Monday 22 February 2010

Ski holiday -3 The Aiguille du Midi

The weather was forecast to close in a bit later on in the week, so we chose to visit the Auigille di Midi while there was still only a little cloud about. The Aiguille du Midi is one of the peaks of the mountain range around Chamonix. You access it via two cable cars and a lift, and you find yourself at 3842 meters high, or just over 12,000 feet. In an aeroplane you'd start needing oxygen at about this height. It was high, and very cold, but the views were spectacular.

The cable car building in Chamonix is a fine piece of architecture, modern in style.




















The Aiguille is the peak you can just about see silhouetted against the little cloud -it's a long way up! The view down into the town is really impressive: those things that look like little hills in the middle distance are the mountains I was skiing on yesterday.




















But it was cold up there: -20, and windy. I took my gloves off to take some photos, and in 5 minutes my little finger had frozen. I could still move it, but I couldn't feel it. Weird. It seems to have recovered though.

5 comments:

Lia said...

Oh my gosh, that is so amazing.
So totally beautiful.
I was thinking that I wouldn't want to come down, until that was you mentioned -20!!!
Mind you I might have needed a vallium to get me in that cable car, not good with heights since I fell off a roof..funny thing that.

I'm glad you are having such a good time.
Much love
Lia
xx

Molly Potter said...

Wow frozen in five minutes. Don't you be taking little finger risks like that Codgi.

I haven't experienced that kind of cold ever.

Molly Potter said...

I missed three posts that you must have sneaked in. Looks like a fantastic holiday. Are you a good skier?

Photos are great too - again!

Mark In Mayenne said...

I wouldn't say i'm a good skier, I lack style. I go quite quick for an amateur though, I just fall over a lot :)

Mimi Lenox said...

Those are really stunning!

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