"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."
Beautiful and wonderful. Please protect our glaciers, it’s so sad to see they are melting so fast. They are the resources that give us fresh water. And it’s the nature that we have to protect in every aspect. Loved to be there and I am sure that you will enjoy too.
B. Barnes
Google
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.
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.
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.
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
FZ
Google
Amazing experience! We took the train up to mountain and visited the ice cave. Highly recommend!
Murray Fenwick
Google
We purchased a Aiguille de midi multi one day pass and took the cog railway up to the Mer de Glacé glacier after we had done the Aiguille de midi gondola.
The Mer de Glacé is a spectacular glacial valley with the train taking you the a high point from where you need to descend via gondola down into the valley. The glacier has receded so much that the gondola end point is no longer near the glacier. You need to descend another 500 or so steps down to the ice. This trip is well worth the effort. Every summer a cave is carved into the glacier so you can walk inside and explore the inside of a glacier. This experience was incredible.
This area can get very busy with tourists
The walk back up the stairs is strenuous but is suitable for families. The climb back up to the gondola on a sunny day is in full sun. Bring sunscreen, water and definitely a camera.
Rajapandian Raja
Google
Train to the cave !!!
Mer de Glace an instant love....
Took a special Red Montenvers train from Chamonix to the base point..
From there about 500 odd steps down to reach the ice cave ! Whoa ! Awe struck...
Then coming back up 500 steps...whole body struck... Somehow made it to the last train back to Chamonix....
Must see
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.