Mer de Glace, Chamonix - The Ice Cave and Montenvers Train
We drove for approximately 30 minutes to reach the town of Chamonix from our campsite, Mont Blanc Plage. There is plenty of parking available, but it tends to fill up very quickly, especially during peak times. We decided to leave our campsite around 9am, and parked in the next lot up from Parking des Planards that cost approximately 6 euro for the day.
We had planned on visitng Aiguille du Midi, a 3842m peak in the Mont Blanc massif. This is the closest you can get to the summit of Mont-Blanc without climbing (which Steve told the kids all about). However, after looking to book tickets we realised Esme wasn’t able to go. Children under 3 are strictly forbidden and it is not recommended for children under 5 due to the altitude. We therefore made plans to visit the Mer de Glace and the Ice Cave in Chamonix, by taking the train of the Montenvers from Chamonix town center (Gare du Montenvers).
Tickets need to be bought before boarding, and can be bought at the Montveners station. The train fare, which also included access to the cable cars that transport visitors up and down to the steps leading to the ice cave, cost us a total of 79 euros. The trains are every 20 minutes and the queue went quickly. We were soon on our way up the mountain.
The train takes approximately 20 minutes to reach the Montenvers site. The kids loved the little stops as other trains passed on their way down. The train was an exciting ride in itself! When we reached the top we had a magnificent panorama of the Mer de Glace glacier, the Drus and the Grandes Jorasses. We walked over the platform, guiding the kids past the gift shop to visit the toilets before heading to the gondola. Since there are no toilets available by the glacier, this was our last opportunity! After that, we waited in a very short queue to ride the gondola down to the ice cave. This was Esme's first memory of riding a gondola and she was very excited!
We walked from the gondola station to the stairs leading to the ice caves. The view was phenomenal and we pointed out to the glacier, covered in scree, to the kids. We knew that we had some 300 steps to descend, and I knew I'd have to bribe the kids to climb back up! However, I needn’t have worried as they both practically ran down to the glacier!
As we reached the entrance to the ice tunnel the side of the glacier was immense and the kids were in awe. I was quite pleased that we decided to change into our trainers, and also brought along something warm to put on, as it was definitely much colder inside the tunnels!
Once inside Sam started searching for fossils and rocks captured in the ice. The ground was covered in a blue felt, but this didn’t stop Esme from sliding onto her bottom around a corner! Inside was much larger than we expected. The tunnel was an extensive and winding pathway that branched off into a few directions, creating a sense of mystery and exploration. Some areas were illuminated by soft lights, which almost made the atmosphere a little eerie. Along the way, there were information points. Sam and Esme were particularly fascinated by the little house carved into the side of the tunnel.
We spent around 15 minutes inside the tunnels. We could have spent longer reading all of the information points if the kids allowed. We made our way back up to the gondola, and surprisingly, the kids managed to make their way back up the steps without any moaning or complaining, and no need for any carrying!
Once we reached the main station we popped into the cafe for an early lunch. There was a good choice of sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. It was quite pricey and we shared sandwiches between us. The French Custart Tart is highly recommended! We had a look in the gift shop, which had a great selection of gifts and souvenirs, and made our way to the next train.
We made it back into Chamonix for 1pm, and decided to explore the town (and we promised the kids an ice cream for their effort). The town was busy but had a great atmosphere which reminded me of Queenstown, New Zealand.
We found a lovely ice cream stand kiosk and Sam decided on coconut. Esme still stuck with strawberry.
We arrived back at the campsite at around 4pm, so had enough time for a paddle on the lake before tea. A lovely ending to the day.
Before leaving the next morning, we drove back to Chamonix to visit the Saturday market located in the centre of town. The market is open from 7am to 1pm and is split into two sections. At one side you can find fruit, vegetables and local produce. The other sells clothes, tableware and crafts. We had a rummage around both and picked up some new kitchen knives and plenty of cured sausages and garlic! We do love a good market!
