The Ice Cave, the Glaciorium Museum and Restaurant Grand Hotel du Montenvers at Mer de Glace, in Chamonix, France

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The Ice Cave, the Glaciorium Museum and the Grand Hotel du Montenvers Restaurant are all located by the Mer de Glace glacier, and are accessible by the Montenvers Train from the Chamonix Valley. 

A small cable car pulls visitors from the Montenvers railway station to the glacier Mer de Glace, where they can enter into an artificial ice grotto. The Ice Cave is carved right into the glacier, and every season anew, as the glacier moves at a speed of about 70 meters per year. In winter, the cave is replaced by a small museum of ice. Crystal Gallery allows visitors to get acquainted with some rocks of the Mont Blanc Massif.

The Glaciorium Museum was opened in 2012 and it is open daily during the summer (from early June to late September). The Glaciorium is devoted to glaciology. Through interactive and educational presentations, guests of the museum can learn about glaciers, their history and formation. The exhibition also touches on the issues of climate change, environment and culture built around the glaciers (the glaciers being indicators of climate change).

The restaurant of the Grand Hotel du Montenvers (built in 1880 for the reception of mountaineers and tourists) offers the opportunity to dine with a view of Mont Blanc, as well as to sit on the outdoor terrace. The hotel operates a free museum, its collection includes photographs and railway roads. It is possible to have a chat with a glaciologist at the museum. In the evenings, the restaurant is open by reservation only for groups (conferences, weddings, private parties).

Photo: https://www.facebook.com/JoolChxVisuals