Statue of Horace Bénédict de Saussure, Chamonix (must see)

The Statue of de Saussure in Chamonix holds a significant place in the city, standing proudly in Place Balmat, opposite the Chamonix Casino. Erected in 1887, this statue is a tribute to the pioneering spirit of those who dared to explore the majestic heights of Mont Blanc.

The statue depicts two climbers poised to conquer the towering summit. The identities of those immortalized in bronze here are Jacques Balmat, the intrepid guide who achieved the first ascent of Mont Blanc in August 1786, and Horace Benedict de Saussure himself. Balmat, a Chamonix native, was a skilled mountaineer and crystal collector and had extensive knowledge of the Mont Blanc massif, while Saussure, a Swiss geologist, was renowned for his scientific inquiries into the natural world.

Balmat ascended Mont Blanc alongside the physician Michel-Gabriel Paccard, yet it was Horace-Bénédict de Saussure who proposed the climb. Balmat ultimately guided the way to the mountain and led the ascent twice. Thus, Jean-Jules Salmson's sculpture design incorporated two individuals, Saussure and Balmat, with Balmat gesturing towards Mont Blanc. Meanwhile, Michel-Gabriel Paccard has been commemorated with a monument since 1986 along the banks of the Arve River.

This monument is widely regarded as one of the most renowned in the Alps and is undeniably among the most photographed landmarks in Chamonix, alongside the majestic mountain itself.