Cable car opened 60 years ago
Aiguille du Midi cable car was highest in the world when it opened on July 7, 1955 – and is still going strong
SIXTY years ago today the then world’s highest cable car opened fully to the public – the téléphérique of the Aiguille du Midi in the Mont Blanc massif.
Though it has since been overtaken by even higher ones in India and Venezuela, the Aiguille du Midi cable car is still a feat of engineering – especially in the second of its two legs, which is the part that opened in 1955. This covers 2,867m and links the Plan de l’Aiguille with the summit all in one long, steep stretch of cable with no intermediary pylons – which can be a test of nerves for the passengers.
The opening came after the first stage, from Chamonix town centre to the Plan de l’Aiguille opened the year before.
In total the trip is 5,420m long and takes 16 minutes going at a maximum 43kph. It takes you from 1,035m altitude in the town to 3,778, at the top at which point a lift takes visitors to a top terrace at 3,842m.
While it is not cheap at €57 for an adult return ticket and often involves long queues, it is still worth having the experience – including for the spectacular view it offers of the Mont Blanc, whose summit is another 1,000m up.
The cable cars were replaced with new ones last winter.
National archives service INA has a video of the news from today 60 years ago, which mentions the opening around 2min 20sec.
