Chamonix to Aosta via Gondola

I have been checking in to this as well. I think the gondola trips over the Alps will be spectacular!! How can it not be with the magnificent views?? And of course Rick Steves' recommends this. In his France Guidebook he has very detailed information about this trip. Look under Chamonix in his book. He has all the info on the lifts, glaciers, ice caves, luges, etc. as well as 5 detailed hikes you can take while in the Chamonix area. He also lists hotel and restaurant recommendations. I have learned from my research that there is bus and trainservice in both Chamonix and Aosta. Here are a few websites that might help. www.chamonix.com www.savda.it If you would like more websites, just email me and I will look them up and reply back to you. Happy Trails!

Just be careful about the time of year. We were there in late May and everything had indicated that it would be open to go all the way over, but when we got there, it turns out we were 3 days too early! We ended up going up to the top, but not over into Italy (which was still amazing). We then took the train all the way to Milan from Chamonix.

We had the same problem in May, it was not open to go across into Italy. It was also snowing so hard that they ended up shutting down the Aguille du Midi. We took the last run before they shut down, it was fun but absolutely NO visibility. We braved the blizzard and winds for about 5 minutes on the overlook deck, my husband built a little snowman, and we went down with our clothes crusted with ice! I wouldn't have missed it for the world, just be prepared for the possibility that you won't see much if it is snowing. Chamonix was fun, we had fabulous raclette in one of the restaurants.

In late July, 2007, I took the gondola system from Chamonix to Hellbronner(think spelled wrong) - at the Italian border. It is just a short decent to Aosta from there. It was the highlight of our Eruope trip. Words cannot describe the spectacular views and feeling of being on top of the world! Highly recommend you go. We did not take luggage and go all the way to Aosta. Instead we came back to Chamonix on the gondolas and then a couple days later took the bus from Chamonix through the underground (under the Alps) tunnel, and at Aosta got on the train to Venice. I would say, you need to be traveling light w/ little luggage to take all on the gondolas, but I'm sure can be fairly easily done.
Have a great time! Erin

It is an awesome trip. However, it does run seasonally (as other have said) and it will be closed in poor weather. In 2001, we were there for 2 1/2 days and it was open for one afternoon. It is very "weather dependent". You should probably have a back up plan if you are using the trip as part of your transportation needs. Hopefully, you won't need it as it is a spectacular trip.