Listening to the glacier

If you sit quietly beside a glacier, it will talk to you. It speaks in deep groans and loud cracks as it drags itself across rocks, sccouring them out as it goes. Then, occassionally, quantities of these accumulated rocks will tumble down one of the sides, and chunks of ice will crack and crash down the glacier and on to rocks.

This is the tongue of the Argentiere Glacier.

We took two gondolas up to the Grands Montets at 3275m, near the source of the glacier. Stunning views!

Mont Blanc in the near distance.

Looking back down the valley to Chamonix, where we are staying. 

Part of our view for a rather French lunch of soup, with cheese and bread.

 Watching the ice climbers, anout 16 of whom had been in the gondola with us. They look like little ants up on the ice.

Looking back down some 2 km (yes, 2 km!) in altitude down to the valley floor.

At the bottom of the top gondola, at around 2000m, we went for a walk to the bottom of the glacier.

Can you see the tiny sightseeing helicopter?

An amazing day!