CHAMOUNI, or CuAmosix (Lat. Campus muni(us), is the name of a wild and roinan• tic valley and village the Alps in Savoy. It lies at a distance from all the high roads, at an elevation of about 3,400 ft. above the level of the sea, and more than 2,000 ft. above that of the lake of Geneva. The valley is about 13 m. long, and about 2 broad, and is traversed by the Arve. It is bounded at the e. end by the Col de Balme, over which there is a mule-path to Martigny, in the upper valley of the Rhone, and from the other end issues the road to Geneva, which lies at a distance of 531 m. from Chamouni, On the n. side lies mont Breven and the chain of the Aiguilles Rouges, and on the s., the giant group of mont Blanc, from which enormous glaciers or rivers of ice slide down, even in summer, almost to the bottom of the valley. The chief of these glaciers are the Glacier des Bossons, des Bois, d'Argentiere, and du Tour. By ascending, to a point called Montanvert, we come upon the upper course of a glacier, where it expands into a great mountain-lake of ice called the Mer (le Glace, in which there is a solitary rock or oasis called Le Jardin, about seven acres in extent, and covered with the most beautiful herbage. The excursion to the Jardin is one of the most striking excursions within the
range of Chamouni. Until 1741, the valley was almost unknown; the region was con sidered a wilderness, and known by the name of Les Montagnes Maudites, or " aceursed mountains." In the above year, it was visited by two Englishmen, Pocock and Wynd ham, who ascended as far as Montanvert; and a granite block there still bears the name of the Englishmen's stone. It was only, however, in 1775, that the attention of travelers was effectually called to it by Saussure and Bourrit. The valley is rich in pecu liar plants, and furnishes an aromatic and perfectly white honey. The village of C. owes its origin to the Benedictine convent founded between 1088 and 1099. The pop. of the village is about 2,400, who depend partly upon the strangers who visit the valley, and partly upon the pastures and upon There are several good hotels, and the best guides are to be found here for the neighboring Alps. It is from C. that mont Blanc is usually ascended.