By train on the glaciers

The north-facing French side of Mont Blanc is much more glaciated than the Italian side, more vertical and sunnier.

From Chamonix (1035 m), the French municipality just beyond the Mont Blanc tunnel, a cogwheel train takes you to Montervers (1913 m), at the outlet of the Mer de glace, the largest glacier in the massif, an immense river of ice flowing down from the great glacial cirques fed by peaks of more than 4,000 meters. The views of the impressive walls of the Drus and Grandes Jorasses are stunning. Also on site is a crystal exhibit and a small museum of naturalized alpine animals (free admission).

Every year a tunnel is carved into the glacier that leads to some large rooms, complete with furnishings, carved out of the pure ice. A bit contrived but still a unique opportunity to observe the inside of a glacier.