VI
EN
In the late 19th century, the French colonial administration in Vietnam conducted field trips to several ethnic minority regions in the North. The first reconnaissance convoys were sent to Lao Cai province in 1898. By 1903, the place name Sa Pa began to appear on maps of Vietnam.
The name Sa Pa originates from "Sa Pả" in the Hmong language, which was transliterated into French as "Chapa". From then on, "Chapa" became the name that the French colonialists used for this highland town throughout their period of occupation.
Map of Sa Pa in 1926.
In 1917, a tourist center was established, opening a brilliant new chapter for the local tourism industry. The first hotel to open in Sa Pa was the Hotel du Fansipan (Fansipan Hotel), built on the main road. At the same time, several other hotels were also under construction. In 1920, the Hanoi-Lao Cai railway line became operational, facilitating the construction of hundreds of resort villas throughout the town. From the 1980s onwards, Kinh people from major cities began flocking to this mountainous town to engage in agricultural and tourism businesses.
Below are black-and-white photographs taken by the French nearly a century ago, documenting the first steps in transforming Sa Pa from a place ofsilently,It has become a bustling tourist destination as it is now.
A panoramic view of Sa Pa town in the 1920s.
View from the Annam military training camp.
From the moment they arrived, the French were impressed by the beauty of Sa Pa. At that time, there were many studies about Sa Pa, especially Hautefeuille's article "The Resort" in the Indochina magazine in 1910, which included the passage: "I was completely captivated from my first trip to Sa Pa. The road to Sa Pa runs through an area of breathtaking scenery. Two-thirds of the journey is through a forest of rare beauty… The valley between the Fansipan mountain range and the Sa Pa plateau (also known as the Lo Suoi Tung plateau) is as beautiful as the valleys of the Pyrenees in Spain…".
A bustling trading scene at a market of ethnic minorities in the mountainous region.
An eatery inside a highland market.
Sapa is located at a key junction, the center of various village routes. It's the intersection of roads leading from villages in the northern valley, such as Ta Giang Phinh and Ban Khoang, to villages in the south, such as Ban Ho, Suoi Thau, Ta Van, and Lao Chai. Therefore, Sapa is often a marketplace and trading hub for the local people.
The image shows students lining up for the teacher to take attendance before entering the classroom.
Next to it is Hotel du Fansipan, the first hotel built, located on the main road.
A construction site in Sa Pa.
French houses.
A state-of-the-art hotel complex is under construction.
Stein Company's office was established by the French, and the company operates transportation services in Lao Cai province.
It's not uncommon to see teenagers in Sa Pa playing the khene (a traditional wind instrument), a distinctive feature of the ethnic minority communities.
During market days, they usually gather at the stalls selling bamboo flutes.
Meanwhile, Hmong women enjoy browsing the stalls selling floral flared skirts and jewelry.
A sense of tranquility and serenity emanates from both the scenery and the people here.
