Aiguille du Midi

Chamonix, France

Opened in 1955 as the highest cable car in the world it's still one of the highest apart from a few in South America. It consists of two cable cars, starting at 1035 m at the valley bottom to an intermediate station, Plan de l'Aiguille at 2310m. From there another car takes you up to a staggering 3810 m over the sea level and you will traverse a 3 km stretch without pillars which is the longest in the world! From the bottom to the top, it has the greatest vertical range in the world, and the ride up takes about 20 minutes. At the top there is a restaurant and many viewing platforms, and you can take an elevator to the summit at 3842m. Bring warm clothes. as the temperature is always cold even in mid-summer, also sunglasses are good to have. These are the closest viewpoints of Mont-Blanc and also provide different views of Mont-Blanc. From here you can continue towards Italy with another cable car or descend on skis into Vallee blanche (something for experienced skiers only).