The original name of the village, Les Contamines, is from the wordcontamines, which in the ancient local dialect meant ploughable land on the estate of the squire.
History
In 1760 the parish became independent of the parish of Saint-Nicolas de Véroce. Creation of the local Mountain Guides Company which was established in 1850, marked the first corporation in the village dedicated to tourism. Further development surged after 1900, in the form of hotels, restaurants, and, in 1911, a local ski club. The first ski lift began operation in 1937. After World War II, in 1949, the name was changed to Les Contamines-Montjoie. The first chair lift opened three years later, in 1952, along with a summer attraction at l'Etape.
The village of Les Contamines is a jewel at the heart of the Mont Blanc region. The sensation of a hidden valley results in a very close knit local community. The village has preserved its historic aspect. More than 70% of old farm buildings have been restored in respect of the local Savoy architecture.
Nature reserve
Created in 1979, the nature reserve, La réserve naturelle des Contamines-Montjoie, covers more than 5,500 hectares of varied terrain rising from 1,100 to 3,800 meters high and covering forests, pastures, torrents, rocks, snow fields and glaciers. A local association ensures a link between the reserve and the general public. The information centre, located in the village centre, can recommend various activities for all age groups.
Ski resort
Les Contamines Montjoie main industry is tourism through its Skiing Area which is moderately sized. It ranges from the village at around 1100m to l'Aiguille Croche at around 2500m. There are four sections of the ski area: the Tierces section, the Roselette section, the Montjoie section and the Hauteluce section. The Tierces section faces south: it is the highest section of the resort and possesses the resort's hardest black runs, Grevettaz and Rebans. The Tierces section also has easier blue and red runs such as Coins and Tierces. From most places in the Tierces section one can, weather permitting, see a vivid panorama of Mont Blanc and its neighbouring peaks including Aiguille de Bionnassay and Domes de Miage. The Roselette section is a north-facing area of ski runs which range from blue to black, the hardest run in this section being the black of Olympique. The Aiguille de Rosselette towers over the majority of the section giving it its name. There is off piste potential in the steep couloirs of the Aiguille de Rosselette. The Hauteluce section is the name given to the section of runs on the other side of the Col du Joly in the Val Joly. The run difficulty is varied in this section. The Montjoie section is the name used to describe the lower runs.
