The Charamillon Gondola is a 6-seater gondola that runs from the town of Le Tour (1490m) at the north-eastern end of the Chamonix Valley to the Charamillon midstation (1859m). Very near to the midstation you can find the Autannes Chair Lift which ends at an altitude of 2199m near the Col de Balme and the Swiss border. Both lifts are an excellent access point for the trails that fan out in all directions. To the east you can towards the Refuge Albert 1er and the views of the Glacier du Tour. Westwards you can climb up to the Aiguillette des Posettes or use the Col des Posettes to head towards Vallorcine. 

The Charmillon Gondola and its ground station were all built in 2022 and are brand new. Its a huge upgrade from the previous gondola which dates back to 1992. The ground station has a ticket office where you can buy tickets directly on the same day. For exact operating dates, ticket prices and to buy your tickets online, visit the official website.

Development of the Balme Mountain had a fairly late start compared to the other mountains around the Chamonix Valley. The first lift was built in 1937 with the Autannes 2nd stage lift being built in 1958. For a lot more historical and technical information about this lift, you can visit the French Remontee-Mechanique website.