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The spectacular scenery of the Mont Blanc Massif makes it one of the most visited natural site in the world. In this jagged point of view, there are, front to back, La Tour Ronde, Gros Rognon and Aiguilles de Chamonix. Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
The southeast facing cliffs of the Aiguilles (needles) de Chamonix are called l'Envers des Aiguilles, there are a famous spot for rock climbers. They dominate the Vallée Blanche and the Mer de Glace with its distinctive Forbes Bands. Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Envers du Plan Glacier with the Aiguilles de Chamonix (with left to right): Aiguille du Plan (3673m), Aiguille de Blaitière (3522m) and Aiguille du Grépon (3482m). Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
A Valley Glacier with the Géant Glacier (lower right) merging with the Vallée Blanche (lower left) feeding into the Tacul Glacier and finally the Mer de Glace (with Forbes Bands). Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Forbes Bands (or ogive) are seasonal stripes, they are good indicators of the glacier's yearly speed; between 90 and 120 meters, slowing down at a lower altitude. Mer de Glace, Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Interesting pattern of crevasses on the surface of the Bossons Glacier; they are due to the sharp change of angle of the underlying rock, bending and breaking the ice. The Bossons Glacier has the most vertical drop in the Alps. It starts from the summit of Mont-Blanc (elevation: 4810m) and ends at approximately 1400m (in 2011). It is currently retreating due to global warming, whereas in the 1900's, it reached the bottom of the Chamonix Valley (1050m). It is remarkable for a glacier to reach such a low altitude in relation to its latitude: 45º 53' 26" N. Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Not far from the Bossons Glacier, and strikingly resembling a glacier, there is an interesting rock formation called Désert de Platé. It is a limestone pavement: limestone is a slowly dissolvable rock in acid rain and with time can produce some interesting landforms. Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Mont Blanc Massif viewed from the north. Glacier du Tour with, left to right, Aiguille du Chardonnet (3824m), Aiguille Verte (4122m) and Mont Blanc (4810m). Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
The Mont-Blanc Massif has many legendary peaks, the Aiguille Verte (elevation: 4122m) is one of them. It was first climbed in 1865 by Edward Whymper, Christian Almer, and Franz Biner. This granitic peak dominates the Talèfre Glacier. Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Aiguille Verte (4122m) and Grande Rocheuse (4102m), Aiguille du Chardonnet (3842m) can be seen in the distance to the right. The southern face of Aiguille Verte is known as Versant Charpoua. Famous for rock climbing, the peak in the winter is also a playground for daredevil skiers who after a hard climb will ski from the top through the vertiginous (50° slope) Whymper Couloir which starts from the pass between Aiguille Verte and Grand Rocheuse. Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Les Périades Needles are a row of granitic pinnacles on a long ridge between two glaciers, they are here casting their long shadows on the Mont-Mallet Glacier. Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
The Aiguilles d’Arves with 3514-meter-high Aiguille Méridionale (left) and 3513-meter-high Aiguille Centrale (right). Valloire, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Les Aiguilles d'Arves (left: Aiguille Centrale, 3513m and middle: Aiguille Méridionale, 3514m) with the Ecrins Massif in the distance. Saint-Jean d'Arves, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
The Mount Falcon is a 2625-meter-high summit in the Arves Massif, left in the distance are the three Aiguilles d'Arves. Albiez-Montrond, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
A striking feature of Mount Falcon is its east facing slope where erosion has created a visually interesting series of parallel ravines. Albiez-Montrond, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Landscape of alpine toundra and ravines in the Encombres Valley in the western Vanoise Massif. Les Belleville, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Visually reminiscent of a crater field of War World I, these craters have a geological origin. They are found in scattered places in the Alps where the rock is gypsiferous. They are sinkholes formed by the collapse of an underground chamber and / or the chemical dissolution of the gypsiferous rock. This field is approximately 750 meters in length and some sinkholes can reach a diameter of up to 30 meters. Les Gyspsières (elevation: 2300 to 2400m amsl), Valloire, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
The Grandes Rousses Massif viewed from the northeast. Its highest summit is Pic Bayle with an elevation of 3465 meters. Isère and Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Picturesque winding road leading to the Galibier Pass from the city of Valloire. The Galibier Pass is on the itinerary of the “Route des Grandes Alpes.” The “Route des Grandes Alpes” is one of the most picturesque sightseeing roads in Europe, it crosses the entire French Alps from Lake Geneva to the French Riviera. Valloire, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
Col du Galibier (2642 meters) with La Meije (3984 meters) in the distance. Col du Galibier is the French Alps’ 4th highest mountain pass, It is one of the most famous mountain pass thanks to the Tour de France bicycle race. As of 2024, the Tour de France has used Col du Galibier 64 times since 1911. Valloire, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.