Guide to France
Must See France
- Abbaye du Mont St-Michel
- Arles
- Biarritz
- Cannes
- Cathédrale de Notre Dame de Paris
- Château de Chambord
- Château de Versailles
- Chamonix
- Chateau d'If
- Eiffel Tower
- Musée Claude Monet
- Musée National Message Biblique Marc-Chagall
- Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux
- Pont d'Avignon
- Saint Malo and the North Coast
- Sarlat-La-Canéda
- Vézelay
Places in France
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Chamonix lies in one of the most spectacular valleys of the French Alps. Reminiscent of the Himalayas, the area is dominated by deeply crevassed glaciers and the cloud-diademed peak of Mont Blanc. The Aiguille du Midi, a solitary spire of rock near Mont Blanc's summit, has postcard-perfect views.
In late spring and summer, the glaciers and high-altitude snow and ice serve as a backdrop for meadows and hillsides carpeted with wildflowers, shrubbery and trees. This is the best time for hiking; in winter, travellers can take advantage of lengthy downhill and cross-country skiing trails.
The Mer de Glace is the second-largest glacier in the Alps. It measures 14km (9mi) long, 1800m (5900ft) wide and is up to 400m (1315ft) deep. For a better look at the glacier from the inside, you can tour an ice cave that is carved anew each spring. There is also a train that ascends to an altitude of 1915m (6275ft) and a number of uphill trails.