The Aiguille du Midi cable car leaves Chamonix at 1,033 m (3,389 ft) and reaches 3,842 m (12,605 ft) about 20 minutes later. Pick your lift by what you want at the top, and check that it's running: every lift here pauses for weeks between seasons.
1,913 m: the Montenvers train and the Mer de Glace
The cog railway from Chamonix station climbs 871 m (2,858 ft) to Montenvers in about 20 minutes. From the station, a gondola and a long flight of stairs take you down toward the glacier and its ice cave. Allow about 2 hours 30 minutes for the visit. It's the one of the three that needs no hiking, but it closes in stages in late fall, so check the opening dates for the train, the gondola and the cave separately.
1,877 m: La Flégère and the Lac Blanc
The Flégère gondola takes you to 1,877 m (6,158 ft), on the side of the valley facing Mont Blanc. From the top station, the trail to the Lac Blanc in the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve is 7 km (4.3 mi) there and back, with 500 m (1,640 ft) of ascent and a high point of 2,352 m (7,717 ft), about 3 hours in all. The tourism board rates it difficult because of the steep gradient. Swimming is prohibited in the lake, and dogs aren't allowed on the path. Go from July to September, while the gondola runs and the snow is gone. Our Lac Blanc guide has the route.
3,842 m: the Aiguille du Midi
At the top you're among the glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif. Bring warm clothes, even in summer, plus sunglasses and sunscreen. Allow 2 to 3 hours for the visit including the ride, and up to twice that on busy days.
The operator forbids the visit for children under 3 and doesn't recommend it under 5. It also advises against it for people with heart problems or a bad cold; if you're pregnant and unsure, check with your doctor. Booking a date and departure time is compulsory, and buying ahead is highly recommended. More tickets are released online up to the day before, and the ticket office sells what's left on the day. The first five departures each morning are kept for mountaineers. Halfway up, the Plan de l'Aiguille station is at about 2,317 m (7,602 ft).
In winter, the Vallée Blanche starts here: more than 20 km (12 mi) and 2,800 m (9,186 ft) of descent on an unmarked, unsecured off-piste glacier route with crevasses and seracs. The tourism board very strongly advises a high-mountain guide.
Winter on skis
Chamonix's ski areas, Brévent-Flégère, Grands Montets and Balme, share one pass with 104 km (65 mi) of runs between 1,000 and 2,765 m; only Brévent and Flégère are linked to each other. At the Grands Montets, the summit lift has been closed since the 2018 fire, with a new one planned for the 2027–28 winter. Our ski guide has the season dates.
Getting there and around
Your accommodation gives you a guest card (carte d'hôte) on arrival. With it, the train between Servoz and Vallorcine is free, and Chamonix's buses are discounted (the card isn't a bus ticket in itself). The Mont-Blanc Express runs hourly between Saint-Gervais and Martigny through the valley.
For more than a day trip, the Tour du Mont Blanc passes through La Flégère on its way round the massif: 170 km (106 mi), usually walked from mid-June to mid-September.
Last checked: October 2026