The UCPA building

As you walk down this street, you’re passing alongside a building well-known to mountain enthusiasts and which is, so to speak, part of the scenery. This is the UCPA Chamonix, where generations of young adventurers have come to satisfy their thirst for adventure ! UCPA stands for the National Union of Outdoor Sports Centers. Created in 1965, it’s the result of a merger between the National Union of Mountain Centers and the French Nautical Union, both founded in the 1940s. This non-profit association’s mission is to make sports accessible to everyone, particularly young people. A kind of school for sports holidays, it has become a true institution in France. And here in Chamonix, this building is one of UCPA’s most iconic establishments, and fully contributes to the dynamic, sporty atmosphere that reigns in town, summer and winter alike.