The Snow Caves Of France's Largest Glacier Shine With Electric Blue Ice And Sculpted Caverns

When it comes to worthwhile outdoor attractions, glaciers are usually regarded as inaccessible to only the most experienced and daring adventurers. After all, most people only think of massive glacier sheets as being found in remote Arctic regions or a distant and largely unreachable mountain pass. Similarly, the spectacle of a titanic sheet of ice the size of an entire neighborhood is often regarded as one of Earth's rarer sights, available only to those with the drive and ability to make the dangerous trek to a remote snowy climate. 

But glaciers, despite their place in the popular imagination, are not quite as inaccessible as some would assume. For example, many American national parks contain large glaciers that are viewable (and, in some cases, accessible) for most visitors. You can even get up close and personal with glaciers in national parks like Alaska's Glacier Bay where you can explore by kayak. 

One of the world's most famous glaciers that is also (relatively) easy to visit is the famed Mer de Glace glacier of the French Alps. Located in the scenic Chamonix Valley near France's triple border with Switzerland and Italy, the Mer de Glace glacier provides endlessly amazing views and unforgettable experiences, all within proximity to cozy transportation, lodging, and other modern conveniences. As if that wasn't enough, the Mer de Glace's world-famous ice caves provide an awesome, immersive experience that combines the glacier's immaculate natural beauty with the best of human craftsmanship and artistic skill.  

The Mer de Glace (or "sea of ice") is France's largest glacier, covering around 15 square miles on the northern side of the Mont Blanc massif. Not only is the glacier itself a breathtaking sight to behold, but the Mont Blanc massif provides exceptional views of some of Europe's most stunning peaks. Near the glacier, visitors can catch superb views of the towering Mont Blanc (the highest mountain in the Alps) and the striking, jagged edges of Aiguille du Midi. The Mont Blanc massif is chock-full of epic trails, including the one trek that made Rick Steves fall in love with hiking, so this part of the world clearly has no shortage of amazing views.

But lest you think you can only marvel at the Mer de Glace glacier from afar, the well-developed infrastructure and human ingenuity of the nearby Chamonix commune provide a much more immersive experience. Each year, locals dig a walkable ice cave, or ice "grotto," directly into the glacier's deep blue ice. Even better, the ice grotto is only a short distance from the Chamonix train station via a brief cable car ride. Visitors can then walk directly into the Mer de Glace ice cave through a series of steps and walkways. Due to the glacier's movement of about 230 feet each year, the ice cave must be re-dug each summer, so access may be unavailable depending on when you visit. However, the annual re-creation of the ice cave also allows one of the site's best attractions — the impressive sculptures carved from the glacier's natural ice by talented artists. 

With so much history and infrastructure, the Alps are already one of the most accessible mountain ranges in the world. And the Mer de Glace is no exception. The glacier sits next to the French mountain resort of Chamonix, a popular skiing and sightseeing destination combining pristine mountain views with modern infrastructure. The actual Mer de Glace ice grotto is served by developed routes and walkable paths, but the rest of the Mer de Glace glacier is also reachable via some of Europe's best mountain transportation. 

The Mer de Glace cable car provides a breathtaking sightseeing experience from an aerial gondola journey across magnificent views of the glacier and surrounding mountains. If you're not too keen on heights, you can hop on the rack-and-pinion railway train between Chamonix and Montenvers for photo-worthy views a bit closer to the ground. With so many incredible shots of the Alps, the Chamonix-Montenvers train rivals the best scenic Alps rail journeys in neighboring Switzerland. Once you get to Montenvers, you can also stop by the Mer de Glace Glaciorium for an up-close look at the science of glaciers. 

Visitors traveling by train will usually arrive at Chamonix via the Mont Blanc Express, with the Léman Express train connecting to the nearby St. Gervais-le Fayet station in Switzerland. The closest major airport is Geneva International, which is about 54 miles away and served by the SAT bus line to Chamonix. Alternatively, the Aéroport Haute-Savoie Mont Blanc Annecy is about 55 miles away and served by the Léman Express train route. No matter how you get there, the Mer de Glace glacier and its extraordinary ice caves are one of the most impressive (and accessible) mountain scenes in the world!