Why is it called Aiguille du Midi?
Why is it called Aiguille du Midi? The Aiguille du Midi is the highest mountain peak served by an aerial lift system. The name translates literally to Needle of the Mid-day. The mountain lies to the south-east of Chamonix and when viewed from in front of the church it indicates that it is noon when the sun passes over its summit.
Is Mont Blanc harder than Kilimanjaro?
Mont Blanc (4808m) is harder than Aconcagua (6960m) and much harder than Kilimanjaro (5895m) The effort required on summit day exceeds that of running a marathon.
How do most people reach the top of the Aiguille du Midi?
To get to Aiguille du Midi you will ride two cable cars. The cable cars are well timed and it takes about 20 minutes to travel from Chamonix to Aiguille du Midi. Starting in Chamonix (1,035 meters/3,400 feet), the first cable car takes you to Plan de l'Aiguille (2,299 meters/7,542 feet).
Can you ski from the top of Aiguille du Midi?
Voie Normale (the classic ski route) It follows the line of least gradient through a labyrinth of glaciers, including Géant, Tacul and the famous Mer de Glace. From the top of the Aiguille du Midi cable car, it's a 200 m climb down the notorious Arête before you you put skis on.
What do you wear to Aiguille du Midi?
All year round we recommend wearing warm clothes to visit the top of the Aiguille du Midi, sometimes the temperature will be more than 20ºC colder than the town centre so you'll need to wrap up even in summer.
How long can you stay at Aiguille du Midi?
How long does a visit to the Aiguille du Midi take? An average trip on the summit lasts around two to three hours, although it can be closer to five if you're taking your time looking around. You can take as long as you like on a visit although in winter the last lift up is at 15:00 and the last decent at 16:30.
What is the busiest month in Chamonix?
August is the busiest time of year for Chamonix – busier than even New Year or half term week.