Aiguille du Midi

#68 among destinations in France

Nature, Natural attraction, Mountain, Top attraction

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Photo details 1. Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 / RobinL / URL • 2. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / ServiceAT / URL • 3. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Garrondo / URL • 4. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Sanchezn / URL • 5. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Kristoferb / URL • 6. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Rémih / URL • 7. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Schneedrache / URL

Facts and practical information

Perched at an altitude of 3,842 meters, the Aiguille du Midi is an iconic mountain peak in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps. This towering spire of rock serves as a gateway for climbers heading towards the Mont Blanc summit or as a breathtaking viewpoint for those seeking the thrill of high altitudes without the climb.

The Aiguille du Midi is most famous for its panoramic viewing platforms, which offer visitors a 360-degree view of the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps. It is accessible via the Aiguille du Midi Cable Car, which holds the record for the world's highest vertical ascent cable car, whisking passengers from the valley floor in Chamonix to the peak in just 20 minutes.

The "Step into the Void" installation, a glass box suspended over a 1,000-meter precipice, is one of the most exhilarating attractions at the summit. It allows the brave to experience the sensation of floating above the void. For the more adventurous, the Aiguille du Midi is the starting point for the famous Vallée Blanche off-piste ski run, a 20-kilometer glacial route that is a must-do for any expert skier.

The Aiguille du Midi is not just a feast for the eyes; it is also a marvel of human achievement. The construction of the cable car to the summit in the 1950s was an engineering feat, and the site continues to inspire awe for its blend of natural beauty and technical accomplishment.

Alternative names: First ascent: 1818Elevation: 12605 ftProminence: 1017 ftCoordinates: 45°53'25"N, 6°53'10"E

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Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesFrance

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Day trips

Aiguille du Midi – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Cosmiques Hut, Aiguille du Plan, Vallée Blanche Cable Car, Refuge du Plan de L'Aiguille.

1.2 miS
Hiking, Alpine hut, Vernacular architecture
Cosmiques Hut, Mont Blanc
31 min walk • The Cosmiques Hut is a mountain hut in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps at an altitude of 3,613 m. It is a large structure capable of accommodating 148 mountaineers.
1 miE
Jagged glacial peak in Mont Blanc range
Aiguille du Plan
25 min walk • Aiguille du Plan is a majestic mountain peak that forms part of the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps. Rising to an impressive altitude of 3,673 meters, it is a beacon for mountaineers and alpine enthusiasts seeking to test their skills against the challenging...
0.8 miS
Aerial tramway
Vallée Blanche Cable Car
21 min walk • The Vallée Blanche Cable Car, is a passenger cable car linking a mountain peak above Courmayeur to a peak above Chamonix by passing over the Mont Blanc massif, in the Alps. The engineering was developed by Vittorio Zignoli of Polytechnic University of Turin.
1.1 miN
Hiking, Alpine hut
Refuge du Plan de L'Aiguille, Chamonix
28 min walk • The Refuge du Plan de l'Aiguille is a refuge in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps.
0.8 miNE
Nature, Natural attraction, Mountain
Aiguille de Blaitière
22 min walk • The Aiguille de Blaitière is a mountain in the Mont Blanc Massif in Haute-Savoie, France.
0.8 miNE
Climbing
Aiguille des Pèlerins - Secteur du Plan
21 min walk • The aiguille des Pélerins, which culminates at 3 318 m of altitude, is one of the needles of Chamonix in the Mont-Blanc massif. It is located on the range which is detached in the north of the aiguille du Plan, between the aiguille des Deux-Aigles...
0.8 miS
45°52'43"N • 6°53'17"E
Aiguille du Midi Bridge, Chamonix
21 min walk • Nature, Mountain, Restaurant