Aiguille des Drus (Needle of the Drus) Rising over the Mer de Glace Valley, Le Montenvers, Chamonix, Arrondissement de Bonneville, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France,Aguile des Grands Chamoz,

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La Mer de Glace (which translates from French as “Sea of Ice”) is the largest glacier in France and one of the most iconic natural wonders of the French Alps. It’s located on the northern slopes of the Mont Blanc massif, near the famous mountain town of Chamonix. Here’s a detailed overview:

 Basic Facts:
Length: ~7 kilometres 

Width: ~200 metres at its narrowest, but broader in places

Depth: Can reach up to 200 metres thick

Altitude range: From about 1,400 to 2,400 metres above sea level

Flow speed: About 90 metres per year

📍 Location & Access:
You can reach the glacier via the Montenvers Railway, a charming red cogwheel train that climbs from Chamonix to the Montenvers station at 1,913 metres.

From there, you get spectacular views of the glacier and surrounding peaks, including the Drus and Aiguille Verte.

A cable car and a series of steps (several hundred!) descend from the station to a point where you can visit the ice cave carved into the glacier.

❄️ Glacier Features & Attractions:
Ice cave / Grotte de Glace: A man-made tunnel and chambers carved into the glacier each year. It’s touristy but fascinating, with blue-tinged ice walls and ice sculptures.

Glaciology museum: Displays about the formation and movement of glaciers and the history of the region.

Hiking trails: The Mer de Glace area connects with several classic Alpine hikes, including the Grand Balcon Nord.

Climbers’ base: The glacier is also a starting point for alpine climbs and traverses across the Mont Blanc range.

🌍 Climate Change Impact:
The glacier is shrinking rapidly due to global warming. Since the 19th century, it has lost more than 2 kilometres in length and significantly thinned.

Markers along the stairs show how much the glacier has receded each decade — a sobering visual of climate change in action.

Efforts have been made to preserve tourist access and educate visitors about the environmental impact.

The sharp, dramatic peak you see across the valley from Montenvers Station, rising like a jagged tooth above the Mer de Glace, is the Aiguille des Drus — often simply called Les Drus.

️ About the Drus:
Full name: Aiguille des Drus (literally, “Needle of the Drus”)

Height:

Grand Dru: 3,754 metres

Petit Dru: 3,733 metres

Location: Part of the Mont Blanc Massif, near the Aiguille Verte

Face: The west face is especially famous (and formidable) among climbers

🔥 Climbing Significance:
Les Drus are legendary in mountaineering circles — particularly the west face, which has seen numerous epic ascents and tragic accidents.

It's famous for its steep granite walls and difficult climbs. French alpinist Gaston Rébuffat called the Drus “the most beautiful rock face in the Alps.”

🌋 Rockfalls and Changes:
The Petit Dru in particular has experienced huge rockfalls, notably in 1997 and 2005, which altered the face dramatically and even wiped out some classic climbing routes.

These rockfalls are linked to thawing permafrost, another visible impact of climate change.

👀 From Montenvers Station:
The view of the Drus from Montenvers is iconic — a true postcard shot of the Alps. On clear days, their sharp spires dominate the skyline.

If you're facing the glacier from the station, the Drus are across to the left, rising steeply from the far side of the Mer de Glace valley.

Taken in: France / Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes / Arrondissement de Bonneville / Le Montenvers (show map)

Taken on: August 20, 2023

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