Mer de Glace, France

France's longest glacier, a river of ice below Mont Blanc above Chamonix.

Terra Explorer Natural wonders

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The Standard Resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High Resolution samples the place about ten times more finely.

Region
France
Position
45.9000, 6.9500
Area
10 × 10 km
Real elevation
1,053 to 4,165 m (3,112 m of relief)
Printed size
150 mm (5.9 in) wide, about 1:66,700
Heights
True to scale
Elevation data
Open satellite data (SRTM and others), about 30 m per point
Suggested color
Glacier
Group
Natural wonders

Terrain facts: Mer de Glace

The ground around Mer de Glace is very steep. Across the 10 by 10 km area of the model, it runs from 1,053 m up to 4,165 m. That is 3,112 m of relief, about 4 times as tall as the Burj Khalifa.

Highest point4,165 m45.857, 6.887
Lowest point1,053 m45.931, 6.886
Relief3,112 m#36 of 547 places
Average slope30.9° #18 steepest of 547
Steepest 1%over 59.6°ground: very steep
West to east through the center
Mer de Glace, France: height of the ground from west to east through the center, 2,125 to 3,637 m3,637 m2,125 mWest10 kmEast
South to north through the center
Mer de Glace, France: height of the ground from south to north through the center, 2,119 to 3,792 m3,792 m2,119 mSouth10 kmNorth
How much of the area sits at each height
Mer de Glace, France: share of the area at each height from 1,053 to 4,165 m5%11%11%17%17%16%11%1,053 m4,165 m
How steep the ground is
  • Flat 4.8%
  • Gentle 12%
  • Steep 30.5%
  • Very steep 52.7%

On average the ground slopes at 30.9 degrees, and the steepest 1% is steeper than 59.6 degrees. About 5% of the area is flat (under 5 degrees) and about 83% is steep (over 15 degrees).

Out of 547 places in Terra, it ranks #36 for relief, #46 for highest ground and #18 for steepness (#1 is the most). Compare the places in Natural wonders →

Worked out by Embossify from open satellite and survey data at about 39 m per point. The charts stretch the heights to fill the frame, and a single summit can read a little lower than its surveyed height.

Climate: Mer de Glace

The climate around Mer de Glace is cold: over the year the temperature averages about -4°C (26°F), from around -14°C (8°F) in January to around 6°C (43°F) in July. seven months average below freezing, so expect snow and ice. It is moderately wet, with about 1,149 mm (45 in) of precipitation in a year. May is the wettest month and April the driest.

Average temperature-4°C26°F over the year
Warmest monthJulyabout 6°C (43°F)
Coolest monthJanuaryabout -14°C (8°F)
Rain in a year1,149 mm45 inches
Wettest monthMayabout 117 mm
Temperature through the year
Mer de Glace, France: average temperature for each month, from -14°C (8°F) in January to 6°C (43°F) in July0°11°-18°JFMAMJJASOND

The line is the monthly average. The shaded band runs from the average night-time low to the average daytime high.

Rain and snow through the year
Mer de Glace, France: precipitation for each month, about 1,149 mm a year117 mm0JFMAMJJASOND

Millimeters of rain, or of melted snow, in each month.

Color tip: Cold for much of the year, so the Glacier colors (deep blue to white) suit it. Choose it in Customize →

Climate averages for the area around this place, 2001 to 2025, from NASA POWER, adjusted for the height of the land. They describe the region, not the exact spot.

About Mer de Glace, France

France's longest glacier, a river of ice below Mont Blanc above Chamonix.

Read more about Mer de Glace on Wikipedia →

Questions about Mer de Glace, France

Where is Mer de Glace?

Mer de Glace is in France at 45.9000, 6.9500. The model covers a 10 by 10 kilometer square around that point.

How high is the terrain in the Mer de Glace model?

The land in this model runs from 1,053 to 4,165 m (3,112 m of relief), and its highest point is at 45.8572, 6.8865. These are the measured heights, printed true to scale.

How steep is Mer de Glace?

On average the ground slopes at 30.9 degrees, and the steepest 1% is steeper than 59.6 degrees. About 5% of the area is flat (under 5 degrees) and about 83% is steep (over 15 degrees).

How does Mer de Glace compare with other places?

Out of 547 places in Terra, it ranks #36 for relief, #46 for highest ground and #18 for steepness (#1 is the most). For scale, that relief is about 4 times as tall as the Burj Khalifa.

Can I 3D print Mer de Glace?

Yes. Download the free Standard Resolution STL and print it on any FDM or resin printer. It is 150 mm wide and about 51.7 mm tall, on a solid 5 mm base, at a scale of about 1:66,700. It also works for CNC carving. Use Customize to change the width, base thickness or height exaggeration, make it round or add a name plate.

How accurate is the Mer de Glace model?

It is built from real elevation measurements: open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point. Each point of the grid covers about 39 m on the ground, so a single summit can read a little lower than its surveyed height. The shaded picture on this page is made from the same data.

Is the Mer de Glace model free?

The Standard Resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High Resolution samples the place about ten times more finely and is a paid upgrade.

How this model is made

Embossify Terra builds Mer de Glace, France from real measured elevation. Outside the United States the heights come from open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point.

The heights are true to scale. The sea is flattened to zero, so land stands on a clean base. New to terrain printing? Read how Terra works.