The Monchus

I’d like to draw your attention to the name of this big restaurant on the corner: “Le Monchu.” At the risk of disappointing you, this name doesn’t refer to a good Savoyard dish or an old tradition. For mountain people, “Monchus” are a bit like Muggles, in Harry Potter. It’s an affectionate and slightly teasing term for “the others,” or “the people from down below”, so in this case, tourists… In the 19th century, locals called the city bourgeoisie who came to spend summer in the mountains “Monchus.” Indeed, they were, too well-dressed, too well-groomed and they had that urban look that didn’t quite fit with the wild nature of the Alps. The word stuck in local language to talk about those who aren’t from here, but without any malice.

And here’s a nice local touch: ‘À r’vi pa’ – a typical Savoyard farewell that means ‘until we see each other again.” So if you ever come back to Chamonix, you’ll know that you might not be quite such a Monchu anymore!