Pierre's was a hovel and a real health hazard.
In reply to Norrie Muir:
Unfortunately I was of high moral calibre then and did not like stealing, there were a lot of people who seemed to have no scruples, a noted Himalayan climber amongst them at the time. I believe Maggies dole thing set a fair few on the road to pinching the odd item from the supermarket. Eating the inside of a baguette and then filling it with other items was one ruse I heard of.
We did eat virtually the contents of the ice cream machine in the main street when it went wild and would not turn off, it would have been rude to let it all fall on the pavement.
Unfortunately I was of high moral calibre then and did not like stealing, there were a lot of people who seemed to have no scruples, a noted Himalayan climber amongst them at the time. I believe Maggies dole thing set a fair few on the road to pinching the odd item from the supermarket. Eating the inside of a baguette and then filling it with other items was one ruse I heard of.
We did eat virtually the contents of the ice cream machine in the main street when it went wild and would not turn off, it would have been rude to let it all fall on the pavement.
In reply to dek:
Look like a guy called Dave from N Wales who I climbed with on a failed attempt on the Dru north face, but then lots of us looked a bit like that then
> (In reply to Doug) Do you know the name of the guy in the photo at all? He loks familiar, or did everybody in the 70/80s look the same?
Look like a guy called Dave from N Wales who I climbed with on a failed attempt on the Dru north face, but then lots of us looked a bit like that then
In reply to sutty: I suppose your aversion to 'Neeps' must be locked into your misspent youth then?!
In reply to Doug:
I stayed there in the summers of '81 & '82, sadly evident from this:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=44349
& a few others in my gallery. I have some pics of the boulder too, but not really good enough to bother putting up on here.
Prior to that we used to wild camp in the woods towards the Bosson's glacier. By a path near the river. Does anyone else remember this extremely unofficial site? I think it got built over after the summer of 1980.
I stayed there in the summers of '81 & '82, sadly evident from this:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=44349
& a few others in my gallery. I have some pics of the boulder too, but not really good enough to bother putting up on here.
Prior to that we used to wild camp in the woods towards the Bosson's glacier. By a path near the river. Does anyone else remember this extremely unofficial site? I think it got built over after the summer of 1980.
In reply to Doug: Dead ringer for an Andy Parkins or Perkins i met in the Coe many many moons ago, but your right, the hairstyles all looked the same!
In reply to Norrie Muir:
Could be, looks like he's been eating too many lettuce!
Could be, looks like he's been eating too many lettuce!
In reply to Doug:
I never went to the elusive Snells as by the time I went in the mid ninetees, it was gone I believe. I went to Boulder on the Orthaz builder and can only discribe it as very polished!
Where exactly was the field, near the boulder there woods, was it there?
Seem to remember it a fair old track to Chamonix by foot.
I never went to the elusive Snells as by the time I went in the mid ninetees, it was gone I believe. I went to Boulder on the Orthaz builder and can only discribe it as very polished!
Where exactly was the field, near the boulder there woods, was it there?
Seem to remember it a fair old track to Chamonix by foot.
In reply to Laubie:
The northern, or really north-eastern edge of the field was roughly on a direct line from the Pierre d'Orthaz to the river.
I first camped there in 1974, when it soon became a sea of mostly Black's Arctic Guinea tents, with a scattering of the new-fangled Force Ten's ..
By 1979 it had changed completely, and I was already feeling nostalgic about "the good old days .."
Although we went to the "Bar Nash" a few times, we definitely preferred the bar close to the centre of Argentiere village, much friendlier .. several times we were sat outside and the grocer opposite would come over and give us a big tray of only-slightly-bruised fruit, just as he was shutting up shop.
And contrary to a lot of other folks' anecdotes, I've only ever had courteous and helpful encounters with french guides on the hill or at huts, et cetera ..
Perhaps things really were different in those days..
Cosmic John.
The northern, or really north-eastern edge of the field was roughly on a direct line from the Pierre d'Orthaz to the river.
I first camped there in 1974, when it soon became a sea of mostly Black's Arctic Guinea tents, with a scattering of the new-fangled Force Ten's ..
By 1979 it had changed completely, and I was already feeling nostalgic about "the good old days .."
Although we went to the "Bar Nash" a few times, we definitely preferred the bar close to the centre of Argentiere village, much friendlier .. several times we were sat outside and the grocer opposite would come over and give us a big tray of only-slightly-bruised fruit, just as he was shutting up shop.
And contrary to a lot of other folks' anecdotes, I've only ever had courteous and helpful encounters with french guides on the hill or at huts, et cetera ..
Perhaps things really were different in those days..
Cosmic John.
In reply to Doug:
Here you go - does this look familiar Doug?
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=72612
Here you go - does this look familiar Doug?
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=72612
In reply to Mike C:
This really kills me. Talk about nostalgia. First went when I was 19 (hitch-hiked out) and went every year for more or less the whole of the 80s. Basically grew up there.
Couldn't believe it had finally been shut down for good. Went a couple of times in the early 90s and camped at other sites, but it wasn't the same. The Bar Nash went "sour" at some point, too, and so I just gave up. Chamonix without the Snells "scene" was just unthinkable. It left a hole that I have never filled.
> (In reply to Doug)
>
> Here you go - does this look familiar
>
> Here you go - does this look familiar
This really kills me. Talk about nostalgia. First went when I was 19 (hitch-hiked out) and went every year for more or less the whole of the 80s. Basically grew up there.
Couldn't believe it had finally been shut down for good. Went a couple of times in the early 90s and camped at other sites, but it wasn't the same. The Bar Nash went "sour" at some point, too, and so I just gave up. Chamonix without the Snells "scene" was just unthinkable. It left a hole that I have never filled.
In reply to Gavin Taylor:
I have just got back from Chamonix, i had an evening down at snells on the boulder it has some good probs on it, i first climbed on it during my first season about 7 years ago still post the snells years. There where some spanish french and english there slacklining and bouldering all chatting about the hills and things to do. I think that the scenes shift when i went for my first season we all stayed in a squat in Argentiere but when I went back there this time there was no one there really. I was tempted to think (although not that long ago) that what i had experienced in Chamonix had gone. But now i think about it Chamonix will always be the same attracting young climbers with no cash hiding out here and there and trying to last the season and cut thier teeth on the high hills, its the people who change i am quite keen to stay on a campsite that has a shower now and pay a bit extra for a few comforts in doing so i probally wont see that vagabond lifestyle, but its there !
I have just got back from Chamonix, i had an evening down at snells on the boulder it has some good probs on it, i first climbed on it during my first season about 7 years ago still post the snells years. There where some spanish french and english there slacklining and bouldering all chatting about the hills and things to do. I think that the scenes shift when i went for my first season we all stayed in a squat in Argentiere but when I went back there this time there was no one there really. I was tempted to think (although not that long ago) that what i had experienced in Chamonix had gone. But now i think about it Chamonix will always be the same attracting young climbers with no cash hiding out here and there and trying to last the season and cut thier teeth on the high hills, its the people who change i am quite keen to stay on a campsite that has a shower now and pay a bit extra for a few comforts in doing so i probally wont see that vagabond lifestyle, but its there !
In reply to Doug: Yep, the night the yanks landed on the moon, we all watched it in a shop window in Chamonix, When we got back to Snells the yanks had done us proud, countless free kegs of beer for a mega party.
I just remember looking up at the Moon with this very pissed up yank next to me going over and over again
"Jeez, our boys are strolling about on there now"
I just remember looking up at the Moon with this very pissed up yank next to me going over and over again
"Jeez, our boys are strolling about on there now"
In reply to Al Evans: Pretty Good memory!
In reply to Al Evans: No a wonderful photo but this aerial shot gives an idea of how crowded it could get
http://homepage.mac.com/pneame/pics/cham_73/Snells.jpg
Here's another photo found via google
http://homepage.mac.com/pneame/pics/cham_75/Snells.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/pneame/pics/cham_73/Snells.jpg
Here's another photo found via google
http://homepage.mac.com/pneame/pics/cham_75/Snells.jpg
In reply to Doug:
Look at the rubbish lying around on that second picture, that is why the gendarmes kept coming round.
Look at the rubbish lying around on that second picture, that is why the gendarmes kept coming round.
In reply to Doug:
Looks like a typical day after the night before type photo. Oh for student days again!
Looks like a typical day after the night before type photo. Oh for student days again!
In reply to sutty:
They also came around to collect all the tables and chairs acquired from the Montenvers sun terraces. Think they did it as a show rather than for effect as a few days later the chairs would be back!
There were stories that Cholera and Typhoid were prevalent too, especially with the water situation at Pierres. Still good times and fond memories.
They also came around to collect all the tables and chairs acquired from the Montenvers sun terraces. Think they did it as a show rather than for effect as a few days later the chairs would be back!
There were stories that Cholera and Typhoid were prevalent too, especially with the water situation at Pierres. Still good times and fond memories.
In reply to Guy: Zermatt had Typhoid in 63;
http://library.thinkquest.org/27337/e/cultural_centre/museum/secondworldwar...
http://library.thinkquest.org/27337/e/cultural_centre/museum/secondworldwar...
In reply to Laubie: I think that was also the year that the song Je T'aime was released in France, us sex starved boys used to play it over and over on the boxes in the bars of the village, I think it was years later that it was allowed to be played in the UK.
In reply to Al Evans: found a pic of the plastic shelters Norrie referred to
www.jimdockery.com/climbaround/Europe/Chamonix/Snell'sField2.html
www.jimdockery.com/climbaround/Europe/Chamonix/Snell'sField2.html
In reply to rich:
Thanks for that link. I've not looked at all the photos, but my mate is in this one http://www.jimdockery.com/climbaround/Europe/Chamonix/Party.html
> (In reply to Al Evans) found a pic of the plastic shelters Norrie referred to
>
> www.jimdockery.com/climbaround/Europe/Chamonix/Snell'sField2.html
>
> www.jimdockery.com/climbaround/Europe/Chamonix/Snell'sField2.html
Thanks for that link. I've not looked at all the photos, but my mate is in this one http://www.jimdockery.com/climbaround/Europe/Chamonix/Party.html
In reply to Norrie Muir:
Nice link, saved the main page.
That person on the RH side looks like Haston, is it?
Nice link, saved the main page.
That person on the RH side looks like Haston, is it?
In reply to sutty: None of these links are working for me Any suggestions.
In reply to Al Evans: They work for me, maybe you should try again later ?
In reply to sutty:
Sutty you know that is boll*, it is not rubbish and four people are living under the polythene sheet and every cardboard box is a home for at least one person.
> (In reply to Doug)
>
> Look at the rubbish lying around on that second picture, that is why the gendarmes kept coming round.
>
> Look at the rubbish lying around on that second picture, that is why the gendarmes kept coming round.
Sutty you know that is boll*, it is not rubbish and four people are living under the polythene sheet and every cardboard box is a home for at least one person.
In reply to Norrie Muir:
A bit off topic, but this is a great set of photos.
Interesting to see the Bonatti Pillar before and after!
http://www.jimdockery.com/climbaround/Europe/Chamonix/Bonatti2.html
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=72478
> (In reply to rich)
> [...]
>
> Thanks for that link. I've not looked at all the photos, but my mate is in this one http://www.jimdockery.com/climbaround/Europe/Chamonix/Party.html
> [...]
>
> Thanks for that link. I've not looked at all the photos, but my mate is in this one http://www.jimdockery.com/climbaround/Europe/Chamonix/Party.html
A bit off topic, but this is a great set of photos.
Interesting to see the Bonatti Pillar before and after!
http://www.jimdockery.com/climbaround/Europe/Chamonix/Bonatti2.html
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=72478
In reply to Doug: Good post. My clearest memories of the boulder were a youthful Cubby Cuthbertson sipping mineral water from a bottle (I'd never heard of such a thing, and thought he was being a wimp - we all drank beer!) then flashing all the routes.
Best though was a well fit French guy elaborately warming up in front of an admiring audience, then flashing one of the harder problems to their applause. The effect was somewhat spoiled when some guy from Northumberland (never knew who it was) strolled over and nonchalantly followed him up - in bare feet. Very funny moment.
Best though was a well fit French guy elaborately warming up in front of an admiring audience, then flashing one of the harder problems to their applause. The effect was somewhat spoiled when some guy from Northumberland (never knew who it was) strolled over and nonchalantly followed him up - in bare feet. Very funny moment.
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