Chamonix: a Cable Car to Mont Blanc
Noon Peak
Du Aiguille du Midi means ‘Noon Peak’ and is the highest point accessible by a cable car from the Chamonix valley. This area offers a stunning view of Mont Blanc and the surrounding massif. It can be reached by two luxurious cable cars. Every year this area is visited by half a million tourists. It is open all year long with the exception of a maintenance period in November, when the area is closed for 3 weeks. Furthermore, it is exceptionally closed also in case of adverse weather conditions.
Aiguille du Midi is the ideal starting place for the Three Monts track – you can begin your climb up Mont Blanc from here. It is also great for various sports, both in winter and summer, such as skiing and ski hiking during winter, and hiking, climbing as well as paragliding in spring and summer. Aiguille du Midi has its own post stamps and post box. You can buy postcards and stamps in a souvenir shop which is open all year long.
A Luxurious Cable Car
The cable car starts in the center of the luxurious town of Chamonix (1035m) and leads up to the top of Aiguile du Midi (3842m). The ride takes about 20 minutes, during which you can enjoy a view of Mont Blanc. The first cable car ride takes you to Plan de l'Aiguille (2317m) and the second one to the Les Pelerins iceberg (3778m). A walkway will then lead you to a lift that takes you another 42 meters up to the top of Aiguille du Midi. Here you will see a 360° view of the whole mountain massif. There are also several terraces where you can enjoy the view of French, Swiss and Italian Alps. During favorable weather, you can see Matterhorn (4478m), Monte Rosa (4634m) and other peaks. This is the highest point you can reach by a lift; from here on you need to proceed on foot.
World Record
The cable car holds a world record for highest vertical climb, i.e., from 1035 m to 3842 m. You can have a look at the technologically interesting and complex machine room of the lift system via a glass opening. The original cable car was closed in 1951; many years later, the Italian engineer count Dino Lora Totino was appointed to rebuild and expand the cable car. The construction took about 4 years and was completed in 1991. In 2011 the construction of another station began and luxurious walkways, waiting rooms, as well as a museum and gallery with pictures from the area were completed. The whole project is estimated to cost 7 million EUR and visiting it is definitely worth your time.
