Rhone-Alpes places to visit and attractions
Below you can explore some of the most popular highlights and places of interest in the Rhone-Alpes region. See also our Rhone-Alpes travel guide.
Abondance (Haute-Savoie)
It will be the mountain scenery around Abondance that dominates your visit, but be sure to also visit the Saint abbey and its cloisters in the town See guide
Ailhon (Ardeche)
The beauty of Ailhon is the chance to follow the footpaths through the forests between the separate hamlets See guide
Aix-les-Bains (Savoie)
Aix-les-Bains is one of the best preserved 'belle-epoque' spa towns in France See guide
Alba-la-Romaine (Ardeche)
Larger than many of the Ardeche villages, Alba-la-Romaine also has a very picturesque historic centre to explore See guide
Albertville (Savoie)
Albertville is a large active town, with Conflans, a pretty village on the hill above, the highlight See guide
Alpe-d'Huez (Isere)
The well known ski station of Alpe d'Huez is also famous for the Tour de France mountain climb that takes place here See guide Advertisement
Annecy (Haute-Savoie)
Annecy is a very lovely town with a great deal to enjoy, enhanced further by the mountain backdrop See guide
Anse (Rhone)
The quiet town of Anse retains some Roman remains that hint at its importance 2000 years ago See guide
Antraigues-sur-Volane (Ardeche)
Antraigues-sur-Volane is a small medieval perched village, with most activity centred around its central square at the top of the hill See guide
Aubenas (Ardeche)
The Chateau d'Aubenas and the belvedere next to the castle are the highlight of your visit to the town of Aubenas See guide
Aubres (Drome)
The cobbled paths, vaulted passages and ancient arches entice you to further explore the small village of Aubres See guide
Avoriaz (Haute-Savoie)
The use of local materials for building and the stunning location make Avoriaz one of the most popular Alpine ski resorts See guide
Bagnols (Rhone)
Bagnols village with a castle is one of the pretty villages to explore in the Beaujolais region See guide
Balazuc (Ardeche)
After exploring ancient Balazuc you descend further to reach the Ardeche river See guide
Banne (Ardeche)
The exceptional views from Banne are the highlight, and the streets of the small village and castle ruins are also highlights See guide Advertisement
Beaufort (Savoie)
Beaufort is one of the smallest Alpine ski resorts, which attracts skiers looking for a more 'personal' experience See guide
Belleville (Rhone)
Not an important tourist town, Belleville does have a couple of sites of interest if you are nearby See guide
Belley (Ain)
The cathedral and adjacent historic centre are the highlight of your visit to Belley See guide
Bonneval-sur-Arc (Savoie)
At Bonneval, listed among the 'most beautiful villages of France', you can discover a very traditional mountain village See guide
Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain)
As well as exploring the cathedral and town centre of Bourg-en-Bresse, allow time to visit th nearby Royal Monastery of Brou See guide
Chambery (Savoie)
Chambery is a very lively university town which is very pleasant to visit and explore See guide
Chamonix (Haute-Savoie)
One of the most famous Alpine ski resorts, Chamonix is very close to Mont Blanc See guide
Collegiale Saint-Barnard of Romans-sur-Isère (Drome)
The collegiale church in Romans-sur-Isere is a 12th-13th century church with medieval artworks See guide
Courchevel (Savoie)
Courchevel, ski resort in the 'Three Valleys region', is also popular with summer mountain visitors See guide
Cremieu (Isere)
With some of the most extensive medieval ramparts in France, Cremieu also has an interesting historic centre See guide
Crest (Drome)
The castle keep and its views are the most unmissable highlight when you visit Crest See guide
Desaignes (Ardeche)
The ramparts, medieval gateways and village centre are the highlights of your visit to Desaignes in the Monts d'Ardeche Regional Natural Park See guide
Deux-Alpes (Isere)
Les DeuxAlpes is one of the longest established and most popular Alpine ski resorts See guide
Divonne-les-Bains (Ain)
A pleasant 19th century spa town, Divonne-les-Bains also now has a leisure lake and golf course See guide
Dombes (Ain)
The Dombes, with thousands of small lakes, is perfect for fishing and bird-watching See guide
Ecrins National Park (Isere)
Ecrins National Park is a very popular and very scenic National Park in the heart of the French Alps See guide
Eveux (Rhone)
Eveux, in the Rhone, is visited for the La Tourette Monastery designed by Le Corbusier See guide
Evian (Haute-Savoie)
Evian is a very lovely town, also well known as a spa town and for the bottled water from here that is famous worldwide See guide
Gorges de l'Ardeche (Ardeche)
The Gorges de l'Ardeche are one of the most scenic highlights in France, whether following the road along the rim or canoeing along the river See guide
Grenoble (Isere)
Known as the 'capital of the Alps', Grenoble has a great deal of interesting sights. Don't miss the cable car! See guide
Grignan (Drome)
As well as the castle that dominates the hillside village of Grignan you will also discover various other places of interest See guide
Jaujac (Ardeche)
The most unusual characteristic in Jaujac is the deep river gorge running through the centre of the village See guide
Joyeuse (Ardeche)
Explore the castle and medieval centre of Joyeuse - then head to the river beach to cool down! See guide
La Clusaz (Haute-Savoie)
La Clusaz is one of the smaller ski resorts and very popular with French families See guide
La Garde-Adhemar (Drome)
Lovely views, a medieval garden, a 12th century roman style church are just some of the highlights in La Garde-Adhemar See guide
Labeaume (Ardeche)
Both the medieval village and the river beach combine to make Labeaume very rewarding to visit See guide
Lake Annecy (Haute-Savoie)
The towns, villages and scenery around Lake Annecy make it an exceptional region to explore See guide
Le Poet-Laval (Drome)
The cobbled streets of ancient Le Poet-Laval are pedestrianized, which adds further to the appeal of this lovely village See guide
Les Arcs (Savoie)
Centred around Bourg-Saint-Maurice and within the Paradiski ski region, the Les Arcs ski ae is always very popular See guide
Les-7-Laux (Isere)
Its proximity to Grenoble means that the ski resort of Les 7-Laux is busy throughout the winter season See guide
Lyon (Rhone)
Lyon has all the impressive buildings and monuments, museums, shops and restaurants that you would expect from one of the most important towns in France. See guide
Lyon Old Town (Rhone)
In Vieux Lyon there are numerous impressive townhouses of the 16th century, a cathedral, and picturesque paved streets to explore See guide
Lyon Presqu'ile (Rhone)
The Presqu'ile region of Lyon is characterised by 19th century architecture and upmarket shops See guide
Malleval (Loire)
We found Malleval to be one of the loveliest villages in the Regional Natural Park of Pilat See guide
Megeve (Haute-Savoie)
Megeve is among the most prestigious of the French ski resorts and also an active town See guide
Mens (Isere)
The small town of Mens is quite isolated but certainly worth exploring if you are nearby See guide
Menthon Saint Bernard (Haute-Savoie)
After exploring the quaint village of Menthon-Saint-Bernard you can hire a boat to explore the shores of Lake Annecy See guide
Meribel (Savoie)
Part of the extensive 'Trois Vallées' ski region, Meribel is extremely popular and has many activities available See guide
Meyras (Ardeche)
Smaller than many of the Ardeche villages, you will see an ancient covered passageway and a couple of trompe l'oeil paintings in the centre of Meyras See guide
Mirmande (Drome)
The medieval vilage of Mirmande retains its original ramparts and it really is one of the 'most beautiful villages in France' See guide
Montbrun-les-Bains (Drome)
The medieval centre of Montbrun-les-Bains, listed as a 'most beautiful village in France', is fascinating to explore See guide
Montelimar (Drome)
The town of Montelimar is famous worldwide for its nougat - be sure to sample some! See guide
Morzine (Haute-Savoie)
Morzine is a popular ski resort within the Portes du Soleil ski region in the northern Alps See guide
Naves (Ardeche)
Stroll through the pretty village of Naves and you will see progressively more ancient houses disappearing back into the landscape See guide
Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette (Isere)
The church and mountainous setting of Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette are the second most important pilgrimage destination in France See guide
Nyons (Drome)
The lively lower town and the narrow streets around the castle in the old town combine to make Noyons a pleasure to visit See guide
Oingt (Rhone)
Completely renovated in recent years, Oingt is one of the prettiest villages in the Beaujolais wine region See guide
Palais Ideal (Drome)
One of the most unusual monuments in France, the Palais-Idéal is a fantastic creation that incorporates many different styles See guide
Pelussin (Loire)
The Chateau de Virieu and the old market hall are among the highlights when you visit Pelussin See guide
Perouges (Ain)
The hillside walled town of perouges is among our favourite villages to be found in France See guide
Pont d'Arc (Ardeche)
The small beach and beautiful setting make Pont d'Arc a very beautiful and popular site See guide
Pont-en-Royans (Isere)
The centre of Pont-en-Royans, with medieval houses along the cliffs above the river gorge, is the highlight for visitors See guide
Privas (Ardeche)
Privas is not a major destination but a visit is leasant when you are exploring the Ardeche countryside See guide
Puygiron (Drome)
The small castle and pretty gardens add further to the charm of the small village of Puygiron See guide
Romans-sur-Isere (Drome)
The Collegiale church of Saint-Bernard is the highlight of a visit to the large town of Romans-sur-Isere See guide
Saint Gervais Les Bains (Haute-Savoie)
It is the views of, and access to, Mont-Blanc which is the principal attraction of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains See guide
Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye (Isere)
The village of St Antoine l'Abbaye, best known for its abbey complex, is listed among the 'most beautiful villages in France' See guide
Saint-Etienne (Loire)
Originally an industrial town, regeneration of the Place Jean Jaures, the cathedral and the town centre in Saint-Etienne now make it a pleasant town to visit See guide
Saint-Montan (Ardeche)
Climbing the steep cobbled streets to the castle at the top of the village you see lots of lovely houses in ancient Saint-Montan See guide
Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez (Loire)
Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez, now a 'most beautiful village in France' is unusual because it started life as a series of monastery buildings See guide
Sallanches (Haute-Savoie)
While Mont-Blanc and the mountain scenery is the main attraction, Sallanches itself is pleasant to explore See guide
Sixt-Fer-a-Cheval (Haute-Savoie)
Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval is one of the 'most beautiful villages in France' and most visited for the easy access to several very scenic natural highlights See guide
Tain-l'Hermitage (Drome)
A town for gourmands, Tain-l'Hermitage is visited for its excellent local chocolates and the Cotes-du-Rhone wines See guide
Talloires (Haute-Savoie)
Talloires is one of the most lovely of the villages on the shores of Lake Annecy See guide
Theize (Rhone)
The quiet village of Theizé makes a pleasant detour when exploring the Beaujolais wine region See guide
Thonon les Bains (Haute-Savoie)
Tourist activity here at Thonon-les-Bains on Lac Leman is based around the lakefront, views across the lake, boat-trips across the lake... See guide
Thueyts (Ardeche)
Thueyts is more 'renovated' than many of the Ardeche 'villages of character' and has lots of architectural highlights See guide
Tignes (Savoie)
The ski resort of Tignes is made up of several smaller, interconnected villges See guide
Tournon-sur-Rhone (Ardeche)
In Tournon-sur-Rhone there are several interesting monuments to explore and also the Eden Parc woodland garden and views See guide
Trevoux (Ain)
The quiet town of Trevoux in Ain has several historical monuments paying testament to its past importance See guide
Val d'Isere (Savoie)
Home to the Alpine Ski World Cup and part of the Espace Killy ski region, Val d'Isere is a very international ski resort See guide
Val Thorens (Savoie)
The high altitude skiing at Val Thorens mean it has a longer season than many ski resorts in the Alps See guide
Valence (Drome)
Although the famous local vineyards are the main attraction there is a great deal of interest in Valence itself See guide
Vallon Pont d'Arc (Ardeche)
Because of the proximity to the Gorges de l'Ardeche and the lively holiday atmosphere Vallon Pont d'Arc is a good base for exploring See guide
Valmorel (Savoie)
The low-rise buildings and traditional materials help preseve the charm of the ski resort of Valmorel See guide
Vanoise National Park (Savoie)
The stunning mountain scenery in the Vanoise National Park ensure its year around popularity with outdoor enthusiasts See guide
Veyrier du Lac (Haute-Savoie)
The port area is among the highlights in this pretty village on the banks of Lake Annecy See guide
Vienne (town) (Isere)
The combination of both Roman and medieval monuments in Vienne make it one of the most interesting towns in Isere See guide
Viviers (Ardeche)
The town of Viviers contains some interesting buildings and a nice view across the Rhone, although the town is also rather neglected in places See guide
Vogue (Ardeche)
Dominated by its castle, the beautiful village of Vogue is one of our favourite Ardeche villages See guide
Yvoire (Haute-Savoie)
The village of Yvoire on the banks of Lake Geneva is extraordinarily pretty and one of our personal favourite French villages See guideFor more information see the Rhone-Alpes guide
Tourist attractions to visit in Rhone-Alpes
The following sites have received official "tourist classifications"...
Aquarium
Aquarium de Lyon
Aquarium du Lac du Bourget
Grand Sites of France
Aven d'Orgnac
Cirque de Sixt Fer a Cheval: See tourist guide
Gorges de l'Ardeche: See tourist guide
UNESCO world heritage sites
Historic Lyon: See tourist guide
Villages classified as "most beautiful villages"
Balazuc: See tourist guide
Bonneval: See tourist guide
Mirmande: See tourist guide
Oingt: See tourist guide
Perouges: See tourist guide
Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye: See tourist guide
Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval: See tourist guide
Vogue: See tourist guide
Yvoire: See tourist guide
National Monuments
Brou Royal Monastery
Voltaire Chateau
Towns classified as Recommended Detours
Charlieu
Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne
Cremieu: See tourist guide
Crest: See tourist guide
La Roche-sur-Foron
Nyons: See tourist guide
Saint-Galmier
Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne
Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise
Sallanches: See tourist guide
Trevoux: See tourist guide
Vals-les-Bains
Regional Natural Parcs
Chartreuse
Massif des Bauges
Monts d'Ardeche
Pilat
Vercors
Secteur Sauvegardé (protected historical town centre)
Chambery: See tourist guide
Lyon: See tourist guide
Viviers: See tourist guide
Theme Park
Walibi Rhone Alpes
Towns of Art and History
Albertville: See tourist guide
Annecy: See tourist guide
Chambery: See tourist guide
Grenoble: See tourist guide
Saint-Etienne: See tourist guide
Valence: See tourist guide
Vienne: See tourist guide
4* Towns in Bloom
Aix-les-Bains: See tourist guide
Annecy: See tourist guide
Chaponnay
Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne
Ecully
Evian-les-Bains: See tourist guide
Megeve: See tourist guide
Montelier
Morestel
Nances
Saint-Galmier
Saint-Gervais
Saint-Vulbas
Valence: See tourist guide
Vonnas
Yvoire: See tourist guide
Zoo or wildlife park
Jardin zoologique de la ville de Lyon
La Ferme aux crocodiles
Parc animalier de Courzieu
Parc de la Tête d'Or
Parc zoologique de Saint-Martin-la-Plaine
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