UKH

I posted earlier enquiring if anyone knew how to get down to the glacier from Montenvers, but that post has been archived. Thank you for your thoughts.
Still not sure, I mailed the OHM in Chamonix, and they replied thus:

"There is now a new cabin at Montenvers and the access to the glacier has
changed. There are no ladders to down to the  Mer de Glace but a via
ferrata along the new cabin to acceed to the glacier."
 

Can anyone cast light on this 'via ferrata'?. 
Or the 'new cabin'?
 

i have seen it from in the new gondola, but dont know where it actually starts or finishes... not much help i know! but i can confirm it is there, and there are paint markings on the rock, so presumably there are some signs near to the start as well.

I was there at the end of last summer, getting onto the mere de glace was pretty straight forward then, and I cant see why you wouldn't be able to still do this:

There is an "Ice Grotto" in the snout of the mere de glace that hundreds of non climbers visit each day. From the montenvers top station get the cable car down then continue walking down the metal staircase towards the grotto (The cable car and ever extending stairs a sad demonstration of just how much the glacier has shrunk). Just before the grotto hop the fence onto the glacier. Obviously the glacier is always changing, and a bit of glacier scrambling may be required to get established on the glacier proper.

The new cabin was still under construction last summer, but whatever the situation now I'm sure there will still be an access onto the glacier somehow.

Giddy, the old gondola has completely gone now, or at least it is now defunct and many of the metal steps have gone. the old ladders down onto the glacier have been decommissioned too due to the building of the new gondola. once the construction is finally complete they might open them up again (but they would need a lot more ladders!), but construction is due to continue for most of this year despite the new gondola being open now. Yes you can get down onto the ice if you take the new gondola, but you need a lift pass, and i assume the OP was wanting to know how you get up and down without a ticket?

This was posted by La Chamoniarde on 11 June.

Note the description beneath the map: "For mountaineers, outside the opening hours of the gondola, you have to go down through the access (yellow route) to get a foothold on the glacier. It is a high mountain route that requires equipment and mastery of mountaineering techniques (anchors in place). This access is not suitable for hikers.

The former ladder sector is closed by decree."

https://www.chamoniarde.com/actualites/a-la-une/acces-montenvers-mer-de-gla...

Thanks for posting that.

It suggests maybe not a Via Ferrata, as Fredt had heard, but maybe pigtails or bolts or something Via Corda style.

Will be interesting to see how tricky or exposed that foot access actually is.

well spotted Tom.  I hadn't seen this.  I was up there today.  The green path on your picture from Montenvers has one no entry sign and one bit of chain you have to climb over.  I asked 2 employees of CMB where alpinists should go (in French)  and they both shrugged their shoulders!  Its still quite a building site up there.  Good when the gondola is open though

Perhaps some will need to be mindful of their insurance when going past no entry signs and climbing over chains.  If in doubt, speak to your insurer.

there is now a via ferratta type path running down to the glacier. Follows the line of the new lift. Signposted at the top.

having missed the last lift by quite some margin yesterday, i can confirm the 'mountaineers route' is a proper cabled via ferrata, with pig tails as well (but no in situ snap gates which the ladders had). it has 2 parallel sets of rungs and cables most of the way up, and you can chop and change on most ledges like the previous ladders. so you can easily skip past slow parties if needed.

from the top it is well sign posted and easy to find, but from the bottom it is very very difficult! there is no signage (other than a big yellow square painted on the rock), and you have to climb over a barrier and go through a construction yard. it feels very much like you shouldnt be going where you have to go, and you cant actually see the start of the cable until you have cut through the building site, so it doesnt feel very open yet. but it is! i guess they assume nobody will be needing to go that way during work hours! 

That’s great information, many thanks.

Brilliant information and descriptions. Thanks heaps Webster.