Those of you who have visited Rome certainly know Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Not only are they considered some of the world’s most beautiful art, but they also depict many of Christianity’s core beliefs and stories. Now, Chamonix, France, has its own “Sistine.”
All right, that’s a little grandiose, but a buddy in Cham sent over the LINK, and I thought it was pretty cool. The image above puts the mural in context–plastered on a wall above Chamonix’s main drag, the Rue Paccard, the work is on display for the thousands of tourists and travelers who visit the world’s most famous mountain town every year. Of note, too, is the location of Snell Sports, just down and left in the image. Snell is to gearhead alpinists what Wonka’s chocolate factory was to Augustus Gloop. The–Promised–Land.
But let’s not get off track here, eh? The mural portrays a posse of Cham luminaries, like Jacques Balmat, Lionel Terray, and Marie Paradis, among others. Scroll over individuals in the scene and you’ll have the option of clicking through to a window explaining his or her contribution to the valley’s lore. Spend a few on it; it’s worth it!
