Mont Blanc: Chamonix, France - The Roof of the Alps, a Cable Car to 12,600 Feet, and a Glacier You Can Walk Inside

Stand in the presence of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe, without ever roping up. In this episode of Walking Tour of France, we begin in the alpine town of Chamonix and trace the history that turned a feared, "cursed" peak into the birthplace of modern mountaineering - from the first ascent in 1786 to the first Winter Olympics in 1924. Then we ride one of the most dramatic cable cars on earth up the Aiguille du Midi to 3,842 meters, where the summit fills the sky, mountaineers set off across the snow, and a glass box called the Step into the Void leaves you suspended over a thousand meters of open air. From there we board the historic little red Montenvers cog railway to the Mer de Glace, France's largest glacier, descend into a hand-carved blue ice cave, and confront the sobering story of the glacier's retreat at the on-site Glaciorium.Along the way we share where to eat in Chamonix, with brief stops at Le Monchu for fondue, raclette, and hot-stone beef; La Tablee for hearty alpine classics; Malabar Princess for an intimate cheese and wine bar experience; Le Fer a Cheval for refined French cooking with its own brewery; and Pastry House Richard for the perfect morning croissant. We also point you toward nearby adventures: the Le Brevent cable car and its head-on Mont Blanc views, the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve and Lac Blanc, the mountain tramway from Les Houches, the steep Bossons Glacier, and the Alpine Museum in the heart of town.Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.