Chamonix and the Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc, at 4,810 meters, is the highest mountain in the Alps and Europe.

This majestic peak offers a magnificent sight at any time of the year. Numerous hiking trails make it possible to climb it with careful preparation, taking care of course of the fragile environment. Since its first ascent in 1786, the peak has been the destination of many adventurers, and it also exerts a great fascination on artists (literature, cinema and television).

Often the grandiose nature of the mountains, originally intended only as a backdrop, takes on the title role. Max Linder filmed in the surroundings of his home in Chamonix, and John Huston found in the Alps the right environment for his star Sean Connery in the film "The Man Who Wanted to Be King".

Two Air India planes, the Boeing 707 "Kangchenjunga" in 1966, and before that the Constellation "Malabar Princess" in 1955, crashed mysteriously in the Mont Blanc massif. Since then, the Bossons glacier continues to release remnants of these disasters, giving rise to legends, one provided the template for the film "Malabar Princess".

Chamonix, with a number of beautiful, very well preserved 18th century buildings, is undoubtedly the lively center of this mountain region. With an altitude of 1000 m, the town is also ideal for a relaxing vacation. www.chamonix.com From Chamonix, the Montenvers cable car takes you up to the Mer de Glace. This glacier owes its name to the Englishman William Windham, who compared the largest, French glacier to a sea of ice. The Brévent gondola offers a magnificent panoramic view of Mont Blanc, Chamonix and the Aiguilles Rouges. The Aiguille du Midi cable car takes passengers to the summit station at 3842 meters. From there, another cable car can reach Pointe Hellbronner above Vallée Blanche. Englishmen, great mountaineers before the Lord, have long been enthusiastic about Chamonix.