"Snaking, cracking, shimmering a brilliant blue in places and covered by mystical frost in others, the Mer de Glace displays nature in all its powerful glory. France’s longest glacier stretches for 4.3miles and is over 650 feet deep. Quite literally a sea of ice, it continues to move under its own weight; its surfaces break up, crevasses appear, and pointed columns of ice known as seracs burst from the surface. Though this glacier continues to amaze,it’s slowly being decimated byclimate change—in 1988, you only had toclimb down three steps to reach the ice grotto, which is carved out every spring; now, the ice has receded so much that you have to tackle 430 steps."
"Snaking, cracking, shimmering a brilliant blue in places and covered by mystical frost in others, the Mer de Glace displays nature in all its powerful glory. France’s longest glacier stretches for 4.3miles and is over 650 feet deep. Quite literally a sea of ice, it continues to move under its own weight; its surfaces break up, crevasses appear, and pointed columns of ice known as seracs burst from the surface. Though this glacier continues to amaze,it’s slowly being decimated byclimate change—in 1988, you only had toclimb down three steps to reach the ice grotto, which is carved out every spring; now, the ice has receded so much that you have to tackle 430 steps."
The amount of glacier knowledge you will gain on this visit and the beauty you will see is what makes this worth it. Just don’t think about all the stairs and enjoy the journey.
FZ
Google
Amazing experience! We took the train up to mountain and visited the ice cave. Highly recommend!
tOngz NP
Google
Magnificent and impressive glacier located in the French Alps. The atmosphere showcases the grandeur and power of nature, making a trip to Mer de Glace a must see when in the area.
Nathalie C
Google
Mer de Glace in Chamonix is a destination that truly stands out. The glacier will change over time. Each visit offers a unique experience as the ice formations and the surrounding landscape continually evolve.
T S
Google
Didn’t find it very exciting or educational. However in a clear day it would be well worth the views.
I think my favourite part was the gondolas.
Probably perfect for families and kids as it’s more safe than the winter sports
Robert
Google
Bittersweet experience. I went up to the top station of the rack railway thinking I would enjoy the scenery and the views from the high ground above Chamonix and the valley, and it was certainly worth it. However, I was very negatively surprised that tunnels are continually being made into the glacier to allow tourists access. I am surprised that in the current context of rising temperatures and lack of snowfall, no measures are being taken to mitigate the disappearance of the glacier, but that on the contrary, they are constantly drilling holes in it in order to continue charging tourists for entry. It is very sad that economic exploitation prevails over the conservation of the site.
Steven Kemp
Google
An amazing trip to visit, and go inside, a glacier that's unfortunately melting faster and faster every year.
As the glacier has fallen by more than 800m over the years, it's a bit of a trek to get there and back. You start off on the mountain train from Gare du Montenvers. From there you take a cable car down into the valley. Then it's around 50 flights of stairs down to the glacier itself.
It's well worth the effort, as long as you're fit enough. You can go at your own pace, and there are plenty of small platforms where you can stop for a rest, and pretend you're admiring the view 😊
siddhant sahoo
Google
Beautiful glacier located in the heart of chamonix. A must visit place.
Vy T.
Yelp
Beautiful ice caves after taking a cog train up the mountain. It's a little bit of a walk to go down to the ice caves, but totally accessible as there are metal stairs and railings. The ice caves are neat, with different areas great for taking pictures such as ice chairs, bars, and such. A fun area to explore for a few hours.
Ramesh A.
Yelp
Beautiful place we took the Montenvers train from Chamonix and reached the mer de Glace only to know that they closed early due to olympic light activities. The views at the top were gorgeous!! The 20-minute train ride was one of the beautiful rides !!
Julie C.
Yelp
The Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) is the largest glacier in France, 7km long and 200m deep and is one of the biggest attractions in the Chamonix Valley.
To access the Mer de Glace and the Ice Cave in Chamonix, take the train of the Montenvers from Chamonix town center (Gare du Montenvers).
The 20 minute train ride is relaxing, but once you reach the top, you'll have to take a cable car down & continue to climb down about 400 steps to see the ice cave.
J L.
Yelp
Visited on a Wednesday, early January 2023.
Cute little red train, with big windows takes you to the top. From there you take a gondola down to the bottom, from there walk to glacier.
Extremely beautiful.
Jennifer S.
Yelp
A must see. Bring water and a jacket for inside the cave. Squeeze this into your multi-pass. This 1,913m glacier will have your jaw dropping from this unique sites. Allow for enough time to enjoy this beautiful place.