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Origin and history

The Pélerins bobsleigh Olympic track, located in the Pélerins district of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie), was built for the 1924 Olympic Winter Games. With a length of 1,369.88 metres with 19 turns and a elevation of 156 metres, it connected the Dard and Creuse torrents between 1,230 and 1,060 metres above sea level. Its dry stone design, typical of the Alpine infrastructures of the period, made it possible to get the athletes up again thanks to the teleferic next to the Aiguille-du-Midi.

The decision on its construction was taken in November 1922 following the designation of Chamonix as the host city, with a budget of 115,822 francs managed by the Ponts et Chaussées. At the 1924 Games, she saw the Swiss team win in bobsleigh on four. Then used for national championships, his reputation of dangerousness peaked in 1950 with five deaths in an accident, resulting in his closure.

Partially demolished in the 1960s for the drilling of the Mont Blanc tunnel and urbanization, only a few sections remain today, such as the "Myrtilles" or "Jacques Balmat" bends. These remains, currently being restored for the centenary of the 1924 Olympics, were listed in the Historic Monuments in December 2024. Their preservation illustrates the sport and architectural heritage of the first Winter Games, initially organized as International Winter Sports Week.

The site is part of a set of Olympic equipment built for the event, including the mountain ski jumping springboard and a rink that is now gone. The track, designed for high-level competitions, reflects the technical and logistical challenges of the time, as well as the growing enthusiasm for winter sports in France. Its gradual abandonment also reflects urban developments and safety standards in the twentieth century.

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