Rhone-Alpes, France travel guide

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Rhône-Alpes region of France is found in the south-east of France, where it borders Italy and Switzerland to the east and Provence to the south. It is a wild and very beautiful part of France.

The departments in the Rhone-Alps region are Ain, Ardeche, Drome, Isère, Loire, Rhone, Savoie and Haute-Savoie.

For winter and ski holidays in the Alps see Ski holidays in France

Places to visit in Rhone Alps

Savoy Alps - high mountains and the east

river in Annecy

The eastern part of the region is 'high Alps' country', including the highest mountain in France, Mont Blanc (on the border with Italy).

Outdoor activities - hiking, cycling, mountain climbing, skiing etc are predictably key activities throughout the region, where natural beauty is the great attraction rather than architecture.

This part of the Rhone-Alpes is largely covered by the Savoie and Haute-Savoie departments, from Geneva in the north and towards Briancon (Provence region) in the south, with Albertville and Conflans, Annecy (and of course Lake Annecy), Mont Blanc and Chambery all falling in the region.

Grenoble itself falls in the Isere department.


Ski resorts in the Alps

Skiing is a major attraction to the region which includes much of the best skiing in France - some of the best known ski resorts here include:

See also Ski resorts in the French Alps

The high alps are also a great centre for outdoor activities year around - including canoeing and kayaking, hiking and mountain biking, mountain climbing etc. Each year some of the most exciting stages in the Tour de France take place here, including the great climb at Alpe d'Huez.

Other places

The architecture of many of the towns is not always exceptional, it is rather the smaller mountain villages and towns, unchanged over hundred years, and in perfect settings with a mountain backdrop that will capture your attention as you travel around.

Alpe d'Huez in summer Val d'isere chalets
Alpe d'Huez in summer / Val d'Isere in winter

Lake Geneva and the towns along its shores, and the magnificent scenery in the Gex region, around Divonne-les-Bains, Ferney-Voltaire and Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, along the valley of the Valserine, part of the Natural regional park of Haut-Jura. There is a large spa town at Aix-les-Bains, on the banks of the Bourget Lake, and the Vanoise National Parc is anotheer scenic highlight.

The classified beautiful villages of Bonneval (Savoie department) and Yvoire on the banks of Lake Geneva (Haute-Savoie) are also in this part of France.

Ain, Loire and Rhone departments - the northern Rhone-Alpes

Some of the highlights of this region include:

Town of Crest Town of Tain l'hermitage

Drome and the south

Also a very attractive region, some of the highlights to discover here include:

Ardeche - south west Rhone Alps

Gorges de l'Ardeche, Rhone Alpes

The Ardeche, to the south-west of the Rhone-Alpes, has several highlights and places of great natural beauty. These include the Gorges de l'Ardeche - amazingly beautiful, about 40km of deep gorge with the Ardeche at the bottom and best accessed from Vallon Pont d'Arc (not to be confused with Pont d'Arc itself, the stone arch at the entrance to the gorges).

Another sight not to be missed in the Ardeche is the Bois de Paiolive near Les Vans, where olive trees are interspersed with large, curiously shaped rock formations, and the nearby villages of Chambonas, Naves and Banne (see below). (See also Massif Central, which includes this part of the Ardeche).

The 'capital' of the Ardeche is Privas, also in a fine setting, while the cathedral town at Viviers has quite an extensive old town.

The classified 'most beautiful village' of Balazuc is on a cliff on the banks of the Ardeche River. a further classification of villages in the Ardeche is as 'villages of character' many of which are very beautiful and in very scenic locations. These include : Ailhon, Alba-la-Romaine, Antraigues-sur-Volane, Beauchastel, Banne, Boucieu-le-Roi, Chalencon, Desaignes, Jaujac, Labeaume, Meyras, Naves (near Les Vans), Saint-Montan, Thueyts, Vinezac and Vogue. (The majority of these are in the south of the department around Aubenas.)

See more information in the Ardeche travel guide

Visit Rhone-Alpes - tourist information

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Places to visit in Rhone-Alpes, France: a local travel guide

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See also Rhone-Alpes (version Francais)