Mer De Glace Glacier
As one of my favorite holiday destination,
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc has many attractions that will suit your preferences and
expectations . This little town nestles against towering peaks including Mont
Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe that stands at 4810m. This alpine holiday
destination will always welcome you no matter what season you’re visiting as
there are plenty of activities that await for you to explore be it in winter,
spring, summer or fall seasons.
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| Montenvers -Mer De Glace Train Station |
After a few visits to this lovely ski-resort, which hosted
the first Winter Olympic in 1924, I have tried a few cable car which includes
Aiguille du Midi and Brevent – Flegere lines which can take you up till 3842m
and 2525m respectively. Having experienced both lines, I tried a different
attraction during my recent trip in April 13 ….. the Montenvers – Mer De Glace
line. This unique 20 minutes ride on a cog railway up to one of Europe’s last
great glaciers…..the Mer de Glace Glacier!!!! This cog railway departs from the valley to
the Montenvers station at the altitude of 1,913m. The track climbs the
mountainside, running through alpine forest and tunnels that cut through the
rocks and over viaducts …… a truly great panorama along the way!
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| The Valley |
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| The Cog Railway |
This cog railway line was completed in 1909 and ever since
it became one of the major attractions for Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. Unlike the
cable car ride that took only a few minutes, this train ride really allows you
to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding mountains in a relaxed manner. As the
train arrived at the Montenvers station, you can see some old photos during the
early days of the Mer de Glace Glacier which stood almost as high as the train
platform. That makes me wonder how severe is our global warming that results in
the climate change affecting us globally……
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| Mer De Glace Glacier - 7km long & 200m deep |
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| Mer De Glace Glacier - 7km long & 200m deep |
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| Mer De Glace Glacier - 7km long & 200m deep |
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| Mer De Glace Glacier - 7km long & 200m deep |
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| Global warming effect - melting of glaciers globally.... |
Another significant attraction found here is the Ice Cave…..
the Ice Grotto that cuts into the living
glacier which is accessed via the gondola lift and some 400 steps beneath!! By
looking down from the terrace that overlooks the terminal tongue of the
glacier, I have been calculating in deciding whether to go down and undergo the
stress test to go down and up some 400 steps to get access into the Ice Cave…… ….. Of course my curiosity and excitement
push the desire to experience this magnificent Ice Cave. Inside the Ice Cave,
you can see some exhibits flashed by colorful led lights that turned it into
some colorful crystal-like tunnel which
is very beautiful. The price….. I have to end- up taking a break at every
landing all the way back up ……
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| Gondola lift going down to the glacier.... |
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| Some 400 steps beneath to the Ice Cave.... |
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| The glacier up close..... |
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| Entrance into the Ice Cave...... |
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| Entrance into the Ice Cave.... |
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| Colorful effect inside the ice tunnel..... |
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| Some exhibit inside the Ice Cave..... |
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| Colorful effect inside Ice tunnel.... |
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| Colorful effect inside Ice Tunnel.... |
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| Old photo showing the glacier level close to the train platform..... |
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| Some exhibit inside Ice Cave..... |
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| Ice Tunnel..... |
Having fully satisfied and thrilled with the whole
experience, I wonder where else on earth that you can have access to some great
glaciers that you can even touch it with you own hands as you walk through it
without having to get into full mountaineering gear and equip yourself for a deadly
experience to even have a snapshot or look at it in amazement ????
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| The magnificent Mer De Glace Glacier at 1913m. |
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| Some 400 steps below.... |
