"The Glacier des Bains [or Bois?], Mont Blanc, from the Montanvert to Chamonix. " by Gabriel Loppe is licensed under Public Domain, CC0
In the novel, Chamonix is the location in Volume II where Victor and the creature are reunited. Here, on the glaciers that overlook the commune, the creature recounts to Victor his life since creation.
Chamonix is a small commune in southeastern France; the city is settled in the French Alps and near the Swiss and Italian borders. It is famous for its scenery and mountainous region, the most notable being Mont Blanc. A blog dedicated to Chamonix notes in its history that the commune became a hotspot for tourism as early as the 1700s. People used to refer to one of its glaciers, the Mer de Glace, as the ‘Sea of Ice’ and in the 1820s, guides were dedicated escorting people on and off the glaciers on the backs of mules. The city, especially the mountains, grew to be a large tourist hotspot and a place where people would go regularly in order to experience the sublime.
One of the most significant things about Chamonix and its glaciers, in real life and in the novel, is its beauty and being the place of experiencing sublimity. Originally, Victor goes to Chamonix in order to escape the tragedies of his brother William and Justine; he ends up, however, experiencing something transcendent of himself. Victor notes that the valley was “wonderful and sublime,” reconnecting him back to his roots in nature and providing him relief from his troubles back in Geneva, even if it is just temporarily. His moment of sublime and tranquility is interrupted when he spots the creature, who begins to narrate his life.
“The Ultimate Guide to Chamonix Mont-Blanc.” Top Snow Travel, 9 July 2025, www.topsnowtravel.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-chamonix/
“History of Chamonix - Chamonix All Year.” Chamonix All Year, 2018, chamonixallyear.com/tourist-guide/tourist-information-guide/history-of-chamonix/.