Decisions, decisions. You will have to make a tough choice between a panoramic helicopter ride and a visit to the “Sea of Ice”, the largest glacier en France.
Here’s some info to help you choose.
Helicopter Tour
What a spectacular way to see the Alps! On our retreat the unforgettable sightseeing helicopter flights around the Mont Blanc mountain range is always optional, and always incredible! You won’t regret joining us for this once in a lifetime adventure.
On our tour of the Mont Blanc massive we summit the highest mountain in Europe and see the routes alpinists take to reach the top of Mont Blanc at 4810m. From here we have incredible views of the Mont Blanc du Tacul, Mont Maudit, Dôme du Goûter and the Aiguille du Midi. Check out the Italian side of Mont Blanc as we fly along the French-Italian border past the Aiguille Vert towards the Grandes Jorasses, which occupy a special place in the history of Alpinism. Before returning back to earth we see breath-taking views of La Vallée Blanche (the White Valley) – the world’s most famous off-piste ski route, and La Mer de Glace (the Sea of Ice) – the largest glacier in France at 7km long.
Discover the majesty of the Mont Blanc massif with us, in safety, as you fly over beautiful glaciers and hover beside snow-capped mountains, taking in the French, Italian and Swiss Alps as far as the eye can see.
La Mer de Glace
As an alternative option to the helicopter flight, a group of us will depart from Chamonix on the Montenvers rack and pinion train, as it slowly climbs around the side of the mountain up to the foot of the Mer de Glace glacier at 1913m.
The Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) is the largest glacier in France at 7km long and 200m deep and it is a beautiful spectacle. A small cable car allows visitors to descend from the train station on to the glacier where they can enter a man-made ice cave cut into the living glacier. This ‘Grotte de Glace’ is home to some wonderful ice sculptures. The grotto itself is re-sculpted every summer, as the glacier moves around 70m every year.
While you’re here visit the Gallery of Crystals that features a collection of the finest crystal specimens found in the Mont Blanc massif.
Note: there are around 450 steps from the arrival of the gondola lift to the entrance of the cave. So if you fancy sitting it out and just taking in the spectacular views, you can enjoy refreshments at the glacier bar.