The Montenvers cog railway takes us from Chamonix up to the Mer de Glace. The round-trip ticket is also valid for a return journey from the intermediate station of the “Plan Aiguille du Midi” cable car, where our tour ends.

The hike begins at the historic “Refuge du Montenvers” hotel. At first, the climb is steep to the Signal Forbes viewpoint. From here, the view of the Mer de Glace is breathtaking. In August, there was no more snow on the glacier, and it was mostly hidden under rocks and scree. The retreat of this once mighty glacier tongue is undeniable.

We continue our way and descend along a well-maintained path to reach the Balcon Nord hiking trail. From here, we have a beautiful view of the valley, but also the surrounding peaks, which almost remind us of Patagonia, as well as the Mont Blanc massif. After around three hours, the hike ends at the intermediate station of the Aiguille du Midi cable car.

The hike can also be done in the opposite direction and combined with a visit to the Aiguille du Midi and the Mer de Glace glacier cave.