From the first Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix to Sochi 2014

With Sochi 2014 now only days ago, we recently came across this great photo on the AP blog website on our searches.

It shows a man representing the United States and carrying the American flag on January 25 1924, as part of the opening ceremony for the first Winter Olympics.

Photo AP (c)

First ever Winter Olympics

The Games were held in Chamonix in 1924 and this photo was taken on January 25th of that year. 

Teams of all the countries took part in a parade from the Mairie to the skating rink, where the events began the following day. 

The original poster for the 1924 Games

Semaine Internationale des Sport d'Hiver

The Semaine Internationale des Sports d'Hiver - as the Games were originally known - ran until 5th February 1924, with 300 athletes from 16 countries taking part.   

Only six sports were covered: skiing, ice hockey, speed skating, figure skating, curling and bobsleigh.  Skiing included the Nordic events only - cross-country skiing, ski jumping and 'military skiing' which later became biathlon.

The video below includes action from those first Winter Olympics: 

Stay in Vallorcine in the Chamonix Valley

If you'd like to see more of the venue for the first Winter Olympics then the Bellevue Alpine Lodge offers great value accommodation in Vallorcine.  Call us on +33 (0)4 50 54 60 43 for more details. 

Article by  Iain Martin