Aiguille Du Midi

anyone been up here in the cable car in summer from Chamonix ?
Looking for Alpine stuff for summer for family and wonder if this is worth the fee (93 euro return trip in cable car for family pass).
Alternatively any recommendations for other high alpine hiking involving cable cars etc...?

Don't know how to provide a link here but there was a previous thread some time ago where I wrote:

We stayed in Annecy for a week in 2010 at a campsite in Doussard which is on the southern end of the lake. Bring bikes if you can - there are cycle paths around the lake to get you into the town itself. It is also very popular area for paragliding.
It is a stunningly beautiful area rather like lake Garda. In addition to the busy Aire there are ample campsites and one or two that are on the lakeshore itself.
A day trip to Chamonix ( approx. 80km) is well worth it. Choose your day however - don't go if it is overcast. There is a large car park at Chamonix and you can get the cable car from here to the Aiguille du Midi at 3800m from where you can see across to Mont Blanc ( hence the need for sunny day ). Its unreal going from ground level in shorts in 30 deg C passing mountain climbers on the snow. The air is quite thin up at the top - it becomes an effort just to climb a few steps at the viewing area at the top. There is also a train you can get from near the car park at Chamonix to bring you up to the Mer de Glace - also well worth the trip just to experience the train itself which climbs 1000m on a rack. Do the two together for a great day out

Forgot to say.
If you do use the cable car, and you have kids with you, take a bag of crisps (or similar) for a great demonstration of altitude & air pressure.

I'm sure the valley walks were found in a tourist office leaflet, I don't recall them in a guidebook.
Access to the walks is fairly easy but steep in places.
There is a train that can take you to Mer De Glace, and you can walk to see the face of the glacier with no special equipment, also walk to the ladders that can take you down to the surface of the glacier, but from that point on you would need crampons.
I think you can get an all in ticket that gives access to all cable cars and the mountain railway.
Don't ever bother buying a halfway ticket to Plan Du Midi, just not worth it, go the whole hog to Aiguille.
At Aiguille Du Midi you can't really go any further without crampons, rope and ice axe, the route out from the cable car station is down a snow ridge at 45 degrees with something like a 2000ft drop, this takes you down to Valee Blanche, where you have a choice of routes, but all on snow and ice.
I may be biased, but the view of the mountains from Aiguille Du Midi is spectacular, and something you will possibly never again have the chance to witness.
Your post has whetted our appetites, and my partner is now talking about going back there.

Last time I was there was about 8 years ago, and I recall that the glaciers were retreating then at quite a rate, so things may have changed.

However I do recall the following excursions I’ve done over the years.
These were all taken from leaflets picked up at the tourist office when we arrived.

If you are going to Chamonix you must spend at least a week there and soak up the unique experience.

First of all “go wander”, walking around the outskirts of the town we found farms where they would set up their own little bistro, you may see a wooden sign that just says “Raclette” and the farmers wife will cook it for you, at a reasonable cost, yum. The one thing I love about France is that they enjoy sitting around eating good food and doing bugger all.

Excursions

1) On foot head NW out of the town, over the river Arle and up the valley side, then head south following the valley. You can carry on, then descend to Les Houches, and return via road to Chamonix. All well signposted, you don’t need a guide, just good footware, and 2 litres of water as it’s a good day walk, no ice or snow.

2) Drive north out of Chamonix to Barberine (or anywhere further than Argentiere) or thereabouts, find somewhere to park and then just go walking in and out of France / Switzerland. Lovely alpine meadows, you can almost see the Trapp family and Julie Andrews, no ice or snow.

3) Take the rack railway to Montenvers (a thrill in itself) to Mer De Glace. Get a return ticket and take time to walk to the lip of the glacier (about 30 mins) and admire the view. No special equipment required.You can pay extra to visit the “Ice Cave” which is sculptured out of the head of the glacier and a bit touristy but worthwhile.

If you have; crampons, ice axe, rope, and know how to use them, go down the ladders on the valley side and onto the Mer De Glace and just take a walk, awesome solitude and big nature in the raw.

4) On the south side of the valley we walked to the Bossons glacier but a bit dissapointing; you could gaze at it but it was receeding, and may not be viewable now.

5) Aiguile Du Midi, the first time I was there I had to phone a friend to get a loan to afford the ride on the cable car to the top. There’s not much there (just the cable car station) but being at altitude (13,000 ft) is awesome, as is the view of all the surrounding mountains.

If you have; crampons, ice axe, rope, and know how to use them, go down to Valee Blanche and enjoy the solitude, if you have a day try to make it to the Refuge Des Cosmiques, more awesome views, and a chance to get a unique sticker for your camper (if you collect them).

6) If you have a “really good” sleeping bag and a bivi bag, take the cable car to Grands Montets and spend the night on the ice. I did with my son before we went on a climb the next day. The night sky was awesome, you can see the Milky Way, and watch satellites passing overhead.

Never mind all this, go spend a week (at least) in Chamonix and enjoy it.

Hymer, have a good time and stop taunting me
Spent many a happy day sat on the beach at Frejus with a plate of "Moule et frittes".