Earlier this month the new Aiguille du Midi ‘tube’ opened for tourists to Chamonix.
Since Thursday June 2, the new ‘Tube’ gives the half-a-million plus visitors to the Aiguille du Midi a chance to tour the peak in a unique way.
360 degree tour
The cylindrical tube is 33m long, is anchored to the rock, and allows visitors to walk a 360 degree tour around the peak – but suspended above a drop thousands of feet deep.
There are five windows located to offer views of Mont Blanc – Europe’s highest mountain.
400 tons of concrete used
Work on the project started as far back as April 2011 and 400 tons of concrete were used to anchor it to the rock. It weighs 87 tons itself.
Building anything at such an altitude is always a challenge. The Aiguille du Midi is 3842m above sea level and 500 journeys by helicopter were required to deliver all the pieces.
Ongoing revovation of the Aiguille du Midi
The ‘Tube’ is a part of a renovation project for the Aiguille du Midi with a budget of €13m. The total spend on the tube itself was around €2.5m.
Accommodation in Chamonix
If you’d like to try out the new ‘tube’ this winter, and are looking for chalets in Chamonix, then please contact the Chaletline team on 01822 617761. We can discuss your requirements and find the right chalet or hotel for you.
Photos de Didier Lavigne – www.compagniedesguidesdechamonix.over-blog.com
Article by Iain Martin