Aiguille du Midi

Infobox Mountain
Name = Aiguille du Midi
Photo = Aiguille-du-Midi-sundown.jpg
Caption = The Aiguille du Midi in summer
Elevation = convert|3842|m|ft|0
Location = FRA
Range= Mont Blanc
Prominence =
Coordinates = coord|45|52|44|N|6|53|18|E|type:mountain_region:FR|display=inline,title
Topographic

Type= Granite
Age=
First ascent = August 4 1818 by A. Malczewski, J. M. Balmat and 5 guides
Easiest route =
Translation = Needle of Midday| Language= French

The Aiguille du Midi (3,842 m) is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps.

The cable car to the summit, the "Téléphérique de l'Aiguille du Midi", was built in 1955 and held the title of the world's highest cable car for about two decades. It still holds the record as the highest vertical ascent cable car in the world, from 1035m to 3842m. It travels from Chamonix to the top of the Aiguille du Midi – an altitude gain of over 2,800 m – in 20 minutes. An adult ticket from Chamonix (as of April 7th 2008) is €35 single / €38 return. An elevator ride to the "needle tower" (an additional 60m) is €3.

The "Aiguille" summit contains a panoramic viewing platform, a cafe and a gift shop. The "Vallée Blanche" ski run begins here, and the nearby "Cosmiques Refuge" is the starting point for one of the routes to the Mont Blanc summit. From the "Aiguille" another cable car (summer months only) crosses the Glacier de Geant to Point Helbronner (3,452 m) at the Italian side of the Mont Blanc Massif. Point Helbronner is served with a cable car from La Palud, a village near Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley (Italy).

The name "Aiguille du Midi" translates literally as "needle of midday". It is so called as the sun sits directly over the peak at noon, when viewed from Chamonix.

Gallery

External links

* [http://www.compagniedumontblanc.fr/ Website telepherique Aiguille du Midi]
* [http://www.360travelguide.com/360VirtualTour.asp?iCode=chm25 Panoramic virtual tour from top of Aiguille du Midi]