The History of the Aiguille du Midi Cable Car
The Aiguille du Midi is situated in the Mont Blanc Massif, specifically in Chamonix. It likely gets its name from its location south of Chamonix-Mont Blanc and the fact that the sun passes over its summit around noon.
Rising to 3,842 meters, it is the highest of the Chamonix Aiguilles and houses France’s highest radio transmission center.
The current cable car, constructed y the Turin-based promoter Dino Lora Totino, was built in just 5 years, from 1951 to 1955. On June 29, 1949, to demonstrate the feasibility of the cable car project – At the time the highest and longest in the world (3 kilometers without a single support pylon ) – Six guides from Chamonix and the Aosta Valley descended the north face from a cable that was later strung between the summit and the Plan de l’Aiguille.
The Panoramic Mont-Blanc cable car was constructed shortly thereafter. It spans the Vallée Blanche and connects with the cable car that has been linking the area around Courmayeur, near the Torino Refuge, with its breathtaking views of the Aosta Valley and the entire Piedmont region since 1946. In 1972, Lora Totina sold the facilities to the Société Touristiques du Mont-Blanc (STMB), the predecessor of the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc, which now manages the ski areas, lifts, and restaurants in the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Valley.
The ascent to the summit occurs in two stage. From Chamonix, you first glide over the forest to reach the Plan de l’Aiguille (2,317 meters). Along the way, you can enjoy views of the Glacier des Bossons. Next, you take e second cable car (3 kilometers without support pylons-a remarkable engineering feat!) that brings you to the summit in 10 minutes, at an altitude of 3,777 meters. One final elevator ride, and you’re at the top at 3,842 meters! Welcome to the heart of the high mountains!
Facing Mont-Blanc and overlooking the Vallée Blanche, the Aiguille du Midi offers breathtaking view of the major peaks over 4,000 meters in France, Switzerland, and Italy, including the Cervin, Mont Rose, The Chamonix Aiguilles, the Grandes Jorasses (4,208 meters), the Aiguille Verte, the Drus, the Dôme du Goûter (4,304 meters ), and of course, Mont Blanc (4,810 meters). To the north, the dramatic view of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is stunning, with a panoramic vista extending over numerous mountainous regions such as the Aiguilles Rouges massif in the foreground, the Aravis, the Chablais, the Genevois, the Jura and the Chartreuse. Observation terraces and orientation tables are available for visitors.
The Aiguille du Midi is also the starting point for the legendary Vallée Blanche descent—a 23-kilometer off-piste ski route with a 2,000-meter vertical drop. A guide is required for those without experience in high-altitude off-piste skiing. The Aiguille du Midi is a popular departure point for climbers heading to the many peaks surrounding the Vallée Blanche, as well as for its numerous glacier, mixed, and purely rock climbing routes.
Over time, the Aiguille du Midi has evolved into a bustling tourist hub, featuring a network of tunnels and various facilities, including:
The "Le 3842" Restaurant, the second highest restaurant in Europe (after the one at the Petit Cervin in Zermatt). A cafeteria named "Le Croque-Monsieur" located nearby.
From the 3842 Terrace, you can experience "Le Pas dans le Vide"—a unique technological marvel! This glass box, with over 1,000 meters of void beneath your feet and glass walls on five sides, provides an unparalleled sensation of openness.
Guaranteed thrills:
- A 32-meter steel gallery that encircles the central pinnacle of the Aiguille du Midi, at over 3,700 meters above sea level, without retracing your steps.
- The highest alpine museum ever built.
- The Espace Mont-Blanc, where you can admire through immense panoramic windows one of the access routes to the roof of Europe, including the Tacul, Mont Maudit, and Mont Blanc.
- The Panoramic Mont-Blanc offers an incredible journey over seracs and crevasses to the Pointe Helbronner in Italy (open from June to September).
- To conclude your visit, descend to the base of the cable car and explore the retrospective exhibition on the cable car’s construction and view its impressive machinery.
