A week after returning to France, Max's parents arrived for a visit. We took them on a day trip to Chamonix-Mont Blanc, which is only about an hour and a half from our place in Chambery. Mont Blanc is the highest peak in the Alps and is a great place to visit on a hot summer day. This place is usually packed with skiers in the winter.
At the end of a 20 minute train ride into the moutains, we were able to see the Mer de Glace or Sea of Ice. It is a glacier running down the northern slope of Mont Blanc and it the longest glacier in France. We're close to it here, but we can get even closer...ready Marty? 
From the train, we took a four person gondola down to the top of a long staircase (about 350 steps). The staircase is bolted onto the side of the mountain and descends down to an entrance in the side of the glacier.
Being on "solid" ground was a good feeling for certain persons who weren't so crazy about dealing with the heights. Here are Max's parents at the entrance of the glacier. A new entrance is dug each year due to the movement of the glacier.
The inside of the glacier was carved out to resemble the rooms of a house. I think this is a kitchen? Lights placed in carved out grooves changed the color of the ice from blue to green to a purple. There was even a St. Bernard there that you could have your picture taken with. They made sure to wipe his drool before each new group picture was shot. It almost felt like winter in Michigan.
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