Mer de Glace on the Mont Blanc massif, Chamonix, France

© Hagenmuller Jean-François/Hemis/Alam

Mer de Glace, Chamonix, France

Don't slip through the image of the day! The Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice), a valley glacier in the French Alps, is located on the northern slopes of the Mont-Blanc massif, near Chamonix. It is the largest glacier in France, measuring over 7 kilometers in length and 200 metres in depth.

Due to the dramatic effects of climate change, the glacier retreats and loses thickness at an alarming rate every year. Greenhouse gas emissions from human activity play a major role in this rapid melting, aggravated by the presence of boulders that accelerate the process. Although the situation is worrying, measures can still be taken to mitigate the effects of climate change and preserve this Alpine treasure.