Chamonix

Click on the photos to see a larger version. We started the day by taking the cable car up to the Aguille du Midi. Not only is this the highest cable car in the world, ending at a height of 3802m, but also the final section is the longest single span cable car in the world, with a change in elevation of 1471m. On a clear, sunny day the views are magnificent. Mont Blanc looks close enough to touch, despite being about 5km away, and you can see the Matterhorn in Switzerland clearly too. Unfortunately my little automatic camera couldn't cope with the intense light up there all that well, so some of the photos still have a slight yellow cast to them, despite my efforts with digital enhancement... Diagram of the cable car up to the Aguille du Midi, taken from the tourist guide to Chamonix and Mont Blanc produced by Editions AIO. I got off the cable car at Plan d'Aguille on the way back down to Chamonix and walked to the Mer de Glace via Signal Forbes, along the Grand Balcon Nord. This was a fantastic walk with some breathtaking views. It was, however, by no means lonely. In fact, as the weather was so beautiful, it was heaving with people! The pictures are below.	Mont Blanc from Piton Nord of the Aguille du Midi.
	Olivia, with the Grands Jorasses in the background.
	Mont Blanc du Tacul, seen from the Piton Central (3842m) of the Aguille du Midi.
	The Vallée Blanche, seen from the Piton Central.
	Mountaineers work their way up the arête to the entrance to the Aguille du Midi cable car station.

View of Plan d'Aguille. The cable car is just off the left of the photo!	View of the Chamonix Valley from the Grand Balcon Nord.	One of the many mountain streams crossing the path, formed from glacier meltwater.
Looking back towards the Aguille du Midi from the Grand Balcon Nord. It is just visible in the background.	Looking across the Chamonix Valley from the steep bit of path.	Wow! For a short section of path, there was no one in front of me!
Then I rounded a corner and stopped dead at the sight of the Aguille Verte directly ahead of me.	Signal Forbes, which is considered to give about the best view of the Mer de Glace. There were lots of strange piles of rocks here.	The Mer de Glace seen from Signal Forbes.

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