Aiguille du Midi: ride to 3,842 m above Chamonix

The Aiguille du Midi is high-altitude mountains without the crampons. A twenty-minute cable-car ride from central Chamonix takes you from 1,035 m to 3,842 m, into the glaciers and ridges. It’s the highest mountain station open to everyone, and the view of Mont Blanc is unbeatable.

The ride up

The cable car runs in two stages. The first stops at the Plan de l’Aiguille (2,317 m), a starting point for many hikes. The second climbs a near-vertical face in one go to the summit. At the top, a lift cut into the rock takes you to the highest terrace.

At the top

• Step into the Void: a glass box hanging over a 1,000 m drop. Guaranteed thrill, and a photo to match.
• Panoramic terraces: a 360° view of Mont Blanc, the Grandes Jorasses and, on a clear day, the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa in the distance.
• The gallery and Mont Blanc space: exhibits on mountaineering and the site’s history, out of the cold.
• The start of the Vallée Blanche: this is where skiers and mountaineers set off for the glacier. You can watch them rope up on the ridge.

Book a guided visit

A guide changes the experience: they read the massif, name the peaks, handle the logistics of the day, and often combine the Aiguille du Midi with the Mer de Glace. Here are our guided outings, picked from our partner.

Good to know

Book a timed slot in advance. In summer and over the winter holidays, dated tickets sell out and save you a long wait at the ticket office.

Pick a clear morning. The summit often clouds over in the afternoon. Check the webcam and mountain forecast before going up. With no visibility, there’s little point.

Wrap up, even in summer. It’s regularly below freezing at the top, with wind. Warm jacket, sunglasses, closed shoes.

You’ll feel the altitude. You go from 1,000 to nearly 3,900 m in twenty minutes. Headaches and breathlessness are common; move slowly and head back down if it doesn’t ease.

See also in Chamonix

Carry on down to the Mer de Glace, or go for the big thrill with a paragliding flight. Back to the destination: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.