The Mer de Glace, in the mountains above Chamonix, is France's largest glacier. I had never seen one before.
The glacier is 7km long, and is easily reached by the Montenvers train, which takes you up to 2000m.
Each year a tunnel is carved into the glacier to allow tourists to walk inside.
The Aiguille du Dru mountain, 3754m. Aiguille mean needle.
It was a pleasant 24'C on the mountain, much more comfortable than the forecast 32'C back in Assin. Spent a relaxing afternoon in the alpine meadows, which were full of grasshoppers.
A female Meadow Grasshopper,
Psuedochorthippus parallelus.
Wood Ants subduing a caterpillar.
Mating Large Banded Grasshoppers,
Arcyptera fusca. The male is much smaller than the female.
A male Short-horned Grasshopper,
Podisma pedestris.
A female Large Mountain Grasshopper,
Stauroderous scolaris.
A male Green Mountain Grasshopper,
Miramella alpinus.
Many thanks to @Orthoptera.ch for correcting my identifications.
The 'needle' mountain, with what looks like a face.
Birds on the mountain were few and far between. I spent several hours watching and was rewatded with views of Alpine Chough, Nutcracker, Common Rosefinch and Citril Finch. All four were lifetime firsts for me.
Two distant views of Citril Finches.
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