Toubkal Trekking

Day Trip to Chamonix, Aiguille Du Midi and Mer De Glace

Let me just say this up front: if you’ve never gasped at a mountain before, Chamonix will fix that in under 10 minutes. Tucked at the foot of Mont Blanc, it’s the kind of town that looks like it was Photoshopped by a mountain-loving wizard with a flair for drama. And yes, you can totally do it all in a day — just bring your walking shoes, a decent camera, and a stomach that can handle high altitudes and spontaneous fondue.

First Stop: Chamonix — Cute, Cold, and Coffee-Infused

Chamonix greets you with charm, snow-capped peaks, and an urgent need to buy fleece. The town is pure alpine magic — wooden chalets, gear shops every five feet, and cafés that serve croissants the size of snowboards. Your day kicks off here, ideally with a café crème and some mild panic over how cool everyone looks in their hiking boots.

But there’s no time to dawdle — the Aiguille du Midi cable car awaits. Also, let’s be honest, you really just came here to stand on a mountain and feel like a majestic snow goblin.

Aiguille du Midi: Where Oxygen is Optional

The cable car ride to Aiguille du Midi is basically a vertical rocket launch. You shoot up to 3,842 meters in just a few minutes. If your ears don’t pop, your brain will — from the views. At the top, it’s not just cold, it’s “did my eyelashes freeze?” cold. But who cares when you’re eye-level with Mont Blanc and feeling like you’ve been dropped into a Bond movie?

There’s a glass box called Step Into the Void, which is essentially a transparent psychological test. You step into it, 1000 meters of nothingness below your feet, while pretending not to scream internally. Perfect for photos and existential crises.

Mer de Glace: The Coolest Ice You’ll Ever Walk In

Next stop: Mer de Glace, aka the “Sea of Ice.” Spoiler alert — it’s a glacier. You hop on the Montenvers train, which is part scenic route, part time machine. The red cogwheel train chugs its way up the mountain like a steampunk toy with ambition.

Once you arrive, brace yourself. There’s a gondola, and then about 500 (possibly exaggerated) stairs down to reach the ice caves. By the time you get there, your legs are jelly, but who cares — you’re inside a glowing blue tunnel of glacier magic. It’s like Narnia, if Narnia were colder and French.

Ending the Day with Cheese and Regret

Back in Chamonix, you reward your heroic alpine efforts with tartiflette — potatoes, cheese, and bacon doing unholy things together in a hot dish. You tell yourself it’s fine because you walked up so many stairs. You might even buy a snow globe or an overpriced wool hat that you’ll never wear again.

Then it’s back down the mountain, cheeks frozen, phone full of mountain selfies, and heart full of “Wow, I actually did that.”

Moral of the story: Never underestimate the French Alps, your legs, or the power of melted cheese.