If you are sceptical that global warming is not as bad as many experts make out then you will have to think again after the evidence I witnessed at La Mer de Glace in France.
I’m just back from a visit to Chamonix in France where I went on a fantastic mountain train journey to La Mer de Glace. This is the largest glacier in France and stretches for more than 11 kilometres and has a 3000m change in altitude. There are several ways to reach this amazing glacier. At one time the only way was by mule but in 1908 state approval was given for the building of a mountain railway, even though the fate of 300 guides and 200 mules was at stake, and I decided that using the mountain railway was the best option!
As you ascend the mountain you get incredible views but the best treat is when you reach the top because this is where you see the barren landscape of the huge glacier in front of you. You can see where the glacier has carved out a huge deep valley in the mountain.
Whilst the view is awesome there is a huge worrying downside to the epic landscape because the glacier has shrunk dramatically in only a few short years.30 years ago the glacier was only feet away from the terrace next to the terminus of the mountain railway. Now the glacier is hundreds of feet down and you can actually walk down 440 steps to reach the glacier and that’s after you have taken a cable car down several hundred feet. The evidence of the diminishing glacier is astonishing.
When you reach the glacier you can actually walk inside it because a huge tunnel inside the glacier has been created. The glacier is still several hundred feet deep but if the glacier continues to melt then the sight of this huge glacial ice might be lost forever.
Take a look at some photos that I took of L Mer de Glace below and for more information look at the official website.
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