How to Visit the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix, France
A visit to Aiguille du Midi is one of the best things to do in Chamonix. In this guide, learn everything you need to know to visit, including how to get to Aiguille du Midi from Chamonix, how to get tickets, costs, things to do, when to go, and more!
Riding the highest cable car in France to a series of terraces masterfully constructed into the top of a jagged mountain with up-close and personal views of the highest mountain in Western Europe? Ummm, sign me up!
A visit to Aiguille du Midi is one of the most popular things to do in Chamonix, France. Aiguille du Midi is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif, topping out at 12,605 feet (or 3,842 meters)…but it’s easier to get to the top than you might think! A series of cable cars will bring you up the entire way. And at the top, you’ll find a maze of terraces overlooking the beautiful Mont Blanc, its sea of glaciers, and the surrounding jagged peaks of the French Alps.
It's definitely one of the most epic views you can get in the Alps, and with very minimal effort!
An added bonus is that from the top, you have the option to ride the Panoramic Mont Blanc. This is another cable car that leaves from Aiguille du Midi, crosses over the massive glacier fields as it glides alongside the Mont Blanc massif, and drops you off at Pointe Helbronner in Italy! It’s an added cost, but it was one of the coolest experience we’ve ever had, and one that we think is totally worth it.
In this guide, we’ll share everything you need to know about how to visit Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix, including how to get there, how to get tickets, costs, what to do once you’re there, and more. Plus, we’ll tell you how to ride the Panoramic Mont Blanc to help you decide if you want to include this epic experience!
One thing to note: We didn’t exactly have the greatest weather conditions when we visited Aiguille du Midi (despite the forecast…but hey, that’s mountain weather for ya! We’ll talk more about that later…). We were actually in a cloud for a while at the top, and with a bit of patience and time, the views started coming out. We never got a totally clear view from the top of Aiguille du Midi, as you’ll see in our pictures, but we still saw enough to make the trip up worth it. We saw most of Mont Blanc, and got a cool inversion effect over some of the other mountains. So just an fyi, our pictures are a bit clouded in (and honestly a realistic depiction of mountain weather!), but your views may end up being even better if you go on a clearer day!
In this Aiguille du Midi guide:
How to Get to Aiguille du Midi From Chamonix
The Aiguille du Midi towers over the small town of Chamonix, and on a clear day, you can actually see the needle at the top of Aiguille du Midi from throughout the valley.
A view of the Aiguille du Midi from Chamonix Valley at sunset
To get to Aiguille du Midi, you’ll have to take a series of two cables cars up from Chamonix.
Chamonix to Plan de l'Aiguille
The first cable car will take you from the town of Chamonix up to the midstation, called Plan de l’Aiguille.
The station for this cable car is found right in town. On Google Maps, it’s called Teleferique Aiguille du Midi and easily walkable from Chamonix center.
The bottom cable car station for the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix
If you’re staying outside of Chamonix, it’s easily reached by the Chamonix bus and train lines.
If taking the bus, be sure to get off on the stop “Chamonix Sud” on Bus Lines 1 or 2 and it’s a 5 minute walk down Rue du Lyret.
If taking the train, get off at the stop “Chamonix Aiguille du Midi” and it’s a 5 minute walk down Av. De l’Aiguille du Midi.
The small train station in Chamonix for the Aiguille du Midi
Once at the station, there will be a ticket desk, and just to the left is the entry into the station. There will be a small sign to the left indicating which boarding group number they are currently accepting through the gate (this number will be on your Aiguille du Midi ticket under “N° d’embarquement”). Head to the gate where they’ll do a quick ticket check, and then you’ll be let through to get into the queue.
Once they’re ready for a new group to get onto the next cable car, you’ll scan your ticket to get through the next gate into the holding area, where you’ll be on deck to get into the next arriving cable car.
The cable car from Chamonix to Plan de l’Aiguille is a giant tram that fits a lot of people. It’s standing room only, and they really try to squeeze a lot of people on since it’s really popular and because there are only two cable cars that run up and down, so be prepared to be squished in- especially if it’s a busy day. When we were on our way up, we weren’t too packed in because it was still early and not too busy, but on the way down, it was a pretty packed ride.
Packed into the Aiguille du Midi cable car!
Unfortunately, that means you might not get the awesome views from the cable car that you might wish to get. You might be squished into the middle of the car, or you’ll be on one side or the other. On the first ride, we happened to be squeezed over to the side looking towards Mont Blanc, and on the second ride, we were on the side opposite Mont Blanc. So while you’ll get nice views either way, you might not get to see Mont Blanc from the cable car, or at least very clearly (but don’t worry…you’ll see it super up- close when you get to the top!).
The view of Mont Blanc from the Aiguille du Midi cable car
The view from the Aiguille du Midi cable car opposite Mont Blanc
Once at Plan de l’Aiguille, everyone will get out and get shuttled over to the waiting area for the next cable car. From here, you’ll get great views up to Aiguille du Midi and Mont Blanc while you wait.
Plan de l'Aiguille to Aiguille du Midi
The second cable car is the exact same as the first- one big tram that everyone squeezes into. We got the side opposite of Mont Blanc, but it was still super cool to see the views change as we rode higher up towards Aiguille du Midi. Before I knew it, we were climbing right next to cliff faces and over glaciers, which got us excited to get to the top! The journey ends as the cable car glides up a rock face to the station at the top.
The view of the Aiguille du Midi cable car from the Plan de l’Aiguille midstation
The Aiguille du Midi cable car as it nears the top!
Views of rock faces and glaciers from the cable car
How long does it take to get to Aiguille du Midi from Chamonix?
Overall, it took us just over a half hour to get from Chamonix to Aiguille du Midi. From the time we entered the bottom station to the time we actually got into the first cable car, it was about 20 minutes, and that was with barely a line at the bottom. The ride to the midstation was barely 5 minutes, and after another short wait, the ride to the top was another 5 minutes.
How Much Does it Cost to Visit Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix?
The Aiguille du Midi is a pretty expensive experience in Chamonix. The full price is 78 Euro for a roundtrip cable car ride between Chamonix and Aiguille du Midi, however, they do have dynamic pricing, meaning the earlier you buy a ticket, the cheaper it will be. Starting about 3 days in advance, ticket prices start dropping a bit lower, and continue to get lower the further out you book. You can ultimately save up to 20 Euro by booking very early, but as tempting as this may be, we don’t recommend doing this.
You’ll want to wait until at least a few days before you plan to go up so that you can check the forecast and make sure you pick a clear day to visit Aiguille du Midi (it’s honestly pointless to visit if Aiguille du Midi is in a cloud!). If you book too far in advance, it might be a waste.
We recommend waiting until 1 to 2 days before (3 tops) to check the weather and buy your Aiguille du Midi ticket. You’ll spend more money to wait, but it’s worth it to know you’ll have clear weather (and if you have the Mont Blanc Multipass, it really doesn’t matter! More on that in just a sec…).
Should I buy tickets in advance for Aiguille du Midi?
While you can purchase tickets on the day of right at the ticket counter at the bottom station in Chamonix, we do recommend buying them in advance.
The main reason is because you have to reserve a time slot for the Aiguille du Midi when you buy your ticket. On a nice day, some of the better timeslots (particularly morning ones) can sell out a day or two in advance, so if you have a schedule you’re trying to stick to or a good weather window you need to hit based on the forecast, then it’s best to just reserve and purchase ahead of time. Again, we recommend 1 to 3 days in advance.
We actually reserved ours the night before. We had just gotten into Chamonix and did one final check of the forecast and realized that the next morning had the best weather outlook, so we booked. Even though the first cable car went up at 8:10 am, the first slot we could book online wasn’t until 9:40 am.
The Mont Blanc Multipass
The best way to make the high price of the Aiguille du Midi a little easier to swallow is by getting the Mont Blanc Multipass! This amazing pass is a one-time purchase that gets you onto pretty much all the lifts, gondolas, trams, and cogwheel trains around Chamonix Valley, so it’s super convenient. You just scan it at any of the lift gates and you’re in! Easy peasy.
You can buy the multipass online and check prices here for consecutive or non-consecutive days. To see if it’s worth it, add up the costs of all the lifts in Chamonix that you plan on taking and see if it’s more or less than a multipass. More often than not, the multipass will definitely be worth it! Even if you are only in Chamonix for a day and plan on doing one other thing in addition to the Aiguille du Midi (such as the Brevent cable car or the Montenvers cogwheel train), then getting a one day Mont Blanc Multipass is more cost effective and more convenient than buying all the tickets separately.
When you buy your multipass online, the site gives you the option to reserve a time slot for Aiguille du Midi right then and there. But if you’re not ready to at the moment, you can skip this and still continue your purchase. Later, head to the Aiguille du Midi website and click the “Reserve your place” button to pick a time slot at no extra cost.
Just a heads up: When we tried to reserve our Aiguille du Midi timeslot online with our multipass, we had a bit of trouble. The page to reserve a time slot was super glitchy and finicky and it took us a long time to finally be able to reserve. You can always go to the ticket counter in Chamonix to reserve your spot ahead of time, too.
After buying your multipass online, you get sent a confirmation- but this is not your actual ticket. You’ll have to head to one of the kiosks in Chamonix Valley to print it out. Conveniently, one of these kiosks is right next to the Aiguille du Midi station in Chamonix. It’s open 24/7- simply scan the QR card that was emailed to you and it will print out the multipass- it was super quick and easy. Be sure to keep this pass in a safe place…it’s your ticket for everything!
The ticket kiosks in front of the Aiguille du Midi station in Chamonix
When Are the Aiguille du Midi Cable Cars Open?
The Aiguille du Midi cable car is one of the few cable cars in Chamonix that is open most of the year. The only time it closes is between November and December for maintenance. Check here for the Aiguille du Midi timetables, and look carefully because the daily opening and closing times differ depending on the time of year! In the peak of summer, the Aiguille du Midi cable cars start running as early as 6:10 am, but later in the season and into winter and spring, they don’t start until 8:10 am.
What is There to Do at Aiguille du Midi?
While the most obvious (and best!) thing to do at Aiguille du Midi is simply admire the 360 degree panoramic views over Mont Blanc and the Alps, there are a few other ways to spend your time up here and to make the high ticket price a little more worth it.
We’ll briefly mention things to do at Aiguille du Midi below, but it’s definitely worth it to take a look at a map of Aiguille du Midi before you go to get yourself oriented on where things are. The picture below is one we took at the bottom station of Aiguille du Midi, but they are also found at the top as well. Take a similar picture and make sure to bring it with you when you head up, because without it, the area may seem a little confusing!
Aiguille du Midi map- use this as a reference as we talk about all the things to do at the Aiguille du Midi!
Viewing Terraces
There are several sets of terraces at Aiguille du Midi where you can get different perspectives of Mont Blanc and Chamonix Valley.
The first set is up the stairs that go just above the arrival station. Walk along three different tiers of platforms for amazing views of Mont Blanc, the Bossons Glacier, and Chamonix Valley below. You also get great views back towards the Aiguille du Midi and its complex set of walkways and terraces.
The set of viewing terraces above the cable car entrance at Aiguille du Midi
Walkways along the Aiguille du Midi terraces
Some of the stairs can be a bit unnerving for those afraid of heights!
Incredible up-close views of Mont Blanc from the Aiguille du Midi terraces!
A view of the incredible walkways on top of Aiguille du Midi
Views over Mont Blanc from the Aiguille du Midi
Looking back down over Chamonix Valley. If you look closely, you can see the Aiguille du Midi cable car making its way down the cliffside.
Cross the bridge by the arrival station and take a right to get to the elevators up to the highest viewing terrace at the top of the needle. The elevators that go up to this viewpoint are tiny, so there could be lines here on a really busy day. When in the elevator, don’t forget to look up through the see-through roof to get views of the rock shaft that the elevator was built into!
Crossing the bridge on the Aiguille du Midi, and a view of the top viewing platform on the Aiguille du Midi summit
The queuing line for the Aiguille du Midi elevators to get to the top terrace
From the top, you get amazing views of Mont Blanc, a sea of jagged peaks, and the massive glacier fields of the Alps.
The dramatic view of Mont Blanc from the top of the Aiguille du Midi!
Peaks of the Mont Blanc massif rising above the clouds- it was hard to tell where the clouds ended and the glaciers began!
Head back down the elevator and continue walking towards the Espace Mont Blanc (Mont Blanc Space), which will bring you to a corridor of windows with perfect views over Mont Blanc and the glaciers if you need to spend some time inside to escape the cold!
From here, head up through the Palier Hypoxie to get to another viewing terrace.
If you look closely, you can see a viewing terrace at the bottom of the picture- this is the terrace above the Palier Hypoxie!
Finally, head through Le Tube to get to the final set of terraces, which eventually connect you back to your starting point near the bridge.
Walking through Le Tube at the Aiguille du Midi
A view looking down at Le Tube and the viewing terraces next to massive icefields of Mont Blanc. You can also see the cable cars of the Panoramic Mont Blanc on the left!
Views of the massive icefields and glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif from Aiguille du Midi
Museums and exhibits
While at Aiguille du Midi, it’s worth stopping at some of the various exhibits to learn more about Mont Blanc and the Aiguille du Midi itself.
The Espace Vertical (Vertical Space) is a museum all about mountaineering on Mont Blanc (and the highest mountaineering museum ever built!). This is found between the bridge and the elevators to the top terrace.
The Espace Histoire (History Space) is an exhibit on how the cable cars were built, and is found just before the departure station.
The Palier Hypoxie (The Hypoxic Stage) is a small exhibit on the effects of hypoxia in the high mountains (and as you’re climbing the stairs to get here…you might be feeling the effects yourself!).
Activities
Check out the “Pas Dans Le Vide”, or the Step into the Void feature found on the highest terrace. This is a small glass box where you step out over a 1000 meter drop. If it’s busy, expect to have a long wait in line here.
The Step into the Void glass box high above Chamonix Valley!
The Espace Ascension (Ascent Space) is found in the Mont Blanc Space and shows a short movie of the Alps.
Watch the Mont Blanc climbers- A cool thing you’ll probably also see from Aiguille du Midi are the strings of climbers and mountaineers making their way across the glaciers. From up here, they look like tiny ants on a sea of white. If you come up early, you’ll probably see them gearing up and departing from the Aiguille du Midi. They enter the snow fields at an entry point right next to the station for the Panoramic Mont Blanc.
A look at where Mont Blanc climbers enter the snowfields from Aiguille du Midi!
The 4D cinema is a cool immersive experience that’s found at the bottom station of the Aiguille du Midi. There’s an extra fee associated with it, or it’s included in the Mont Blanc Multipass. As you head back down to Chamonix, this is something you may want to check out.
Eat
The Aiguille du Midi has a restaurant and a café where you can grab lunch with a view.
The Panoramic Mont Blanc
From Aiguille du Midi, you have the opportunity to take yet another gondola ride across the glacier fields and into Italy! This was an awesome experience, and one that we highly recommend. It’s an extra cost and takes a bit more time, but it was so worth it in our opinion. In just a bit, we’ll go over everything you need to know about the Panoramic Mont Blanc.
The Panoramic Mont Blanc!
Things to do at Plan de l’Aiguille
Though Aiguille du Midi is certainly the main attraction of this epic cable car ride, it’s also worth exploring the midstation of Plan de l’Aiguille on your way back down the mountain.
Here, you’ll be at about 2300 meters in the subalpine terrain, with beautiful views of Mont Blanc and the Bossons Glacier.
There’s also a small café here serving drinks and snacks.
The Plan de l’Aiguille midstation has amazing views, a small cafe, and great hiking trails!
A view of Aiguille du Midi, Mont Blanc, and the cable car from Plan de l’Aiguille- can’t beat this view!
The best thing about Plan de l’Aiguille, though, is that it’s the starting point for a couple of beautiful hikes.
If you’re looking for something short and sweet, head to Lac Bleu, which is just a 15 minute relatively easy hike from Plan de l’Aiguille. Even though its short, you’ll have amazing alpine views of the jagged mountains that make up the Mount Blanc massif on this side of the valley. Expect a bit of a rocky trail and some small ups and downs as you make your way to the lake.
Lac Bleu near Plan de l’Aiguille
For a longer hike, take the Grand Balcon Nord Trail all the way to Montenvers, another popular place in Chamonix. The Grand Balcon Trail runs along the slopes of the south side of the valley, with beautiful views the entire way of Chamonix Valley, the Aiguilles Rouges, and Mont Blanc.
Hiking the Grand Balcon Nord near Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix
From Plan de l’Aiguille, it’s about a 4.5 mile (7.2 km) one way hike to get to Montenvers. From there, you can see the Mer de Glace (France’s largest glacier) and check out an ice cave at the base of the glacier.
The Mer de Glace at Montenvers (the other end of the Grand Balcon Nord)
How to Ride the Panoramic Mont Blanc Cable Car at Aiguille du Midi
The Panoramic Mont Blanc is a cable car that leaves from Aiguille du Midi and travels by Mont Blanc while hovering high above giant glacier fields to get to Pointe Helbronner, Italy. Yes, you get to cross into Italy!
Admiring the views from the Panoramic Mont Blanc
It was honestly such an awesome experience that we find hard to describe in words- and I don’t think pictures really do it justice either. Hovering hundreds of feet over giant ice fields, getting to see all their features, and getting so close to the spiky peaks of Mont Blanc that you feel like you can almost reach out and touch them- let’s just say the both of us couldn’t stop saying either “This is so awesome!”, or “Wow!”, or some variation of the two the entire time.
Here are some pictures of the ride on the Panoramic Mont Blanc where we try to show you how awesome it is!
The Panoramic Mont Blan cable cars hovering over the glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif
Views from the Panoramic Mont Blanc
Once at Pointe Helbronner, Italy, there is a whole new set of indoor and outdoor viewing terraces that offer a different perspective of the Alps and Mont Blanc, along with exhibits, a gift shop, and a restaurant. From here, you can even travel down to Italy via the Skyway Monte Bianco if you had the time, or wanted to go into Italy from here (though you’ll likely just be doing a roundtrip from Aiguille du Midi).
We had amazing views from the gondola ride, but unfortunately, Pointe Helbronner was in a cloud all day so we didn’t see anything there, but we still thought the experience was amazing and well-worth it!
The top viewing terrace at Pointe Helbronner (in a cloud!)
We pretended to see the views by admiring the labeled pictures on the viewing terraces!
Here’s some good-to-know info about taking the Panoramic Mont Blanc from Aiguille du Midi.
How long is the Panoramic Mont Blanc cable car?
One of the coolest things about the Panoramic Mont Blanc is how long of a ride it is! It took over 30 minutes one-way to go from Aiguille du Midi to Pointe Helbronner. Near the halfway point, you’ll pass through a small midstation- when we saw this, for some reason we thought it was the end, but when we shot through to the other side, we quickly realized that it was just the beginning, and the views got even better!
Looking towards the Aiguille du Midi on the Panoramic Mont Blanc as the cable lines stretch over the massive icefields below
Another really cool thing was that the cable cars stopped for several minutes at a few different points along the journey each way. We were there in our tiny cable car, stopped, just floating above the glacier fields below. It really gave us time to admire and appreciate the views around us- which never got old, not even after a total of an hour spent in the cable car roundtrip!
How much does the Panoramic Mont Blanc cost?
The roundtrip ticket between Chamonix and Point Helbronner is 39.50 Euro. This is not included in either your Aiguille du Midi ticket or a Mont Blanc Multipass. So it’s a bit of an extra cost, but it gives you access to basically one of the most scenic hour-long gondola rides ever, and to a whole new set of terraces and viewpoints in Italy.
The Panoramic Mont Blanc tickets can’t be bought ahead of time, and there are no reservations for it. You’ll need to buy tickets once at the top of Aiguille du Midi. There will be a cash desk right across the bridge when you get off at the top station. We were able to pay with a credit card when we were there, but just to be sure, we’d ask the help desk at the bottom station in Chamonix whether cash will be needed or not.
Once you get your ticket, you can head on over to the Panoramic Mont Blanc station whenever you’re ready. We recommend going earlier before lines start forming at either end. The lines can move pretty slowly as the gondolas are tiny four person cars. Also, these cable cars stop running earlier than the Aiguille du Midi cable cars.
When is the Panoramic Mont Blanc open?
The Panoramic Mont Blanc is generally open from the end of May to the end of September, but the daily timetables change throughout the season. Sometimes these cable cars might close due to weather conditions, or have a delayed opening. When we visited, we didn’t have the best conditions and the Panoramic Mont Blanc wasn’t even running when we got to Aiguille du Midi. Luckily, they opened at about 11:30 am, and we were still able to have this experience.
Do you need a passport to ride the Panoramic Mont Blanc?
We had our passports on us but they were never checked. I’d still recommend having them, because if for whatever reason the gondolas stopped running while you were still at Pointe Helbronner, you’d have to descend into Italy on the Skyway Monte Bianco and may have your passports checked there.
Is the Panoramic Mont Blanc scary?
Honestly, I was a bit worried the ride would be scary since you’re dangling so high up! But once we got on and immediately saw the views, I was too awestruck to be scared. I honestly wasn’t even really thinking about how high we were…just how awesome the sight was! I will say the only time I felt a bit nervous was when we were approaching Pointe Helbronner, which, at the time, was in a cloud. As the gondola entered the cloud a few minutes before the station, I did get a bit uneasy not being able to see around us and feeling the wind blow around the cable car. But we were at the station soon after!
Hovering high above the glaciers on the Panoramic Mont Blanc!
Is the Panoramic Mont Blanc worth it?
Absolutely! Despite us not having the best weather conditions, and not even having a view at Pointe Helbronner, I can still confidently say that the Panoramic Mont Blanc was worth it- so that’s really saying something! The views from the gondola ride alone were money well-spent, and it’s something I would have regretted not doing after travelling all that way. It’s definitely a unique experience and one that we’re glad we did.
All smiles on the Panoramic Mont Blanc- how could you not with views like these?!
How Much Time Do You Need at Aiguille du Midi?
Plan on setting aside a half a day to visit Aiguille du Midi. Between getting the cable cars up and back, waiting in potential lines for the cable cars, and taking your time to explore the terraces and exhibits, it can take you 2-3 hours. If you want to do the Panoramic Mont Blanc, add on another 2 hours.
We spent about 5 hours all together between Aiguille du Midi and Pointe Helbronner, which included spending a lot of time waiting for the clouds to clear and the views to open up.
Can you do Aiguille de Midi and Mer de Glace in one day?
The Mer de Glace at Montenvers is another very popular place in Chamonix, and it’s pretty close to the Aiguille du Midi, so this is a common question, and the answer is yes!
Depending on the time of year you visit, your day may be a bit rushed, but it is possible. We recommend getting on the earliest cable car you can up to Aiguille du Midi so that you can maximize your day. After, you can either go all the way back down to Chamonix and ride the train up to Montenvers to see the Mer de Glace, or you can take the cable car back down to Plan de l'Aiguille and hike the Grand Balcon Nord Trail to Montenvers. Hiking will of course take more time, so make sure you look at timetables carefully and make sure you can hike fast enough to get the last train down from Montenvers at the end of the day!
A view of the Mer de Glace from Montenvers
Best Time to Visit Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix
The best time to visit Chamonix in general depends on what you’re going for…skiing or hiking. Since Aiguille du Midi is open almost the entire year, you’ll likely be able to visit no matter when you go.
We’ve only been to Chamonix in the summer, and if that’s when you’re looking to go, we recommend going in the peak summer months (July or August). While we don’t normally recommend traveling at peak times, it’s worth it in Chamonix, mainly so that you can make the most of your days. During these months, the lifts around the valley have longer windows of time that they run each day so you can fit more into each day without feeling rushed.
For example, when we visited Aiguille du Midi in early September, the first lift didn’t start until 8:10 am. However, in July and August, you can start your day as early as 6:10 am if you wanted to. Getting a later start did cause us to feel a bit rushed, as we planned to do the Panoramic Mont Blanc and the hike to Montenvers that same day. Of course, it didn’t help that we had to wait a bit for clouds to clear at the top, but if we had come in the peak summer months, we would have had more time. In the end, we did make the last train down from Montenvers, but we really had to hoof it on our hike along the Grand Balcon Nord!
As far as the best time of day to visit Aiguille du Midi, we often read that it’s best to go earlier in the morning. But honestly, just check the forecast a day or two in advance and go from there. While we read that Mont Blanc tends to be clear in the morning and clouded in by the afternoon, we experienced quite the opposite during our time in Chamonix.
Of course, it’s the mountains, and the weather will not always cooperate, no matter what the forecast says. We reserved an early timeslot based on the forecast- it was supposed to be clearer in the morning and progressively cloudier throughout the day. But when we got to Chamonix in the morning, it was still drizzling, and Aiguille du Midi was socked in and had snow flurries. Total bummer! We (not so patiently) waited it out for quite a while, and the clouds did eventually partially clear and views opened up by mid-morning.
After the snow and clouds started to clear, we saw a rainbow over Mont Blanc’s glaciers!
We would still recommend going on the earlier side if possible for a few different reasons. For one, it’s definitely less crowded the earlier you go. We were up there for quite a while on our visit, and in the morning it really wasn’t bad, but by mid-morning or so, it was definitely getting crowded and it was getting hard to find railing space on the top terrace to get pictures!
Also, if you plan on doing the Panoramic Mont Blanc, we recommend getting an early start so you have plenty of time to do everything. Getting on the Panoramic Mont Blanc near its opening time is a good idea to avoid long lines for the cable car on either end.
Tips for Visiting Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix
Here are just a few extra tips to help you visit Aiguille du Midi!
Wear layers- Even if it’s warm down in the valley, it will be cold up at Aiguille du Midi! When we were there in early September, the temp at the top was 4 degrees Celsius, or about 39 degrees Fahrenheit, and there was a dusting of slick snow on the terraces. Make sure to dress warmly! We’d even say to bring gloves and a hat.
Stop at the bakery first- Le Fournil is a small bakery just down the street from the bottom station in Chamonix, and it seemed like the place to go (well, it seemed as if it was the only place nearby that was open!). Here, you can grab a quick breakfast and some lunch items for the day (it’s a great way to save some money!). P.S.- their Swiss du chocolat was amazing.
Le Fournil Bakery near the Aiguille du Midi!
Is the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix worth it? Our final thoughts on Aiguille du Midi? It is absolutely worth it. We admit, it does seem like a touristy, pricey thing to do compared to other things to do throughout Chamonix Valley, but it’s popular for a reason and we are still really glad we did it (even with the questionable weather we got). Getting to ride cable cars high up into the mountains and see Mont Blanc so close up was super cool. And the Panoramic Mont Blanc made it ten times better!
If you plan on taking a few other lifts throughout the valley and already have the Mont Blanc Multipass, we think it’s a no-brainer to include the Aiguille du Midi as part of your Chamonix itinerary.
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Looking for things to do in Chamonix after your visit to Aiguille du Midi? Check out all our Chamonix guides to help you plan your trip!
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Are you planning a visit to Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix? Let us know if you have any questions!