The rotating cable car to the roof of Europe
From Courmayeur, at the foot of the Italian side of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps and in Western Europe, at 4,806 metres (the official height varies slightly with the snow), the Skyway Monte Bianco is one of the most spectacular cable cars in the world. Opened in 2015, it replaced the old cable car and takes visitors in a few minutes from the valley station of Pontal d'Entrèves, at about 1,300 metres, to the intermediate station of Pavillon du Mont Fréty, at 2,173 metres, and then to Punta Helbronner, at 3,466 metres, on the border with France. Its futuristic cabins, with glass walls, rotate 360 degrees during the ascent, offering a constantly changing panoramic view of the glaciers, the peaks and the valleys below.
At Punta Helbronner, a circular terrace offers one of the most breathtaking views of the Alps: the summit of Mont Blanc, the Dent du Géant, the Grandes Jorasses, the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa and the Gran Paradiso in the distance, and below, the immense expanse of the Glacier du Géant. The station also has a crystal exhibition, a bar and a bookshop. At the Pavillon, there is a botanical garden, the Giardino Botanico Saussurea, one of the highest in Europe, as well as restaurants and a cinema. From Punta Helbronner, in summer, a cable car crosses the glaciers to the Aiguille du Midi and Chamonix, in France, offering one of the most spectacular cross-border trips in the Alps.
Tip: go early in the morning on a clear day; bring warm clothing and sunglasses, as it can be very cold at the top even in summer.
Where it is
More things to see in Aosta Valley
Where to stay near Courmayeur
Tours and activities nearby
Offers from GetYourGuide. Some links are affiliate links: if you book we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.