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Going to be in Annecy for Summer holidays this year and quite fancy a trip to the Aiguille du Midi!
I know it's a bit of a pain pre-booking times etc, but any tips would be greatly appreciated. Particularly how long to spend at the top and anything else worth doing while in Chamonix.
Last time I was up there, there wasn't really much to do at the top other than look the window or walk too the edge of the glacier and watch walkers / skiers come/go.
Its not cheap ! Your problem with pre booking too is that you can not plan the weather.
I've been up in summer and winter, skiing down in winter was much more fun, but it certainly is an experience just being up there. As above not much up there apart from viewing platforms.
You cant really get out on to the snow (wouldn't want to in summer) without ropes and crampons etc.
Not really much to see in Cham itself, although it is worth a drive up the full valley just for the scenery.
I have quite a few fond memories of holidays as a kid at Lake Annecy !
Sounds about right! I have heard tales of people stranded up there for the day because of the pre-booked cable car times and they end up wandering around like caged Polar bears.
You would probably want 30 mins/1 hr tops up there...
You can pay a few extra euros and get a ticket to ride on the rest of the system that's open across the valley.
Half an hour at the top is enough really. First time I'd been at that sort of altitude and it's surprising how out of breath you get just walking up some stairs.
You can stop off half way down and walk to the Mer de Glacé, then either walk or get the train back down to Chamonix. Worth doing if you have the time.
Loads of good walking to do out of Chamonix if you have the time. Or book some paragliding or via ferrata or rafting. Loads to do. Or hire a bike, some great XC to be had 🙂
Yes, go to the top, marvel, then get off half way down at Plan de L'Aiguille and walk along the Grand Balcon Nord to the Montenvers railway station, the cable car ticket is valid on the railway. It's a really delightful couple of hours of walking, not too strenuous at all. As you approach Montenvers you have a choice of the easy route over the rocks that needs about a 500 ft climb or the non-recommended route round the rocks that involves very little climb; we took the latter and it was fine with a child aged about 12 although you need to keep an eye on kids as they could slip - ours did and chose to do it at an exposed spot!
Here: https://www.chamonet.com/walking/routes/the-grand-balcons-in-chamonix-morzine-region-40145
Globalti +1 and excellent day out. Bite the bullet and get the return ticket across to Italy. The views are magnificent. Do go up balcony for the view and the tunnel to see the start of the arête down to the Vallee Blanche
I would also recommend the balcon walk on the other side of the valley too. Get cable car up and then high travers to lac Blanc and then walk back to the mid station.
If you have crampons and know what you are doing, walking up the lower part of the mer de glacé is fun too
Hire a bike?!?
Globalti +1 and excellent day out. Bite the bullet and get the return ticket across to Italy.
Agree. Some great views from the cable car and also from the Torino Hut at the other end.
Actually the trip up the Grand Montet is good too. The Chamonix Delta Club used to jump off from there, don't know if they still do. The open air pool in Cham is great too as are one or two of the bars where you can sip a beer and watch the Japanese tourists wander by in full, unused alpine regalia.
Yes Globalti has it.
Chamonix is an adventure playground winter and summer. If you don't fancy Aiguille queues etc go up the other side to Brevent for view (and a beverage / lunch) then either walk down from there or lift down to half way station at Pran Plaz taking small path down by parapent field. Caves visit in the glacier would be interesting with family.
In my personal view as Chamonix town is deep in the valley you need to get up the mountain to really appreciate the place, seeing the glaciers apparently falling into the town is very cool
@slowoldman - yes very popular with Japanese 🙂
We went up there years ago. I thought I'd experiment with altitude and run up and down the stairs. It all went a bit surreal after that, until we got down a bit.
Oh - From Chamonix we did a tandem parapente with competition grade pilots - one of the best "extreme" things I've done.
Best way is up the Cosmiques Arrete IMO. Proper euphoria at the top 🙂
I think it's even on Google streetview now!
It's been years since I went biking in Cham, but I did a trip on a cable car part way up, then walked the rest of the way up to a tiny little cafe in a cabin overlooking a glacier, where an airliner had crashed some years before. Quite a hike up, hard on the knees coming back down, but fantastic views over the glacier. Could have gone up to L'Aiguille du Midi as an alternative, not sure if it would have been more interesting or not, but it was enjoyable, apart from my knees complaining.
See the excellent film Amélie for the crashed airliner.
....and lust after the gorgeous Audrey Tatou....
+1 Grand Balcon Nord. We went into the glacier then down on the train
The Grand Balcon Sud is cheaper but a better walk. Up in the Le Brevent down La Flegere. You do miss the snowy peak though
I'm quite worried that any would dismiss Chamonix as "not much to see". We had 2 weeks as a family and did loads. As a teenage climber I didn't even scratch the surface
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[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1459/24021709832_e7f377af87_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1459/24021709832_e7f377af87_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/CAHxqU ]Chamonix-3[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/john_clinch/ ]John Clinch[/url], on Flickr
Grand Balcon Sud
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La Brevent midway
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grand balcon Nord
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+1 on arête des cosmiques
Climbed it after a day on MBduTacul as more interesting way back to the cable car. Only had short rope with didn't extend across the narrow arête near the top. Interesting belay straddling the arête with no option other than to jump the other way! Not required fortunately....
We arrived at the balcony to be cheered by Japanese who gave us sake to celebrate "our achievement." had quite a bit and was quite woozy at that altitude - oops
Ok then....
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Fantastic views from the top view point, you can see the Matterhorn on a good day. These were taken in the days when I was still using film in the camera.
globalti has it for nice day out. Very intimidating riding up on it to go climbing for first time in Alps.
Went up there hung over on New Year's Day 2000, waiting for the world to end with the y2k bug.
No gloves, hungover in jeans, hoody and leather jacket (all warm kit left on the floor at my mates pad). Bloody amazing - but chuffing cold.
Take a scarf.
+1 on arête des cosmiques
I recall getting out of the tent every morning and looking up at Frendo Spur and thinking I would do it one day. Never did. Big wus really.
No gloves, hungover in jeans, hoody and leather jacke
Classy 😉
Nice @essel. You can see the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc from Mont Fort above Verbier and ski down afterwards. Anyway the best place to see the Matterhoen is from Zermatt or perhaps more acurately from thenterrace of Chez Vrony 🙂
Big wus really.
Everything is relative. You're alive to tell the tale.
You could always try this:
I recall getting out of the tent every morning and looking up at Frendo Spur and thinking I would do it one day. Never did. Big wus really.
From what I can see from ampthill's photo above, if that's a typical summer view these days then the Frendo Spur is only going to be possible in winter now - looks very bare and fragile.
For the Aiguille du Midi, do you still have to pay extra to get right up to the top deck? I still remember the guy I went up there with paying that bit for me, just so he could tick the peak!
Loved Gaston Rebuffat's pictures of the snow arête on the Frendo Spur.