MAY 2018 | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA 117
WESTERN EUROPE
Blister-Free Mont BlancT
hree Gore-Tex-clad
mountaineers are making
their arduous slog up Mont
Blanc, Western Europe’s tallest
peak. Its 15,771-foot summit
looms still some 3,000 feet
above them. Their top-of-the-
world vista takes in a snow-
dusted Alpine massif that spans
France, Switzerland, and Italy.
My friend and I share nearly
the same epic view the climbers
have, but not the same foot
blisters or crevasse hazards.
Unlike them, we have arrived
at 12,395 feet via a 20-minute
cable car ride from the French
resort town of Chamonix to this
observation deck on Aiguille
du Midi, a peak neighbouring
Mont Blanc.
Gondolas have ferried
passengers to surrounding
heights from Chamonix since- The Aiguille du Midi gives
them a taste of what it’s like
to be an alpinist—but without
the need for expensive hiking
boots. It’s bright, cold, and
blustery, though, and we still
need warm layers, sunscreen,
and sunglasses on the
observatory walkway.
We pull up Instagram to
capture the “Step Into The
Void,” a glass cube off the
walkway that thrills with the
spectacle of a sheer Alpine drop
below our feet.
While the mountain climbers
are refuelling on energy bars,
we enjoy strong coffee and
chocolate cake at Le 3842, one
of the highest restaurants in
Europe. The Aiguille du Midi also
has one of the world’s highest
museums. Located in a rocky
chamber deep in the mountain,
the Musée de l’Alpinisme
Pointe displays photos and
memorabilia from the early
days of extreme sports—such
as BASE jumping, for which
Chamonix has historically been
considered a top spot.
We hop on the cable car
back to town, with a new
appreciation of Alpine peaks
and the adventurous people
who explore them.
—Mary Anne Potts
CHRISTIAN ASLUNDWORLD