The ascent of Brévent, accessible to all

The Brévent cable car is Chamonix's star attraction, with its station nestling in the heights for all to admire. Departing from Planpraz, the cable car's journey up to the Brévent is vertiginous, and its passage through the void may well impress you. Below, from Chamonix, you can see the cabins being tossed about in the air, for a foretaste of what awaits you.

The first idea for the Téléphérique du Brévent was conceived in 1912 by Alfred Cachat, who owned two hotels in Chamonix at the time. His idea for an "aerial funicular" was to link the Planpraz hill to the summit of Le Brévent, which was already one of the most popular viewpoints at the time. Unfortunately, the latter was only accessible to the most experienced hikers.

In the end, Alfred Cachat abandoned his idea after encountering numerous problems. It was finally Edouard Pellerin, a property developer, who began work on the Brévent cable car in 1920. The very first cabin was delivered in 1927 by the René Schmidt workshops in Chamonix. The cable car we know today is a new model dating from 1979. Faster, but also more voluminous, the first section now takes seven minutes to travel and can carry 1,330 people an hour, compared with 150 before. The stations were dismantled in 2008, while new cabins are constantly being installed.

To reach the summit of Le Brévent from Chamonix, you'll need to make your journey in two stages. First take the Planpraz cable car, which will take you to an altitude of 2,000 metres. Once there, you can take the Brévent cable car up to the summit.

Once on the heights, you'll enjoy a number of terraces, all designed to offer you the most beautiful views.

There's also a restaurant called Panoramic, at an altitude of just 2,525 metres. You can choose from a range of menus throughout the day, as the restaurant is open every day from 9am to 5.30pm.

Once you have sufficiently recovered, there are several options open to you. Firstly, if you're equipped with skis, you can explore the Brévent ski area. There are runs for all abilities, and you can make the most of these beautiful descents nestling in the heart of the mountains. Be warned, however, that there is only one green run. For the more experienced, you'll need to take the famous "Charles Bozon" black run.

If you prefer to walk, you can take the established path to the Planpraz resort on foot. Children aged 6 and over can easily follow you, to enjoy the exceptional panorama. Once you've reached your destination, the cable car will be right in front of you to take you up to Chamonix.

If you still feel like walking, once you reach the Planpraz resort, you can follow the path to the Aiguilles Rouges massif. This protected nature reserve offers some of the wildest scenery around. Unsurprisingly, dogs are not allowed. In 1 hour 45 minutes, you'll reach Lac Cornu, one of the massif's impressive bodies of water, and after a further 2 hours 30 minutes, you'll reach the Lacs Noirs. These are smaller bodies of water, but no less majestic. If you're lucky, you might see the blue sky and snow-capped mountains reflected in these clear waters. The return journey to Planpraz resort takes the same path.