Where has the glacier gone?

Three years ago, on a mild October day in the French Alps, I hiked from Chamonix town to the Mer de Glace. This is the most well-known hiking section of the Mont Blanc glacier. It is also the most visible symbol of climate change in France. And I was there to witness it. I could not believe what I saw up there. I was speechless and almost in tears. The first thing that came to mind was “where has the glacier had gone?”. The scenery had drastically changed to what I saw in the old photos. Visitors who go via the train must now descend 430 steep steps (maybe more now) to reach the Mer de Glace, which has melted and shrunk dramatically. A thick layer of dust and rubble has buried the blue ice. It is a heart-breaking sight that serves as a poignant reminder of the reality of climate change and global warming.