Mer de Glace & Montenvers, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

It's quite an experience, using the mechanical means to go up and down the mountain, and to walk several meters inside the glacier (with the advantage of being the shortest of the three rides locally offered).

Standing for the family photo is mandatory, and, though in a worry not to get frozen kids, we had time enough to appreciate the effects of light through the glace.

It's a great idea for a day out... Behind the train station of Chamonix there's another little station - it's where the Montenvers mountain railway leaves from. It leads you up to the altitude of about 2000m a/s/l to a magical spot where you can see La Mer de glace, a 7 mk long and 1,2 km wide. You can walk down to it by following easy trails, visit the ice-cave (tacky) or the several small museums, or simply admire the panorama - right in front of you there's the Aiguille Verte (4 121m) and the Drus (3 754 m). A breathtaking sight!

1 more image

First thing one morning before the clouds rolled in we walked to the small Montenvers train station and took the Montenvers train to the LeMer De Glace "Sea of Ice" (Frances largest glacier). It's a slow cog ride up to the glacier, the cog wheel train zig zags up the mountainside through snow covered pine trees, tunnels carved into the rocks and as we reach 1,000 metres we can clearly see Chamonix down below.Of course there are other ways of viewing the glacier by skiing down from another mountain or hiking however those ways are for the most experienced. In a world where everything is super fast this morning is slow and peaceful. The journey takes 20 minutes.

When we reach the top we walked out onto a terrace and there it was - the Glacier. Beautiful and disappearing. We visited the glacier the day after it snowed in Chamonix and the snow was deep and fresh, everyone on that cog wheel took advantage of it and were diving into it! (serious!)

We did not take the cable car down to the ice cave as it was closed. We did walk along the paths to the Grand hotel-restaurant du Montenvers (dates back to 1879). There is a cafe on the terrace with a floor to ceiling window perfect to take in the snow white glacier.

In Montenvers it is possible to get closer to the glacier, going down about 300 metres with a gondola. It is also possible to go into the innards of the Mer de Glace, thanks to a man-excavated grotto in the ice. This cave has to be re-excavated every year, because it’s in the nature of glaciers that they slowly move down.
If you want to go into the ice grotto, when you get out of the gondola you must go down a stairway of 350 steps. Which of course you must climb to get back after visiting the cave.
Inside the cave there are ice sculptures that represent pieces of furniture. There are no problems with walking on the ice, because the ground of the cave is carpeted.
The gondola ticket costs EUR 10, but a combination ticket of train and gondola is EUR 21.

There are several glaciers in the massif of the Mont Blanc, but none of them is a s big as the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice), which is the biggest glacier in France, with a surface area of 40 square Km. At its centre the ice is 120 metres thick.
The way to get a close view of this glacier is by catching a little train to Montenvers, where there are panoramic terraces (and a restaurant and a café as well). The view from here is wonderful beyond description.
While in Montenvers it is interesting to visit also the Crystal Gallery and the Alpine Fauna Musem. Entrance to both is free.
The train to Montenvers has its own station in Chamonix (Gare de Montenvers) a short way from the SNCF station. The return ticket costs EUR 17. If you want to add a gondola trip to get closer to the glacier (see next tip) the combination ticket costs EUR 21.

3 more images

Take a from Montenvers station (behind the SNCF Chamonix Station). The mountain train takes you to Montenvers glacier in 20 minutes. You can go down by cable to a point where you can come very close to you. The view of mountains from Montenver's terrace

1 more image

Just as in previous tips, the trip to the "Mer de Glace" can be done hiking.
If you don't like a stiff climb of 2h30, you may like to take the Montenvers train, one of the last rack and pinion trains in France.

From the station of Montenvers, the access to the Mer de Glace (= a glacier) can be done by gondola or on foot (it's a spectacular, but easy walk of 20 minutes).

The glacier is a special attraction, while there is an ice grotto inside, hewn from the very bowels of the glacier. The magic blue color of the inside walls and the sculped ice furnitures are an attraction, but not really extraordinary.

Once visited this spot, we hiked back down to Chamonix via the Mottets rocks. Not an easy path. Sometimes slippery . Make sure you have good boots and hiking sticks.
If you are adventurous, this might be something for you: sometimes the path is replaced by a ladder between two caverns.

On our way down, we crossed something called "Alpine tea room chalet" . I would call it a small pine wood cabin. Still, It was an idyllic place with lots of flowers. Too bad it was closed when we passed.

This hike down took us 2 hours.

I included a sunny and a rain photo. Both weathers have their charm :-)

1 more image

I admit that the first time I saw the glacier I was a little disappointed because the final half seems like a road.The glace is covered with soil and stones.But there are a number of paths for hiking and it's wonderful if the weather is good.

3 more images

Mer de Glace is the 2nd largest glacier in the Alps. It is 14km long, 1800m wide and approx 400m deep. Every year it moves 45m at the edges and up to as much as 90m in the middle.

In the 17th century, the Mer de Glace reached the bottom of the valley burying and destrying everything in it's wake.

Between 1897 and 1908 a cogwheel rail line was built which has helped make Mer de Glace (Sea of ice) into a tourist attraction. There is avolanche-proofing over parts of the tracks.

THE GROTTE DE LA MER DE GLACE - This is, as it's name suggests, an ice cave. Inside the temperature is around -2 to -5C. Due to the movement of the glacier the cave is carved anew each year (takes just over 3 months) and this has been happening since 1946. As you go down to the cave - look at where the previous years opening is and you'll get an idea of how much the glacier is moving.

Inside you will probably get the chance to get a "tacky tourist photo" taken with a St. Bernard (unimaginatively called "Beethoven"!).

1 more image

The Mer de Glace is a glacier located on the northern slopes of Mont Blanc.

It is 7km long and about 200 m deep which makes it the second longest glacier in the Alps.

A cog wheel train will take you up to the nearest station from Chamonix and from there you can easily walk to the ice cave.