The Alps 1900. a Portrait in Color - by Agnès Couzy (Hardcover)

About the Book

A charming tour of a bygone era, The Alps 1900 recalls when the first mountain trains and cog railways were carrying men in lederhosen and women in long dresses to the foot of the glacier, when local guides accompanied tourists riding on mules; a time when the first alpinists were considered mad, and skiers were a curiosity.

Book Synopsis

"Nothing compares to the Alps" wrote the great French historian Jules Michelet in 1868. At the very heart of Europe, the gigantic Alpine mountain range includes some of the most grandiose natural sites in the world, such as Mont Blanc, the Jungfrau, the Matterhorn, and their glaciers. Tourism began in the late 1800s and grew tremendously over the next centuries, especially with the rise of winter sports. This book offers a charming tour of a bygone era, when the first mountain trains and cog railways were carrying men in lederhosen and women in long dresses to the foot of the glacier, when local guides accompanied tourists riding on mules; a time when the first alpinists were considered mad, and skiers were a curiosity.

Through photochromes, photographs, and color postcards of the 19th and 20th centuries, through travel posters and tourist brochures, we cross passes such as the Mont-Cenis, Simplon, Brenner, and St. Gotthard; climb Mont Blanc, the Eiger, the Wetterhorn, and the Dolomites; marvel at crystal-clear lakes in Switzerland, Italy, Bavaria, and Slovenia; explore Tyrol, the Via Mala, and the Engadin; and spend the winter season at grand hotels in Gstaad, Grindelwald, Davos, St. Moritz, and Cortina. This is a journey dotted with literary quotes by travel writers that evokes these happy days of pristine snow and untouched slopes.

Review Quotes

"A lavish gift for the mountain-lover in your life: the beauty of the Alps is showcased via photochromes, photographs, travel posters and color postcards of the 19th and 20th centuries."-- "nationalgeographic.com"

"Given the indisputable popularity of the Alps as a ski destination, it's difficult to imagine a time when the slopes were clear of tracks... It's this exact moment in time that the new TASCHEN book captures for readers. You'll be forgiven for needing to book a modern-day trip to the Alps immediately after reading."-- "Condé Nast Traveler"

"...brings the history of Europe's mountains to life."-- "The Telegraph"