Chamonix is well served by rail, although the main line SNCF trains weren't running when we were there - engineering works by the look. But more to the point, there is also a little rack railway in town. This is the Montenvers train, in French 'le celebre petit train rouge a cremaillere', when you put it like that, don't you think that everyone would want to ride it!
The Montenvers train runs up to the Mer de Glace, a large glacier, and has been taking tourists there since 1909. For those interested it is a rack railway, overhead electrified at 11kvAC, 1m gauge and with grades up to 22%.
Sadly it wasn't possible to fit in a ride before we had to leave town, but I did have a nice conversation in French with the lady at the ticket office.
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