A rack railroad (lower station opposite the railroad station; May-Oct. only; journey time 20min.) runs up to the summit of Montenvers (1,913 m/6,277ft; restaurant with extensive views). From this mountain there is a magnificent view of the Mer de Glace ("Sea of Ice"), a river of ice 7km/4-1/2mi long and 1-2km/-3/4-1-0.5mi wide formed by three converging glaciers.
Immediately opposite is the overhanging west wall of the Aiguille du Dru (a difficult rock climb); beyond it, to the left, is the Aiguille Æ Bochard; to the right the Aiguille du Moine, farther back the Grandes Jorasses, and far right the Aiguille des Grands Charmoz. From the upper station of the rack railroad there is a cableway (2min.) down to a 100 m/330ft long tunnel driven into the glacier. For experienced climbers with a good head for heights there is a good return route by way of the Chapeau to Les Tines (2-0.5 hrs): across the Mer de Glace to the right-hand lateral moraine (3-4 hrs), then the "Mauvais Pas" up a steep rock face (45mins) to the Chapeau (1,601 m/5,253ft; inn), a projecting crag at the foot of the Aiguille Æ Bouchard (2,669 m/8,757ft), with a magnificent view of the lower reaches of the Mer de Glace, and from there on a mule-track (45mins) to the Hôtel Beau-Séjour (1,243 m/4,078ft); then left to Les Tines (20min.).
Read More
