Le Tour // The First Ski Tour \\

I like to imagine that the Glacier Du Tour is where it all started. Back in the late 1700's men from the valley would strap wooden planks to their feet, grab some bread, cheese and wine, and trudge up to a small sheepherders shack at the edge of the Tour glacier. This was done in order to escape their cramped, crowded and smoked filled homes. Eventually the wooden planks evolved into primitive wooden skis. It was around this time that local teens took up the activity in attempt to abscond from lessons on arithmetic and practicing the harpsichord. The teens referred to it as "touring" or "going out for a tour". And so it is today that men and women still go touring to escape their responsibilities. On this tour, we started at Grands Montets ski resort, then toured over to Argentiere Glacier, climbed up and over onto the Tour Glacier and then skied down into the town of Le Tour.