Lyon & the French Alps - Discover France: Experience the Best of France - page 493

entices Olympic champions and hard-core skiers and boarders to its pistes, and
party-mad aprés-ski bunnies to its boot-stompin' bars.

Sights

LE BRÉVENT
The highest peak on the western side of the valley, Le Brévent (2525m) has tre-
mendous views of the Mont Blanc massif, myriad hiking trails, ledges to paraglide
from and summit restaurant Le Panoramic. Reach it via the Télécabine du Brévent
(29 rte Henriette d'Angeville; adult/child return €24/19.50; 8.50am-4.45pm) ,
from the end of rue de la Mollard to midstation Planpraz (2000m), then continuing
to the top.

Viewpoint

MER DE GLACE
France's largest glacier, the glistening 200m-deep Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice),
snakes 7km through mighty rock spires and turrets. The glacier moves up to 90m a
year and has become a popular attraction thanks to the rack-and-pinion railway line
opened in 1908.
Wrap up warm to experience the Grotte de la Mer de Glace ( late Dec-May &
mid-Jun-Sep) ice cave, where frozen tunnels and ice sculptures change colour like
mood rings.
A quaint red mountain train trundles up from Gare du Montenvers (35 place de la
Mer de Glace; adult/child €24/19; 10am-4.30pm) in Chamonix to Montenvers
(1913m), from where a cable car takes you down to the glacier and cave.

Glacier