Chamonix has long been heralded as the epicenter of the European outdoor scene. It’s home to some of Europe’s highest mountains and world-class ski resorts, and the mountain village even serves as the starting point of the Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc – the most prestigious trail running event in the world. It’s no surprise, then, that French sports powerhouse has made Chamonix the home for all of its outdoor brands.
It’s here, in a workshop just out of town, that they design everything from and to and ; all before testing everything they make in the breathtaking mountains that encompass this vibrant mountain location. It goes without saying that when I was invited to visit their facility earlier this year, I jumped at the chance to see where Decathlon designs all of their tents – and to investigate first-hand just how they ensure their designs are sound. To find out all about how Decathlon designs and tests its tents, I headed to Chamonix during a late spring snowstorm to visit the brand at its purpose-built outdoor workshop.
Located in Passy, a short drive out of Chamonix, this compound is home to 550 team members and acts as a hub for worldwide teams of engineers, designers, product managers and sportspeople. Known as the Mountain Store, the facility is an ultra-modern design-and-testing playground built to impressive sustainability standards; the perfect place for the world’s biggest sports retailer to bring their boldest outdoor gear ideas to life. Working tow.