Back in 1770 the inaugural guest house was opened in Chamonix Mont Blanc France.

Before this Chamonix Haute Savoie France was a savage and tough rural place where people hunted their animals and farmed their own barley.

Chalets back then were used to farm animals during the summer.

Milk was kept by making it into cheeses and kept down in the valley for consumption over the difficult winters.

In the winter the farmhouses were secured, and all valued possessions were locked in a small hut.

Quite who invented chalet holidays is obscured by time, however it was likely several zealous chaps who recognised a pattern which was new and exciting.

With Erna Low it all started when she was a nostalgic student and could not see her siblings back home in Austrias much as she liked.

And so in 1932 she took a punt and took out a small advertisement in the London Times to ask clients on a winter break. For only £15 they traveled to and from resort, were provided with breakfast and dinner and lodging in the sole pub lodging, and paid for ski gear and lessons.

The vacation was hard, there were no lifts, no quick release bindings, only strong leather shoes, it was such a hit that she continued to take friends on trips, seeing to it that she used superb chalets and skiing guides.

Chalet trips during the formative years were a long way to the luxury ski holidays we can have nowadays.

Back then hot water was in short supply, washrooms were shared out with all of the clients, and there was no a chef; the clients had to muck in.

It was a complete lottery as to who might share the accommodation for a holiday, you might be agreeably surprised by meeting brand new friends, or not gel with the group.