On top of the world - Day trip up Mont Blanc and Aiguille du Midi

Imagine being in a glass box overlooking the Mont Blanc massif! This is a bucket list experience where you will feel breathless and on top of the world! This blog will explain how to get to Aiguille du Midi, which is a mountain peak in the Mont Blanc massif. It is 3,842 meters (12,605 feet) tall. When we went it was late December and cold!

For full details on schedules and tickets refer to the official site.

On top of Aiguille du Midi

You will need to start the trip in the beautiful ski resort town of Chamonix in France. We drove into Chamonix from Annecy. There is a large car park close to the cable car station just outside of the city centre.

The first cable car station can be found on Google Maps and is called Aiguille du Midi. It is a 10-minute walk from the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc train station and a 10-minute walk from the city center. Depending on the time of year, the line up to get tickets may be long. Be prepared as tickets are expensive - for a family it can cost up to 241.80 euros. Remember - this is a bucket list destination and so the cost needs to be factored into your travel budget. It is a good idea to get to Chamonix and the ticket office as early as possible as the entry is timed and tickets can sell out quickly.

To get to Aiguille du Midi you will ride two cable cars. The cable cars are well-timed and it takes about 20 minutes to travel from Chamonix to Aiguille du Midi. Starting in Chamonix (1,035 meters/3,400 feet), the first cable car takes you to Plan de l’Aiguille (2,299 meters/7,542 feet). From Plan de l’Aiguille, ride the second cable car to Aiguille du Midi (3,842 meters/12,605 feet).

The ride up on the cable cars is an experience in itself! They seem to glide so quickly and smoothly - and the view is amazing! Once in Plan de L’Aiguille, you will transfer to the next cable car. On the roughly 5-minute ride to Aiguille du Midi, you will gaze across the Mont Blanc massif and get a closer view of Glacier des Bossons flowing down Mont Blanc.

Here is a link to a map of Aiguille du Midi. This gives you an overall view of where things are located.

Once you arrive and to avoid a long wait, I would recommend crossing the bridge and going straight to the Terrace 3842, which is the highest you can go on Aiguille du Midi. You will need to ride the elevator (Ascenseur). This tiny elevator only holds a few people so you might have a short wait in line.

At Terrace 3842, you are standing at 3,842 meters (12,605 feet). From this point, you have 360° views of the French Alps, making this one of the best things to do at Aiguille du Midi. On a clear day, it is possible to see the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa. You also get another spectacular view of Mont Blanc and the Mont Blanc massif.

From the Terrace you will then line up to visit the 'Void'. Refer to the photo of us above in the glass box. This is one of the most thrilling experiences on Aiguille du Midi. It is located on Terrace 3842 and does not have an additional cost, but it does have a long line. When we were here, wait times were approximately 60 minutes - and yes our little one was bored and hungry!

There is plenty of other things to also look at to keep you busy. There are exhibits such as the Hypoxia exhibit, which has information about what happens to the human body when it is exposed to high altitudes and lower oxygen levels.

From this exhibit, you can walk up to another outdoor terrace (#12 on the map). From here you can see The Tube and the next set of platforms to visit at Aiguille du Midi.

The terraces then lead to the departure station for the Panoramic Mont-Blanc gondolas. Unfortunately, the gondolas were not operating when we visited so we were unable to experience this. Panoramic Mont-Blanc is a cable car that runs from Aiguille du Midi, France to Pointe Helbronner, Italy. This 5-km one-way journey takes about 30 minutes and is very expensive.

Allow a full day for this trip. Buying tickets, lining up, travelling on the cable cars, exploring the different terraces, lunch and travelling back down will all eat into the day.

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Tips

• Start the day early to avoid the crowds

• Bring some snacks or drinks

• Take your time - with the elevation you will experience altitude sickness or loss of breath

• Wear warm clothes and good grip shoes. Ladies - I love my Columbia Ice Maiden Boots! Not only do they look great but are warm and comfortable.

• If you have time, visit the beautiful town of Annecy. Where to stay