The Argentière Glacier
The Argentière Glacier can be seen on an easy walk above Argentière in the Chamonix valley: it starts at Lognan (1,972 m6,470 ft), at the top of the first section of the Grands-Montets cable car, and covers 3.5 km2.2 mi round trip with 90 m295 ft of ascent to the viewpoint over the serac fall. Check that the cable car is running: it was closed all summer 2026.
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What You Need to Know
The walk starts from the Grands-Montets cable car in Argentière (1,252 m4,108 ft): it begins at the top of the first section, at Lognan (1,972 m6,470 ft). The round trip is 3.5 km2.2 mi with 90 m295 ft of ascent, about 2 h 15, on a wide track with many stones; it is easy and tops out at 2,006 m6,581 ft.
The glacier is now cut in two, and its lower tongue is only fed by the serac fall you reach at the end of the walk.
The Grands-Montets Cable Car
The Compagnie du Mont-Blanc, which runs the Grands Montets site, lists the cable car as closed for the whole 2026 summer season (1 May to 1 November, indicative dates). Check that it is open before planning this walk: without the cable car you have to walk up to Lognan.
Where to Stay in the Valley
Book well ahead if you are staying in the valley in summer: La Chamoniarde warns that from 14 July to 15 August the TMB route is very busy and some refuges are full, and that the UTMB race week at the end of August is "overloaded" (translated from French).
For TMB hikers staying in the Chamonix valley after a stage, the Argentière Glacier is one of the most instructive outings in the area: the raw beauty of the glacial landscape is worth the detour.
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