Incredible photos of the small French commune that held the first 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.