Visitors to Chamonix usually opt for the popular cable car ride. Tickets include access to the 360-degree summit viewing station and Step into the Void observation deck, a glass cage teetering over the cliff edge.
Many visitors arrive on a day trip from Geneva, just over the Swiss border. Full-day tours often combine Aiguille du Midi cable car skip-the-line tickets with a ride on Montenvers Railway, an open-top bus tour of Chamonix, or free time to explore the resort town.
The cable car takes you to the top station, from where it’s a short elevator ride to the summit. Plan two to three hours for the entire trip.
Ticket lines can take more than an hour at peak times, so it’s worth prebooking skip-the-line admission.
A restaurant, café, and souvenir shops are located at the second station.
Dress warmly—temperatures can be as low as 14°F (–10°C) even in summer—but don’t forget sunglasses and sunscreen, too, as the sun can be strong at the peak's high altitude.
The Aiguille du Midi cable car is wheelchair accessible, although some activities and attractions on the mountaintop may not be accessible.
Aiguille du Midi is in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps, close to the Swiss border. Cable cars set out from the Aiguille du Midi station on Place de l'Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix—easily reached on foot from the village center. At the top, take an elevator to the highest observation point.
The cable car runs year-round, except November (annual closure). The busiest time is in July and August, when queues can be long. Visit in the early morning to avoid crowds.
Ski, rock climb, and paraglide at Plan de l'Aiguille mid-station, depending on the season. Or, hike to Montenvers Train Station and look out over Mer de Glace glacier, before riding the train back to Chamonix. At the top station, brave the Step into the Void observation platform, before walking through The Pipe to encircle the entire summit, or ride the Mont Blanc Gondola to the peak of France’s Helbronner.