Mont Blanc

From Chamonix I think the highest peak you can reach via gondola is Aiguille du Midi. From there you can see Mont Blanc in the distance but I think it’s only reachable via icepicks and crampons - someone will surely correct me here if needed.

The full STP covers a portion of the ride into France but perhaps not enough to justify if that’s all your using it for. In May might be best to pay as you go as I’d think crowds wouldn’t be an issue in shoulder season. In fact Chamonix could be nice and (too?) quite with shops closed, etc.

I got some impression from your question that you intend to summit Mt.Blanc. If that's the case I would like to say this: while Mt.Blanc is not a difficult mountain to summit for an experienced mountaineer, it is certainly no hike. You have Mt.Rainier (which is more than 400 meters lower than Mt.Blanc) in your backyard. Why don't you try that first so you get some idea and won't underestimate Mt.Blanc. You don't want to become mountain statistics there.

Sorry, I was not specific. We want to go on cable car to restaurant. No climbing for two 75 + year young people. Thanks

Then it’s not Mont Blanc you want, it is the aforementioned Aiguille Du Midi cable car from Chamonix. Assuming it’s running - not a given, depends on conditions - there’s quite a marked difference between the altitude in Chamonix and the summit. Maybe check with your doctor first to be sure you won’t struggle at the top or exacerbate any standing conditions.

My friends have summited Mont Blanc. It’s a proper three day expedition, or it was for them and they are rather fitter than the average mortal!

Have a great trip!

Ian

We got to the lift at about 8:30 and we’re able to get a timed lift ticket for about 10:30 or 11am. Long lines and very cramped lifts (like a bus in India) the weather was very clear T the top so that is probably why lines were so long. We went in early-mid April. Spent way more time in lines than we did at the top. Altitude really affected wife and kids. Takes about 15 minutes to the top. If I went there again I’d rather do the parasailing.

jeffersonclarkmail,
If you got a timed ticket, why did you have to suffer long lines?

There are a couple of gondola "legs" to get up to the Aguille du Midi. To see everything, have something to eat at the top, walk to the viewing areas, I would schedule 2-3 hours at minimum. It really depends on how crowded it is since you have to wait for the gondolas and, sometimes, the elevator to get to the very top.

Great info and really appreciate all responses. Didn’t think I’d have problem with altitude as I’ve been to Gornergrat, but I’d better check on that, thanks fo mentioning. (Think there’s 1,000+ m difference and potentially could be a problem.).
Thank you all for your responses. 😊😊

im,

The easiest way to get to & from Chamonix is probably still to use one of the many Shuttle services, such as THIS ONE. The ride is about an hour or so from Geneva as I recall, and they will usually drop you right at your hotel. They pick up passengers at both the airport in Geneva as well as the main rail station.

While you can get to Chamonix by train, that will take longer so I'd still take the Shuttle. I believe there are also some Bus services.

This website should provide all the information you need on making the trip to the Aguille du Midi - https://www.chamonix.com/aiguille-du-midi-step-into-the-void,80,en.html . I'm assuming that the prices shown are current so a round trip ticket is €55,30 PP (Senior rate).

As others have mentioned, it would be a very good idea to have a chat with your doctor regarding a visit to the Aguille du Midi. The complex is located at about 12,600 feet, and some people may experience altitude-related issues. These may take some time to develop and then occur suddenly (trust me on that point).

We waited in line to get the timed tickets.

Thanks a lot to all, especially about the high altitude warning. I will definitely check with my doctor. 😊😊

Hi. I was there many years ago, so things may or may not have changed. It was a great experience taking a couple of aerial cable cars up to the mountain top next to Mont Blanc. Just be aware that due to the high altitude, the air is thin and can effect some people. One thing I recommend is when you get to the top, go to the return station to get a return pass. When I was there, they gave out numbers (1st come 1st serve) to get in the cable car to get down the mountain. When I was there, there was at least a 2-hour wait for the next available cable car. If you wait too long to get a number, you could find yourself up there for several hours. It would be unfortunate if you had a problem adjusting to the thin air and wanted to go back down soon, but you might have a long wait. Hopefully you will not have to deal with the long wait.

Thanks for the info. Yes, don’t want to be stuck up there. Very excited but need to talk to doctor about mountain tops. Thanks again

When I went, I showed up maybe 30 minutes before the Aiguille du Midi opened (typical me, no reservation if they exist). There might have been 100 people in front of me in line, many of them with equipment for serious hiking/climbing. I didn't get the first car up but probably second or third. The weather was great with very clear views above and below.

The cost, as I recall, was quite steep. It was definitely more than 100 euro - maybe closer to 150 euro? I can't recall whether that included the cable car to Helbrunner or whether I had to purchase that separately? I was by myself so that was for a single ticket. Something to do once - but not if the weather isn't clear on the day you're there.

That was September of 2017. If anything, the price is higher. Helbrunner wasn't running for awhile. I'm not sure if it's operating again?