Can you stand on the roof of the Vanoise at an altitude of 3,456 metres with your hair blowing in the wind? It's possible at Tignes!

The wind is stronger, the air purer and the silence almost total. Perched at an altitude of 3,456 metres, the summit terrace of the Grande Motte cable car offers a breathtaking view: below, the still-vibrant glaciers, the jagged relief of the Vanoise National Park, and as far as the eye can see, a tangle of peaks, snow and rocks.

This is where Altitude Expériencesone of the summer's most emblematic adventures at Tignes. A unique vertical immersion in the world of high mountains.

• READ OUR DOSSIER - "Tignes, the sports resort par excellence".

"This cable car is an icon, it was put into service in 1968". says Isabelle Beinat, project manager on the site. "It has undergone a real metamorphosis in 2018: new cabins, new cables, new fittings."

Because beneath your feet, a whole high altitude machinery is working discreetly: two carrying cables, an aluminium hauling cable, and meticulous logistics. All of which makes the ascent a fluid ballet, despite the natural hostility of the glacier.

The summit terrace was specially designed for these new cabins. Today, it welcomes curious tourists, experienced walkers, photographers in search of pure light and late-night skiers, for whom July still sometimes rhymes with high altitude turns.

A mythical ascent, modernised

But the realities of the climate do not spare these heights. "We can clearly see that the skiing season is getting shorter. Whereas in the past you could ski almost all summer long, today we're talking more about three to four weeks of opening". says Isabelle. "This year, we opened on 23 June and will close around 28 July. The cause: the glacier's retreat, accelerated melting and reopening crevasses.

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However, some recent snowfalls have given us a reprieve. "The cold at night helps us, it tightens up the snow a bit. Ski teams still come to train, but there are far fewer of them than a few years ago. The uncertainty makes each season unique.

In summer, the glacier now attracts a different kind of visitor. "We also welcome hikers and mountain lovers who come for the view and the experience.

Guided by professionals, some set off to climb the Grande Motte, crampons on, rope tied to harness, to conquer a summit that commands respect.