UKC

Aiguille du Midi Cable Car

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 Cú Chullain 10 Jul 2013
50 euro return!

Not exactly cheap these days!
 wilkie14c 10 Jul 2013
In reply to Cú Chullain:
Zermatt to matterhorn - 90 swiss franc 2 years ago, thats about £80 return
 Malt_Loaf 10 Jul 2013
In reply to wilkie14c: Zermatt to the Kliene Matterhorn is 99FrS for a day or 190FrS for a three day pass....Crazy!

ML.
 Rob Exile Ward 10 Jul 2013
In reply to Cú Chullain: Years ago I spent the summer in Cham and because I had a letter saying I was working there all the facilities - feriques, huts, busses - were 10%, if they could be bothered to charge at all.

I used to catch the ferique and sleep in the old Abri Simond hut sometimes because it was cheaper (and more fun) than being in the valley.
OP Cú Chullain 10 Jul 2013
In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Do they still let you doss in the Midi station itself, used to do it all the time but that was a few years back during a more enlightened age!
 jon 10 Jul 2013
In reply to Cú Chullain:

Ah, so you haven't come across the Compagnie du Mont Blanc before. They are simply robbing bastards. Talk about Chamonix mafia.
 pneame 10 Jul 2013
In reply to jon:
I don't think they actually want you to walk anywhere (lost revenue!). When I looked at their website, a popup appeared for a return on the Midi and a Montenvers return (same day) for 54E, which struck me as being not such a bad deal.

Provided you don't want to actually do anything except look at the view in both places.
 jon 10 Jul 2013
In reply to pneame:

They are far far too strong a presence in the Chamonix valley. They do more or less what they want and no-one seems to be able to stop them. Actually, when their regular Midi return is compared to Zermatt > Klein Matterhorn return, it doesn't seem so outrageous. The Zermatt mafia really seem to have it sorted. Z > KM is three stages though...

Must admit, I don't understand the Midi and Montenvers deal that you refer to. It's not like they're competing with anyone, and of course they'd be taking seats away from full whack paying customers.
Rigid Raider 10 Jul 2013
In reply to Cú Chullain:

I'd be interested in knowing more about these Mafiosi families who control all the resources in the Alps; my understanding is that they extract money from tourists all year round by doing ski guiding in winter then running shops and bars in summer.
 ro8x 10 Jul 2013
In reply to Cú Chullain:

I've always found buying a 10 day none consecutive pass for the entire valley is pretty good value for money (165,00 €) gives you access to everything, you can use the lifts on bad weather days / rest days and if the weather gets really shit you can go home knowing you can sell the lift pass to a tourist at the midi for 30 euros (best deal they will get in chamonix!).
 pneame 10 Jul 2013
In reply to jon:
Conseil de visite :
Je visite l'Aiguille du Midi le matin et la Mer de Glace l'après-midi

Bon Plan :
Le Mont-Blanc MultiPass à la journée pour 54€ (tarif adulte)
Le forfait Famille : 2 adultes + 1 jeune payants, les autres jeunes gratuits (dans la limite de 4 gratuités)

I suspect it's the same as other hegemonies - it's not so much "the bums on the seats" as it is the profits from high margin ancillary services (food, drink, les cristeaux, the 'phrique down to the glacier (which is a much longer walk than it used to be!), etc.
 jon 10 Jul 2013
In reply to pneame:

Think you're probably right. Hadn't thought of drinks and food.
 pneame 10 Jul 2013
In reply to jon:
But they probably really hate climbers!
 MG 10 Jul 2013
In reply to jon: I think airports operate in a similar manner and in fact make a loss on the flying bit but make enough on selling triple packs of plug converters and so on to get by. Or nine Euros for a cheese sandwich in the case of Geneva.
 jon 10 Jul 2013
In reply to MG:

> Or nine Euros for a cheese sandwich in the case of Geneva.

I assume this means you did your bit to help last week?
 MG 10 Jul 2013
In reply to jon: I might want to come back again!
 Simon4 10 Jul 2013
In reply to Cú Chullain: It is worth bearing in mind that if you can approach your route from Italy, the Courmayeur cable car is :

1) significantly cheaper
2) far less frantic
3) friendlier and more helpful
4) much more civilised

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...