Le Brévent in Chamonix: Planpraz gondola, cable car, skiing and the view of Mont Blanc

Le Brévent is the peak that overlooks Chamonix to the north-west, on the side of the valley opposite the massif. That is its strength: from up there you do not see the mountain from inside, as at the Aiguille du Midi, you see it whole, head-on, from the Aiguille du Midi to the Grandes Jorasses and the dome of Mont Blanc.

You go up from the town centre, walking to the departure, in two stages: the gondola to Planpraz, then the cable car to the summit. This page tells you what each stage costs, when to stop halfway, and what Le Brévent is worth on skis.

Our tip: Keep the summit for a cloudless day: in cloudy weather, Planpraz is enough and costs €25 instead of €43 return.

How do you get up Le Brévent?

In two stages, from the top of central Chamonix:

1. The Planpraz gondola, to about 2,000 metres: the plateau of ski runs, restaurants, hikes and the paragliding take-off.
2. The Brévent cable car, from Planpraz to the summit, at about 2,525 metres: the most open panorama.

The full Chamonix-Brévent-Chamonix trip takes about 1 hr 30 min according to the tourist office, not counting queues or time spent at the top. Allow two to three hours with a photo and a drink at the summit, half a day with a meal.

Should you go to the summit, or stop at Planpraz?

The summit has the widest panorama, but Planpraz is often enough: if the upper cable car is closed, if the weather is turning or if budget matters. You see the difference straight away on the ticket:

Children under 5 ride free. The hiker ticket, a return on one section and a single on the other, costs €33 for an adult. Multi-day pedestrian passes start at €119 for two days; a group rate is advertised from 20 people.

Our advice: go up to Planpraz, look at the sky, and only take the summit cable car if the view above is perfectly clear. For a family, that is the difference between the family ticket to Planpraz, at €77.60, and the summit one, at €133.40.

What are Le Brévent's opening times in 2026-2027?

In the autumn, only the Planpraz gondola was running: a summit ticket would have been useless. Another official page sometimes separates the times for Planpraz and the upper cable car, which do not necessarily close at the same time: check on the day, and do not arrive just before closing.

What is Le Brévent worth for skiing?

The Brévent-Flégère ski area is aimed mainly at intermediate and advanced skiers, with runs facing Mont Blanc, varied terrain and variable conditions. The season runs from 12 December 2026 to 18 April 2027.

• Beginners: it is not the best place to learn. You have to go up high to ski, and skiing back down to Chamonix requires you to handle a mountain route. The small Savoy area, at the foot of Le Brévent, is made for them, with the Soleil pass at €27.50 for an adult day.
• Intermediates: the sector works well for panoramic runs and a day that mixes several levels.
• Advanced: the terrain and more technical routes are the draw, but a panorama is not a marked route: be careful off-piste.

Chamonix Le Pass costs €61.20 for an adult day from 28 November to 18 December 2026, then €76.50 from 19 December to 9 April 2027, with a family pass from €189.70 to €237.10. The details are in our lift pass guide, and the comparison of ski areas in our guide to skiing in Chamonix.

Can you paraglide from Planpraz?

Yes: the Planpraz-Brévent take-off is a renowned paragliding site. Even without flying, watching the take-offs on good days is a show in itself. The single Chamonix-Planpraz ticket is listed at €18.50 for pilots, with conditions for carrying gear to be checked with the operator.

A first flight or a tandem flight is not something to improvise: book it with a professional school or instructor a few days ahead, and it depends entirely on the wind.

Where can you eat at Le Brévent?

Two addresses are linked to the area: La Bergerie, at Planpraz, for traditional food and quick meals, and Le Panoramique, at the summit, for its terrace facing Mont Blanc. Allow €25 to €45 for a main course at La Bergerie, more at the summit, and book in good weather.

The meal mostly pays for the view. A restaurant can be closed while the lift runs, the terrace unusable in strong wind, and crowds heavy between noon and 2pm during the holidays: have lunch early, or book.

Which hikes start from Planpraz and Le Brévent?

Planpraz and Le Brévent are starting points and waypoints, and the hiker ticket exists precisely for that. The classic combinations: ride the gondola then walk to the summit or the nearby cols, ride to the summit and walk back down, or set off from Planpraz and come back by lift if it is still running.

Get height gain and durations from the page for the exact route, at the tourist office. And do not count on an improvised walk down to Chamonix, as the descent is considerable. The routes are covered in our guide to hiking in Chamonix.

In winter, you can ski back to Chamonix on a run when it is open and your level allows it; it is not a beginner route. Pedestrians and tired skiers ride the gondola down, before closing time.

Le Brévent or the Aiguille du Midi: which should you choose?

They are not two versions of the same excursion.

The Aiguille du Midi puts you in the heart of the massif, at 3,842 metres, among the glaciers. Le Brévent looks at the massif head-on, at 2,525 metres, for less money and with fewer people. Presenting one as a substitute for the other would be misleading.

Le Brévent is the best choice for a simple half-day, an overall view, a day on skis or a tight budget. For the high mountains, it is the Aiguille du Midi. And if you are torn between it and its neighbour, La Flégère offers a similar head-on view, more geared towards hiking.

When should you go up, and what can disappoint?

In the morning, as a rule: visibility often deteriorates during the day, and queues lengthen around lunchtime. Before setting off, check the webcam, the wind at the summit, visibility on the massif, the state of the lifts and the time of the last ride down.

• Going up for the photo on an overcast day. The ticket does not guarantee the view, and the wind can close the cable car or the take-off.
• Paying for the summit for a quick look. Planpraz often gives you the essentials.
• The crowds. Holidays, perfectly clear skies, mid-morning and noon: the advertised 1 hr 30 min does not include queuing.
• The total cost. Parking, meals, rental, lessons and insurance come on top of the ticket.

No free first Sunday of the month is published for Le Brévent.

By car, the Brévent car park is paid: see parking in Chamonix. Other outing ideas are in things to do in Chamonix and the What to do section.

Sources

Sources: Chamonix Tourist Office (Brévent cable car, 2026 pedestrian fares in French and Spanish, 2026-2027 opening times, "100% pedestrian" offer, the area's restaurants, Planpraz take-off), Compagnie du Mont-Blanc (Brévent-Flégère ski area, Chamonix Le Pass 2026-2027 prices).

Separate times for Planpraz and the upper cable car, restaurant prices, waiting times and hiking height gains are not published consistently. Research carried out on 27 October 2026.