Aiguille du Midi Tube Opens in Chamonix
New €2.5million feature at the summit of the Midi opens for visitors
We first heard about the construction of another new addition to Chamonix's favourite visitor attraction, the Aiguille du Midi, back in August 2014 when it was announced that 'The Tube' was going to be constructed.
This week it's open to visitors for the first time.
The final result is 32 metres of enclosed, tubular walkway measuring 3.6 metres in diameter with slot windows along its length. It connects the Rebuffat terrace with the Espace Mont Blanc gallery and the return to Chamonix waiting area, and allows visitors to walk around the summit terraces in one continuous flow.
Although the construction date was on target, it seems the cost of the project has overrun by around 1 million euros. The final spend on the project is 2.5 million euros and included in that price were over 500 helicopter flights to ship in materials, 220 cubic metres of concrete, 64.5 tonnes of steel, 750 metres squared of metal plating and steel buttresses, not to mention the labour costs to build it up at 3,770 metres.
The video below shows sections of the tube being flown into place by helicopter in August 2015.
