Incredible photos of the small French commune that held the first Winter Olympics

Cahier Museomontagna

A scene from Chamonix, France during the 1924 Winter Olympics.

Before the Winter Olympics became the spectacle it is today, it began as a modest ensemble of athletes in Chamonix, France.

The snowy, French commune hosted the first winter games with 16 participating nations in 1924.

The event would forever change Chamonix; it propelled the town out of obscurity and into the global spotlight.

As the 2018 Olympics kicks off in Pyeongchang, South Korea, take a look at the history of the city that hosted the first winter games.