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Funambulate over majestic alpine glaciers at the Aiguille du Midi

Not yet published by Emmanuelle Fontaine, Writer

Country: France

The Experience

I hop on board the cable car with 70 or so other passengers, not knowing what to expect. A vast sea of clouds clings to the mountain, obstructing the view. I can’t see, but I can feel the speed of the machine sweeping through the whiteness, and suddenly breaking out of the mass of clouds. Startled, I jump back as the cable car rushes towards the rock face, just before it stars its almost vertical ascent along the peak.
At the top, the scenery is spectacular. Facing the Mont Blanc (the highest summit in Europe, at 4807m) and overlooking the Vallée Blanche (white valley) below, the Aiguille du Midi offers a stunning view on several summits soaring at more than 4000 m into the clear blue alpine sky: the Matterhorn, the Dufour Peak, the Grandes Jorasses, the Dôme du Goûter…

Built in 1955, and renovated in 1992, the present cable car takes passengers from the picturesque village of Chamonix, in Savoie, France, to the top of the Aiguille du Midi (3842m) in just about 20 minutes and holds the record of the world’s highest cable car ascent (2800m).

At the top, the mountain looks like a giant anthill swarming with the incessant activity of the 5000 tourists, hikers, rock climbers and skiers that climb there everyday. The North peak has a restaurant (the highest one in Europe, if you like records!), a bar, a gift shop and several terraces and observatories. On the lower level, a footbridge links the North peak to the tunnels pierced through the central peak. These tunnels open on the Vallée Blanche on one side and the Mont Blanc Panoramic Cable Car on the other.

After a quick bite and tons of photos, the Mont Blanc Panoramic Cable Car then takes me on a 5 kilometer journey suspended above shimmering snow and ice, to Pointe Helbronner.
The egg-shaped gondola is very light: it holds only four people, and a gust of wind or a brusque movement from one of us makes it swing gently. I try not to think about our means of transportation and take in the panorama instead: first the Vallée Blanche snaking its way down to Chamonix and then the Glacier du Géant with its seracs and ice-blue crevasses. Thirty minutes and two brief picture breaks later, I am at Pointe Helbronner, in Italy, picking down at the Aoste Valley!

Photos

Map

Puzzle

When to Go

The Aiguille du Midi and Mont Blanc Panoramic cable cars are an easy, effortless and safe way to get very close to some of Europe’s highest summits.
If you are a skier, you can ski down the Vallée Blanche back to Chamonix after checking that the snow condition permits it.
The Aiguille du Midi cable car is open year round. However, the MontBlanc Panoramic cable car only opens during the summer months.

Odds n' Ends

Remember to pack warm clothes. Even if it is hot down in Chamonix, it may be chilly at the top. Wear closed shoes.
Bring (and use) sun screen as the sun is very strong at these altitudes even if you don’t feel it.

More Experiences Nearby

Ski the Best Slopes in Europe at Chamonix Mont Blanc
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Conquer the Matterhorn: An Alpine Icon
For the last few centuries, the Matterhorn has posed a great challenge as well as great risk to climbers, and it has since come to be regarded as an iconic symbol of the Alps. The Matterhorn is one of the tallest peaks of the Alps, soaring at over 14,000 feet high. It lies along the Swiss-Italian border, accessible to visitors from both sides, and is a mountain legend for experienced climbers. Amateurs or non-climbers can also head up via train and cable cars for a breathtaking view. Even at the height of summer, the Matterhorn still boasts a peak blanketed ...38 miles away.

Video

Language Guides

French , Italian , Lao , Portugese , Spanish , Turkish , Vietnamese are some of the languages spoken in France. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!

Discussion

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