La Grotte de Glace Les 2 Alpes

Useful Information

Location:	38860 Les Deux Alpes. (44.9973390, 6.2059965)
Open:	23-APR daily 10-15:30. [2023]
Fee:	Adults EUR 6, Children EUR 5. [2023]
Classification:	glacier grotto
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=200 m, A=3,400 m asl.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	La Grotte de Glace, Les Deux Alpes, 38520 Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans, Tel: +33-476-79-75-01. Société des Grottes de la Meije (SDGM), Les Hières, 05320 La Grave, E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1992	Bernard Lambolez and Bruno Gardent go to the grotto of the "Mer de Glace" and have the idea to built such a cave at home.
1993	Société des Grottes de la Meije and first grotto at La Grave La Meije created and inaugurated.
1993	ice grotto created.

Description

Grotte de Glace (Ice Cave) is located at the ski area les 2 alpes or Les 2 Alpes on the glacier Glacier de Mont-de-Lans. It is the second of six glacier grottoes created and operated by the Société des Grottes de la Meije (SDGM), which was founded by the two high mountain guides, Bernard Lambolez and Bruno Gardent in 1992. In 1992 the two visited the grotto Subterranea Grotte de la Mer de Glace and had the idea to build such a cave at home. The first grotto was created on the Glacier de la Girose and is called La Grotte de Glace La Grave La Meije.

Actually, while ice cave is often used for such grottoes, they are actually called glacier grotto. Ice caves are natural caves in rock which contain ice, glacier grottoes are dug, hence they are grottoes, inside a glacier, hence glacier grotto.

As it is located on top of the mountain, at the ski area, it is necessary to get there first. Of course, you could walk up, if you have the right equipment, but as most people will either be skiing and just make a break visiting the grotto, we guess they already have a ski pass. To get to the summit you start at and then take the Jandri Express 1 & 2 and then the Funicular to the summit. From here it's only a short walk. As the cave is located inside the glacier it is open all year on the same days as the cable car. As most visitors are skiers, it's possible to visit the cave with skiing boots, though we do not recommend it. We recommend to bring walking shoes to change, it makes the visit far more pleasant.