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Mountaineering Introduction to Mountaineering
Duration:
1 day
Price from: 200€
Fitness:
Infobulle physique
Physical Level 1: For individuals who engage in occasional physical activities, positive elevation gain of up to 300m.
Physical Level 2: For individuals who engage in regular physical activities, positive elevation gain of up to 600m or routes above 3500m.
Physical Level 3: For individuals who engage in regular endurance activities, positive elevation gain of up to 900m or routes above 4000m.
Physical Level 4: For individuals who engage in regular endurance activities, positive elevation gain of up to 1300m.
Physical Level 5: For individuals who engage in intensive endurance activities, positive elevation gain exceeding 1300m.
Technique:
Infobulle technique
Technical Level 1: For regular hikers wishing to discover mountaineering. The route is not very steep and is well-marked, or the activity may also take place in beginner-friendly areas.
Technical Level 2: For experienced hikers wishing to discover mountaineering. The route includes short, steep sections and may involve scree or rocky ridges, requiring surefootedness.
Technical Level 3: For occasional mountaineers (2 to 5 recent outings). The route includes steep sections requiring prior climbing experience at a French grade 3c level and/or mastery of crampons and ice axe use.
Technical Level 4: For regular mountaineers (5 to 10 recent outings). The route requires climbing at a French grade 4c level and mastery of mountaineering techniques, including the use of crampons and an ice axe, as well as basic roping and belaying techniques.
Technical Level 5: For experienced mountaineers (more than 10 recent outings). The route requires climbing above a French grade 4c level and mastery of mountaineering techniques, including the use of crampons and ice axes for ice climbing, as well as advanced roping and belaying techniques.
General information
Introduction to Mountaineering on the Mer de Glace
Discover the essential skills needed for future alpine adventures during this introduction to mountaineering on the Mer de Glace. Accompanied by a certified mountain guide, you will learn or revise the fundamental techniques of mountaineering, including the use of crampons and an ice axe. Reached from Montenvers (1,913 m) by the historic Montenvers rack railway and the Glacier gondola, the Mer de Glace provides the perfect environment to learn the fundamentals of mountaineering on a glacier. This activity is suitable for beginners and requires no previous mountaineering or cramponing experience.
Discover the Mer de Glace and its Glacier Environment
This day on the Mer de Glace is also an opportunity to better understand how glaciers evolve. You will observe crevasses, moraines and glacial meltwater features while discovering the visible effects of climate change on the glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif. The consequences of global warming in the Alps are the subject of extensive scientific research. Several members of the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix are actively involved in this field of research. As part of a partnership with the Chamonix Town Hall and the National Union of Mountain Guides (SNGM), a booklet explaining the impacts of climate change in the Alps was published in 2021.
Group booking
The group formula associates people who do not necessarily know each other. It is ideal for people looking for group friendliness and attractive prices.
Dates for group booking
See on-line booking
Meeting point for group booking
- 8:15 a.m. at the Montenvers station ticket office until August 30, 2026
- 9 :15 a.m. at the Montenvers station ticket office from August 31, 2026
Guiding policy for group booking
Up to 6 people per guide. Minimum 15 years old accompanied by a parent
Departure for group booking
The departure is guaranteed with a minimum of 4 registered participants
Price 2026 for group booking
200€ per person based on a minimum of 4 participants
✅ This price includes
- mountain guiding services
- lift pass / train tickets
❌ This price does not include
- technical equipment : high mouintain boots with a rigid sole, crampons, ice axe, helmet & harness
- picnic
Private booking
A private booking is the historical relationship that binds a mountain guide to their clients. It allows you to be alone or in your own group with your mountain guide who will meet your specific needs. It is undoubtedly the ideal formula realise your projects because it guarentees you a maximum amount of comfort.
Dates for private booking
See on-line booking
Meeting point for private booking
Your guide will call you the evening before your trip around 6.30pm to organize the meeting time and place
Guiding policy for private booking
Between 1 - 6 people per guide. Minimum 12 years old accompanied by a parent
Prices 2026 for private booking
Group from 1 to 2 people : 450€
Group from 3 to 4 people : 490€
Group from 5 to 6 people : 530€
✅ This price includes
- mountain guiding services
❌ This price does not include
- technical equipment : high mouintain boots with a rigid sole, crampons, ice axe, helmet & harness
- lift passes
- transfer
- picnic & snack
Further information
In this section, find all the information about this activity. For further information, please contact our advisor.
Duration
5 - 6 hours
Location
Mer de Glace glacier
Ability level
The mountaineering basics are for people who practice regular physical activity. It do not require any previous mountaineering experience.
Formality
Make sure you have valid individual liability insurance for the practice of this activity without any location or altitude restrictions, including assistance, search and rescue, and repatriation
Documents available for download
Equipment
We recommend that you take special care in choosing your equipment because it contributes greatly to the success of your trip. As alpine conditions can be highly variable with sudden changes, it can get very cold in altitude, it is preferable to have numerous layers rather than one thick piece of clothing
Equipment
- Back pack 25/30 liters
- Mountaineering boots with a rigid sole
- Crampons
- Ice axe and Telescopic poles
- Harness
- Helmet
- Gaters if your trousers require them
Clothing
- Suitable clothing adapted to mountaineering
- Windproof jacket
- A pair of thin gloves
- A pair of warm gloves
Accessories
- Sunglasses catagory 4
- Suncream
- Gourde at least 1.5L
- Lunch, snacks
Our Rental Partners : You can rent your equipment with our rental shops partners and benefit from special price Millet, Sanglard Sports, Ravanel & Co & Concept Pro Shop
Our Equipment Partners : Millet, Dynastar, Julbo, Grivel & Monnet
Booking
Book your activity
Calculate your carbon footprint
Discover the carbon emissions of this activity and add your trip to the meeting point.
CO2 emitted per person for the activity: 3.5 kg. Learn out more about the footprint calculation of this activity
CO2 emitted per person for the activity: 3.5 kg. Learn out more about the footprint calculation of this activity
CO2 emitted per person for this activity & journey(s) = 0 kgIn order to limit global warming to +2°C by 2100, the COP-21 agreement stipulates that each human should emit no more than 2t of CO2 per year. According to the French Ministry of Ecology, today European citizens emit an average of 11t per year, and American citizens emit an average of 21t annually., or 0.3€The price for a ton of CO2 is currently 100€ in the European Union to offset.
Find out more about our zero impact strategy.
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