Éléonore-Jean-Nicolas Soleil Éléonore-Jean-Nicolas Soleil Éléonore-Jean-Nicolas Soleil (Cherbourg, 6 January 1767 – Octeville, 11 March 1824) was a French Navy officer and captain. Born to the family of a surgeon, Soleil started sailing on a merchantman in 1783. In 1785, he served in the French Royal Navy on a fluyt, before returning to merchant shipping. In August 1789, Soleil joined up as a volunteer aboard on the "Brillant". He returned to commerce again in 1790. On 1 April 1793, Soleil joined the Navy as a midshipman first class, serving on "Brillant" again. In February 1794, he was promoted to ensign, and served on
Portes du Soleil Midi and the Dents Blanches, at the end of the Vallée d’Illiez. It is a 150 years old village which was among the initiating towns when the Portes du Soleil skiarea was established in the late Sixties. There are no pistes leading all the way down to Champery due in part to the fact that the mountainside above the town is heavily exposed to snow. The Champéry – Planachaux cable-car (125 passengers) and the 6-seater chairlift in Grand-Paradis are fast connections into the Portes du Soleil system. Portes du Soleil Les Portes du Soleil (literally "The Doors of the Sun")