---
title: "The Argentière Glacier"
type: "1day-itinerary"
variante: false
lang: "en"
distance_km: 12
elevation_plus_m: 750
elevation_minus_m: 750
difficulty: "Medium"
duration_days: 1
url: "https://www.tmb-guide.com/en/itineraries/glacier-argentiere/"
description: "Hike to the Argentière Glacier from Argentière village: detailed route, elevation profile and practical tips for this spectacular TMB side trip."
---

# The Argentière Glacier

A spectacular half-day detour from Argentière to one of the largest glaciers in the Mont Blanc massif. Direct views of the seracs and moraine at {{2,000 m | 6,562 ft}} altitude.

## Overview

The Argentière Glacier is one of the most impressive glaciers in the Mont Blanc massif, reachable on foot from Argentière village in the Chamonix valley. This 12 km (7.5 mi) out-and-back hike gains 750 m (2 461 ft) of elevation to the Croix de Lognan viewpoint and the glacial moraine, giving you a direct line of sight to the glacier's snout and the seracs of the Aiguille d'Argentière. A worthwhile detour for TMB hikers based in the Chamonix valley.

## Stats

- Distance: 12 km
- Elevation gain: 750 m
- Elevation loss: 750 m
- Difficulty: Medium
- Duration: 1 day

## Need to know

## What you need to know
From Argentière village (1 252 m (4 108 ft)), the trail climbs steadily through larch forest before reaching the Croix de Lognan (1 972 m (6 470 ft)), the classic viewpoint for the glacier. From there, a moraine path continues to an upper viewpoint at around 2 000 m (6 562 ft), where the glacier face is fully visible with its characteristic seracs and crevasses.

The terrain is well marked but requires solid fitness for the sustained climb from the valley floor. Allow 3 h (3 hrs) for the ascent and 2 h (2 hrs) for the descent. On clear days, the views toward the Aiguille Verte (4 122 m (13 524 ft)) and the Aiguilles d'Argentière are outstanding.

### Access and transport options
The Grands Montets cable car serves the Lognan mid-station, cutting around 700 m (2 297 ft) of ascent from your day. Check current opening hours and fares with the Compagnie du Mont Blanc before setting out - the lifts do not operate year-round and schedules vary by season. If you are walking up from the village, take the path from the Argentière church and follow signs for "Lognan" and "Grands Montets".

### A glacier in retreat
The Argentière Glacier has lost several hundred metres in length since the mid-twentieth century. Archive photographs and marker stakes on the moraine give a concrete measure of this retreat. That geological context adds a dimension to the hike that goes beyond the visual spectacle alone.

### Accommodation in Argentière
Argentière has several refuges and hotels popular with TMB hikers. Book well in advance for July and August, particularly around the UTMB race at the end of August, which saturates accommodation across the entire Chamonix valley.

## Practical info

- Start: Argentière ({{1 252 m | 4 108 ft}})
- Finish: Argentière (out and back)
- Distance: {{12 km | 7.5 mi}} round trip
- Elevation gain: {{750 m | 2,461 ft}}
- Max altitude: {{2,000 m | 6,562 ft}} (moraine viewpoint)

## Day-by-day itinerary

### Day 1: Argentière - Argentière Glacier Viewpoint (out and back)

- Distance: 12 km
- Time: 5.5 h
- Ascent: 750 m
- Descent: 750 m
- Max altitude: 2000 m
- Min altitude: 1252 m

From Argentière church (1 252 m (4 108 ft)), take the marked trail towards Lognan, which climbs immediately through larch and spruce forest. The ascent is steady and technically straightforward, with occasional open sections giving valley views back towards Chamonix. After roughly 3 km (1.9 mi) of climbing, you reach the Croix de Lognan (1 972 m (6 470 ft)), where the Grands Montets cable car mid-station allows hikers who took the lift to join the trail.

From Lognan, continue on the moraine path heading northeast for around 1 km (0.6 mi) to the upper viewpoint at 2 000 m (6 562 ft). This is where the full scale of the glacier opens up: the snout of the Argentière Glacier faces you, with blue-white seracs and the rock walls of the Aiguille d'Argentière beyond. Stakes planted into the moraine mark the glacier's successive positions since the 1870s - a stark illustration of how far it has retreated.

The return follows the same path in reverse. Allow 2 h (2 hrs) back to Argentière. A slightly different forest track is available from Lognan on the way down, though it rejoins the village at the same point. Fill your water bottles before leaving - there is no reliable water source between the village and the viewpoint.