The Skyway and Monte Bianco

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Erick at the Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Some 33km from Aosta, or about one hour by bus, is the small ski hamlet of Courmayeur and the starting point of our day journey to Pont Helbronner (Helbronner Point) and Monte Bianco, or Mont Blanc.

Courmayeur

A quaint little ski hamlet that offers a traditional Italian, Swiss and French Alpine feel. The town is built to withstand the snows that most likely visit this region every winter season. Luckily, we visited when the weather was a bit more mild and pleasant.

Courmayeur – Diorama of an old structure in town

Courmayeur – The Mountains and Moghu Pines

Or primary reason for being here was taking the Skyway Monte Bianco and visiting the mountain across from Mont Blanc, in order to get some good photographs of it and the valley of glaciers that it creates.

Helbronner and Mont Blanc

Once you board the cable car you ascend rapidly to the intermediate stop of where the Saussurea Alpine Botanical Gardens are, where you can stretch you legs and your soul.

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Cable Car Entrance

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – View From Cable Car

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – View From Cable Car – Mountain Face of Aiguilles Marbrées

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – View From Cable Car – Second Cable Car at Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – View From Cable Car – The Aosta Valley Floor

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – View From Cable Car – Cloud Shrowded Mont Blanc

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – The Way Down – Aosta Valley

There are many things you can do here besides enjoy the cafe or bar. There are hiking trails all over the mountain, and within a few minutes you can be totally alone, hiking a few minutes up any of the trails. If not to discover, perchance to enjoy a different view of the mountain side, which in these parts, is steep enough to tax anyone’s endurance.

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Veni Valley from the Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Aosta Valley the Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Mountain Goat at the Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Aosta from the Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Stella at the Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Brenva Glacier and Punta Baretti

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Fake Ibex at the Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Edelweiß at the Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Stop at Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Halfway Point

Pont Helbronner

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – View From Cable Car – Mont and Glacier du Géant

A singular place to visit to enjoy the almost lunar landscape of this Alpine geography. Aside from occasional dyspepsia and dizziness that this altitude might cause, the visitor is welcomed to an almost surreal landscape once exiting the cable car and ascending the stairs to the observation deck.

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Legend

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Glacier du Géant and Dente del Gigante

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Glacier du Géant

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Patti and view of Mont Blanc in clouds and Mont Maudit

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – View From Cable Car – Mont Blanc in Clouds and

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – View From Cable Car – Dente del Gigante

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – View From Cable Car – Glacier du Géant

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – View From Cable Car – First View du Géant

Restaurants

Brasserie la Padella Pizzeria

A normal pizzeria and brasserie by any Italian standards, as a stop for lunch it fit the bill nicely. We enjoyed a quick lunch of pasta, salad, water, wine and coffee with very pleasant service as an added bonus. There is nothing to complain about here, the staff is well versed in taking orders and serving food quite promptly.