Chamonix offers exceptional viewpoints, which can be reached either by use of the lifts or the hiking trails. The different panoramas are situated along the length and breadth of the valley, in the heart of the Mont-Blanc and Aiguilles Rouges mountain ranges. An extraordinary panoramic trip, accessible to all. Just a few minutes cable travel or a few hours on foot for the hardy and you will find yourselves immersed in the beauty of this majestic site.
The most beautiful viewpoints:
- Accessed by lift
- Accessed on foot
Glaciers in the Chamonix Valley
Covering a surface area of 125 km2, the glaciers are omnipresent in the Chamonix valley and contribute to the outstanding beauty of the site. Since time memorial, these ice giants have inspired fear, incredulity and admiration:
« These majestic glaciers, separated by large forests and crowned by granite rocks of an astonishing height, sculptured in the form of huge obelisks and interspersed with snow and ice, represent one of the greatest and most remarkable spectacles that one could possibly imagine ». Horace Benédict de Saussure, extract from his book, Travels through the Alps (1779-1786).
The Bossons glacier
As one arrives in the Chamonix valley, one cannot help being overwhelmed by the Bossons and Mont-Blanc glacier « largest ice fall in Europe » ! The glacier has a long history and it was on it’s flanks that man chose to excavate the first ice grotto in 1870. Due to its steep incline, it is the fastest moving glacier (300m/year) and it also reacts most rapidly to climate change. The passionate history of the glacier is related in an outdoor exhibition located close to the Chalet du Glacier des Bossons. Nine illustrated information panels present different aspects of the glacier: its life, evolution of a glacier, the small ice age… The exhibition is translated into English and German and is free of charge. The Chalet du Glacier des Bossons is open from June to September.
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