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14 top vacation destinations in the french alps.

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14 Top Destinations in the French Alps

A hiking trail surrounded by greenery and mountain views at Mercantour National Park in France.

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Experience the French Alps by hiking in national parks, skiing at top resorts, exploring mountain villages and more.

The Alps are the largest mountain chain in Europe – and one of the longest and highest mountain ranges in the world. Their majesty stretches for more than 700 miles across eight countries, with the highest peak, Mont Blanc, sitting near France's border with both Italy and Switzerland . Combined with its proximity to Lake Geneva , the French portion of the Alps offers some of the most picturesque ski resorts, alpine villages and vacation opportunities in the world.

Skiing, while not required to enjoy your visit, is a huge part of the French Alps culture – as is the après-ski (literally "after-ski"), which is what happens when the skis come off. In the summer, it's all about the Tour de France, an annual men's cycling competition that passes through the Alps. Travelers can soak in natural hot springs to unwind after a day spent hitting the slopes, exploring by cable car or doing nothing at all. Strap on your skis and pack your hiking boots for these top destinations in the postcard-worthy French Alps, one of the best places to visit in France .

(Note: Some of the following activities, attractions and locations may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. New policies may be in place, including capacity restrictions, reservation requirements or mask mandates. Check with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of State and local tourism boards before traveling.)

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Chamonix and Mont Blanc Mountain Range on a sunny day. Colorful flowers in the foreground.

The first Winter Olympics were held in 1924 in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. The town, more commonly referred to as Chamonix, sits in the heart of France's Haute-Savoie department, a subdivision of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region (like how the U.S. has counties within states). A century after those incipient Olympic Games, this scenic area in southeastern France – bordering Italy and Switzerland – continues to welcome visitors from around the world to take part in its premiere skiing and snow-gazing opportunities. You'll find the country's highest cable car in Chamonix at the Aigulle du Midi mountain. Advanced skiers and those simply brave enough to take the journey will venture more than 12,600 feet into the sky to the starting point for the Vallée Blanche. This "off-piste" area of the French Alps – where the snow is not specially prepared for skiing – offers up glacial skiing and celestial vantage points from the foot of the Mont Blanc massif mountain range.

For those more comfortable on rails rather than skis, book a ride on the Montenvers-Mer de Glace train. This cherry-red cogwheel train carries passengers from Chamonix to Montenvers for access to the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice), the biggest glacier in France. Visitors will have the opportunity to visit an ice cave in the glacier and learn more about both its history and future amid climate change. When you're done exploring, warm up with a traditional meal at the Refuge du Montenvers restaurant before heading back to Chamonix.

Aix-les-Bains

Set on the eastern shore of Lac du Bourget – France's largest natural lake – Aix-les-Bains is an inviting Savoy resort town in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It once hosted the summer escapades of royalty, along with American author Mark Twain. The glacial waters of the Lac du Bourget set a relaxed ambiance, easily discovered by strolling the Esplanade du Lac, a lakeside park and walkway shaded by trees. The rugged mountain landscape can be glimpsed across the lake as well as the Hautecombe Abbey, a former monastery where many members of the House of Savoy are buried. Mont Revard is a prime example of the limestone cliffs found in Aix-les-Bains. The ski station at the top boasts an impressive network of cross-country ski trails for winter visitors, while in summer skilled cyclists attempt the ascent – including the competitors of the Tour de France, which has been held here numerous times. Visitors claim the views are stupendous, even if you arrive by car.

If you seek a more low-key vacation in Aix-les-Bains, while away the days at the Musée Faure, an art museum, featuring the works of Rodin and impressionist paintings, or take a daylong soak in the restorative waters of the spa town's thermal baths. Those who appreciate architectural aesthetics will be in awe of the Roman ruins here, like the Temple of Diana, found alongside belle epoque structures including the Casino Grand Cercle and the hotel Le Mirabeau.

Alpe d'Huez

At more than 6,000 feet above sea level, Alpe d'Huez is a year-round resort town in the French Alps. Its Pic Blanc glacier reaches nearly 11,000 feet and is accessible in winter or summer. Alpe d'Huez has earned the nickname "Island of the Sun" for its abundant days of sunshine on the slopes, which warm skiers and snowboarders of all ages and abilities.

You may start your stay by marveling at the Grotte du Glace, an ice cave at the top of one of the ski lifts that features sculptures. The lifts continue to operate even in July and August for hikers and mountain bikers looking to take advantage of 21 thrilling hairpin bends regularly employed in the Tour de France. The lifts also grant access to the smaller Alpine villages of Vaujany and Oz en Oisans from Alpe d'Huez. While most local restaurants in town are known for cream- and cheese-based cuisine, the newly renovated Le Génépi serves a menu of plates made with fresh, local ingredients. Recent patrons call the restaurant a much-needed infusion of culinary excellence in this French Alps town with its unique dishes and scenic views from the terrace.

Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark

The mountainous area known as the Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark is set on the France-Switzerland border and spans more than 60 French towns. The Chablais' name means "head of the lake," referring to Lake Geneva. The UNESCO recognition acknowledges the area's millions of years of geological history alongside cultural heritage such as local cheese- and wine-making practices. The Chablais was designated a "geopark" to highlight the bond between people and nature here, something evident throughout the French Alps given the emphasis on water and natural springs. UNESCO offers a tourist map online that showcases some of the many places to visit throughout the Chablais – abbeys, castles, museums and more. Visitors to the Musée de la Musique Mécanique (Mechanical Music Museum) in Les Gets were surprised by the abundant instruments it displays, with plenty of quirky and antique contraptions to spend an hour ogling.

Évian-les-Bains

Within the Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark, Évian-les-Bains is widely known for its mineral springs – you may also recognize it as the namesake for a popular water bottle company – but this quintessential French spa town quenches a thirst for beauty as well as water. Located on the southern shore of Lake Geneva, Évian-les-Bains was a favorite of the Lumière family: the very same Lumières credited with helping invent modern cinema. Villa Lumière was the family's summer residence, and self-guided tours of the now-hotel are allowed on weekdays. The Palais Lumière, which constituted the formal thermal baths during the early 20th century, houses cultural and art exhibitions today. The neoclassical-style theater, dating to 1883, was created by a student of Charles Garnier, the architect who built the Opéra Garnier in Paris .

The Pré Curieux water gardens in Évian-les-Bains, meanwhile, are a unique lakeside habitat used for research but open to guests who come by solar-powered boat with a guide from May through October. If you seek something to do around the winter holidays instead, check out Le Fabuleux Village des Flottins, a festival of magical creatures created out of driftwood from the shores of Lake Geneva and elevated with light displays. Past participants rave that the flottin sculptures are unusual and breathtaking – and advise not to miss the stalls of "vin chaud" (hot mulled wine) and pancakes along the parade route. Whenever you visit this quaint French Alps destination, don't miss a Michelin-starred meal at the restaurant Les Fresques.

Winter view of ski lifts with pine trees in background in ski resort Courchevel.

Courchevel is a skiing enthusiast's dream, with one resort spread across six villages near Vanoise National Park, a nature preserve that was France's first national park . This French Alps ski resort is part of Les Trois Vallées (the Three Valleys), which is the largest linked ski area in the world. There are more than 100 ski runs – and plenty of moguls for snowboarders and snowmobilers – across a variety of experience levels. Skiers who prefer abundant off-piste territory should give nearby resort Val Thorens a try. Méribel, meanwhile, another ski resort in Les Trois Vallées that neighbors Courchevel, caters to families. Part of the appeal of ski culture is the offerings when you're done with the slopes; après-ski at Courchevel includes the bustling Le Tremplin restaurant and the Copiña Courchevel bar, where tapas, beer, wine and cocktails are served in a sleek setting. Guests say the friendly staff, delicious drinks and upbeat atmosphere – sometimes with live music – made them return to Copiña Courchevel again and again.

Serre Chevalier

Within France's Haute-Alpes department are four communes (the French equivalent of towns) that make up the Serre Chevalier valley and ski resort, where sunshine is plentiful throughout the year. In the valley of the Guisane river, between the Cerces mountain range and Écrins National Park, you'll find the commune of Le Monêtier-les-Bains, a former Roman city complete with thermal baths that today are open from May to December. Spagoers at Les Grands Bains du Monêtier note that the facilities can get crowded but a soak is a must, especially after a day spent skiing or hiking.

Another commune, Briançon, serves as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with plenty of history to explore; it's also one of the highest towns in Europe at an altitude of more than 4,300 feet. At the summit of Serre Chevalier, take in a panorama of Écrins from 3,600 feet up on your way down the summertime zip line. If you have younger family members in tow, kids aged 4 to 12 can make use of the valley's high-altitude wooden playground called Marmot Camp, named for the squirrel-like alpine marmot.

Val d'Isère

Festivals keep things lively year-round at Val d'Isère, a French ski resort town near the Italian border. In the summer, sporting and cultural events like races and festivals entertain locals and travelers alike. Val d'Isère is one of the top hosts of FIS Alpine Ski World Cup competitions, and it's famed for high-difficulty and off-piste skiing. But you don't have to know what you're doing to enjoy the skiing here, which visitors call seamless and user-friendly, with plenty of instructors for all levels of ability and reasonably priced lift tickets. The Alpine resort town also prides itself on its après-ski scene: The stunning Bar de l'Ouillette, for example, serves crepes lakeside. Les 3 Caves – comprising three locations at La Folie Douce – boasts a high-altitude wine cellar, a cave for cheese and one for cigars.

Saint-Gervais-les-Bains

About 40 miles from Geneva, Switzerland , sits Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, a small French town that makes a pleasant jumping-off point for daytrips to Chamonix or longer sojourns to the Swiss city of Lausanne or Turin, Italy. Saint-Gervais, surrounded by Mont Blanc among other towering peaks, is also a top French Alps destination in its own right, with bountiful eateries and plenty of mountain air to inhale. Take a 70-minute ride on the Mont Blanc tramway for scenic views; a 30-minute walk from the top gets you to the Bionnassay Glacier. You can also head to the cable car on the western part of Saint-Gervais to ascend to Le Bettex, a small village in the mountains. Stop here to dine at La Flèche d'Or, a hotel and restaurant serving traditional Savoie dishes with local produce, then continue in the cable car to Mont d'Arbois for the best views. Back in Saint-Gervais, Les Bains du Mont Blanc is a world-class thermal spa making use of the region's naturally warm water.

Mercantour National Park

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, the most southeastern region of France, houses the iconic French Riviera (Côte d'Azur) alongside a stretch of the Alps. Spread across the region's Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence departments is Mercantour National Park, about 30 miles from Nice . Multiple valleys, including the Ubaye Valley, are part of this more than 250-square-mile national park, which is home to more than 2,000 species of flowering plants as well as thousands of petroglyphs from the Bronze Age. Park trails covering nearly 400 miles will expose you to the biodiversity of this unspoiled natural haven in the southern French Alps. Tourists may enjoy kayaking the turquoise waters of the Verdon River through the Verdon Gorge or hiking around the rim of the canyon. The wild and unspoiled Ubaye Valley draws outdoor enthusiasts, who find their way to its town of Barcelonnette to hike, canoe and ski.

Grenoble in winter at sunset, Haute-Savoie, France.

Grenoble, France, is the European Green Capital for 2022, meaning this destination is an eco-friendly option for a French Alps vacation. The mountains and the metropolitan city work in harmony, offering visitors the restaurants and accommodations of a big city along with the natural sights of protected environments like the nearby Chartreuse Regional Nature Park. Speaking of green, the Grande Chartreuse monastery – situated in the Chartreuse mountain range north of Grenoble – is the home of the Carthusian monks who safekeep the secret recipe of green chartreuse liqueur to this day. The monastery isn't open to the public, but you can visit the nearby Grand Chartreuse museum to learn more about the Carthusian Order.

The Belledonne mountain range, meanwhile, is known for breathtaking vistas, including swirling sunsets. Beyond biking, hiking and skiing, thrill-seekers can paraglide here or take it slow in the winter with snowshoeing. In the city itself, La Bastille is a fort at the center of Grenoble, perfect for an afternoon spent above the city – a cable car will take you there, or you can hike to the top. About 10 miles south of Grenoble, the French-style gardens and chateau of Domaine de Vizille are so elegant you might not expect the Museum of the French Revolution is housed here, but art and artifacts combine in the castle's galleries to walk you through that historical period. Kids will love spotting the swans, ducks, deer and other animals that roam freely on the protected grounds.

Gondola above the village of La Clusaz in summer.

Wine and cheese – some of the best you've ever tasted – are abundant throughout France. And according to La Clusaz, a commune roughly 40 miles west of Chamonix in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, these French staples are something to be celebrated. The annual Fête du Reblochon (Reblochon Festival) exalts cheese and the local farmers who produce it with demonstrations, tastings, a parade, and plenty of folk dancing and merriment. Aside from cheese, chocolate truffles, white vermouth and certain wine varietals are all local specialties.

Recent visitors to La Clusaz call it a lovely little ski town with ample restaurants and cozy bars to keep refreshed. If you want to burn off some calories du fromage, head to Col des Aravis for hiking trails with iconic French Alps views: the white-capped Mont Blanc, pine trees, mountain flowers, a glacial lake and even a tiny chapel. Adventure lovers visiting La Clusaz may want to try out equestrian skijoring, which is the sport of being pulled by a horse through the snow on skis – not for the faint of heart.

Megève has been the stage city for the Tour de France only twice, but its elegant atmosphere makes it a sensible choice for hosting events that draw crowds from across the country – and the globe – including the annual equestrian Jumping International de Megève. When there is not a prestigious sporting event in town, tourists in Megève can still find world-class dining and shopping. For example, chef Anne-Sophie Pic, the most Michelin-starred woman in the world, helms La Dame de Pic – Le 1920, the restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Megève. The village shops span antique furniture to local produce to popular fashion brands. When you need a rest from shopping, stop in for tea by day and Champagne in the evening at Le Georges in the luxe Hotel Mont Blanc. A variety of child and teen programming in Megève invites the whole family to vacation, with a variety of sports courses and cultural workshops.

Often considered one of France's most beautiful villages, Yvoire is part of the Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark area for good reason, considering its 700 years of history and present-day charm. Like so many classic French Alps towns, Yvoire is nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva; its nickname is "gem of the lake." Built in 1306, Château d'Yvoire (Yvoire Castle) is a landmark in the medieval town that remains standing today; while not open to the public, it makes for an impressive photograph. On the other hand, the Jardin des Cinq Sens (Garden of the Five Senses) entices sightseers with gardens to explore through touch and smell. Visitors to the gardens mention that it is tucked away, but once you find it your senses will thank you. This romantic destination in the French Alps reserves its streets for pedestrians, so you can stroll hand in hand to your heart's content. What's more, flowers are so plentiful in Yvoire that it is often called the "French flower village."

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16 Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in the French Alps

Written by Lisa Alexander Updated Dec 24, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

Author Lisa Alexander spent two years living in France and has traveled the country extensively.

For nature lovers, the French Alps are one of the best places to visit in France . This area boasts some of the most magnificent scenery in Europe: awe-inspiring mountains, crystal-clear lakes, rushing waterfalls, and pristine forests.

The French Alps correspond with the historic duchy of Savoy , as well as the Dauphiné region . The impressive Château de Ducs de Savoie is found in Chambéry. The old château in Annecy belonged to the Counts of Geneva, while Grenoble was the meeting place of the Estates of the Dauphiné.

Most tourists focus their visit on outdoor activities, such as hiking , biking, and mountain climbing in summer; skiing and snowboarding in winter. The ski resorts of Chamonix, Val d'Isère, and Portes du Soleil offer excellent facilities, a lively ambience, and regional charm.

Relaxation is another reason to visit the French Alps. For over a century, tourists have arrived here in search of the rejuvenating fresh air and leisure. Many Belle Epoque spa towns, including Aix-les-Bains, Evian-les-Bain, and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, are still popular today.

Tourists will be amazed by the wealth of cultural and natural attractions to discover here. Find the best things to see and do in the region with our list of the top tourist attractions and places to visit in the French Alps.

See also: Where to Stay in the French Alps

1. Chamonix

3. vercors regional natural park, 4. grenoble, 5. aix-les-bains, 6. val d'isère, 7. evian-les-bain, 8. cirque du fer-à-cheval, 10. chambéry, 11. route du galibier, 12. albertville and surrounding ski resorts, 13. portes du soleil ski area, 14. route napoléon, 15. saint-gervais-les-bains, 16. thonon-les-bains, where to stay in the french alps for sightseeing.

The village of Chamonix nestles in the peaceful Chamonix Valley at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps . Reaching an impressive altitude of 4,807 meters, Mont Blanc is covered in a blanket of snow during all seasons of the year, even in summer.

Surrounded by mountains, meadows, and rushing streams, Chamonix is a high-mountain town that draws tourists from around the world. Visitors come to experience the beauty of the Alpine scenery and to participate in outdoor sports, such as skiing, hiking, climbing, mountaineering, biking, and golf.

Chamonix is the base of an internationally renowned ski resort offering some of the best skiing in Europe . The resort area extends for 23 kilometers along the Vallée de Chamonix between Les Houches and Argentière.

Tucked away among farms, lush forests, and Alpine meadows, Les Houches (a group of little hamlets) provides a dreamy escape for vacationers. Families especially appreciate the traditional mountain-village atmosphere and the many children's activities. Les Houches has a wide selection of hotels, chalets for rent, restaurants, and shops.

One of the must-see sites in Chamonix is the Aiguille du Midi summit (at 3,842 meters high) with incomparable views of Mont Blanc and the Glacier des Bossons. From the center of Chamonix, the Aiguille du Midi is accessible by a 20-minute cable car ride over high-mountain forests.

Another way to admire incredible vistas is on the Panoramic Mont-Blanc gondola. This exciting, scenic route traverses above ice falls and crevasses, with vantage points towards Pointe Helbronner in Italy.

Set by a tranquil lake with snowcapped mountains in the background, Annecy looks like a scene straight out of a storybook. Graceful white swans glide around the narrow canals of the Thiou River, which flows out of the lake and through the old town.

The old town (historic center) of Annecy charms visitors with its beauty and old-world ambience. Many building façades feature balconies adorned with colorful geraniums. Winding cobblestone streets invite a leisurely amble, while water channels traversed by small foot bridges add to the fairy-tale look.

Within the old town, an especially delightful place to wander is along the Rue Sainte-Claire . This distinctive street features arcaded 16th- to 18th-century buildings that now house many shops and restaurants.

Tucked away on Annecy's medieval streets are many architectural treasures. Annecy has two historic churches, the 15th-century Eglise Saint-Maurice and the 16th-century Cathédrale Saint-Pierre .

Not to be missed in the old town is the 12th-century Palais de l'Île , on an islet in the Canal du Thiou. The building was originally a prison and later used as the Palace of Justice. Today the Palais de l'Isle displays a collection of exhibits about regional architecture and history.

Another of the top attractions in Annecy is the Château d'Annecy , which dates back to the 13th century and was once the residence of the Counts of Geneva. Today, the château is a museum devoted to local history, medieval sculpture, landscape paintings, and contemporary art.

For those who enjoy animated films, it's worth taking a short walk from the château to the Musée du Film d'Animation (18 Avenue de Trésum), which presents exhibits about the process of creating animated films.

When the weather warms up, the Lac d'Annecy draws many vacation-goers. Beginning in springtime, the lake awakens with activity and potted flowers decorate the lakeside promenade .

Visitors can stroll along the shores of the lake that runs parallel to the Avenue d'Albigny , shaded by plane trees, with a path for bikers and pedestrians. The avenue extends alongside the lake for approximately one kilometer (about a 20-minute walk), ending up at the Parc Charles-Bosson , a lakeside park with benches near the water's edge and a spacious lawn that's ideal for picnics.

Just past the Parc Charles-Bosson on the Avenue d'Albigny is the Impérial Palace , a legendary Belle Époque hotel set in beautiful leafy grounds with a rose garden. This four-star hotel offers contemporary-style guest rooms, elegant salons, a gastronomic restaurant, spa with wellness center, and concierge services.

The Vercors is a range of forest-covered hills in the Dauphiné region between the Rhône Valley and the Route d'Hiver des Alpes. The mountains rise to 2,346 meters at the Grand Veymont and are broken up by deeply indented valleys and gorges.

The natural park has numerous well-groomed paths and trails, allowing visitors to explore the Vercors on foot or on horseback. In winter, excellent facilities are available for a variety of sports. It is worth making a special trip around the Vercors to take in the unusual scenery of the region.

Through the Combe Laval , there is a mountain road constructed in 1897, originally for the transport of timber from the Forêt de Lente to Saint-Jean-en-Royans. The finest stretch of the road begins at the wooded Col de la Machine on the way down to Saint-Jean, offering magnificent views of the countryside below.

Beyond Villard-de-Lans, the road descends into the Bourne Valley, which narrows into the Gorges de la Bourne, and continues through tunnels and over bridges. Beyond the little town of Pont-en-Royans is the Vernaison Valley and the picturesque Vernaison gorges. It climbs, with many bends, to the grandiose Grands Goulets gorge.

The old capital of the Dauphiné region, Grenoble lies in a basin of the Isère Valley surrounded by mountains rising to 3,000 meters. Grenoble is dominated in the north by Fort Rabot and the Fort de la Bastille, both on foothills of the Mont Rachais range.

Must-see historic landmarks in Grenoble's Vieille Ville include the Palais du Parlement du Dauphiné (Hall of Justice of the Estates of the Dauphiné), an opulent palace blending Flamboyant Gothic and Early Renaissance styles; and the Musée de l'Ancien Évêché , a 13th-century Episcopal palace that houses a museum of Grenoble's history.

The Musée de Grenoble is one of France's most important fine arts museums. The collection includes paintings by the great masters, including Rubens, George de La Tour, and Philippe de Champaigne, as well as 19th-century artists such as Delacroix and Monet. Modern art is represented with works by Picasso, Matisse, and Léger, among others.

In addition to Grenoble's cultural riches , it is blessed with a gorgeous natural setting and lush parks. Not to be missed is the Jardin des Dauphins, 30 hectares of terraced gardens with exceptional views. Shaded pedestrian paths and staircases make this park a pleasant place to stroll.

In the mountains by the Lac du Bourget, Aix-les-Bains is an internationally renowned spa town. The bucolic landscape, majestic views, and serene atmosphere make it ideal for a health retreat.

The town's natural hot springs have been used for curative purposes since Roman times. The ruins of Roman baths , the Arch of Campanus and the Temple of Diana, are open to the public.

Aix-les-Bains still welcomes visitors to bathe in its mineral waters and become immersed in restorative leisure time.

The modern facilities at the Marina Adelphia Spa and Hotel include a wellness center with therapeutic baths and an upscale spa with a sauna, Jacuzzi, and hammam. This four-star hotel also has a gourmet restaurant that serves traditional French cuisine.

Other thermal bath facilities are found at Domaine de Marlioz , which includes two hotels (3-star Ibis Styles and 4-star Hôtel Mercure ), two restaurants, therapeutic thermal baths, and a full-service spa. The property is set in a calm, verdant park shaded by hundred-year-old trees.

In a lovely spot with mountain views, the Thermes Chevalley offers spa treatments, saunas, and swimming pools filled with warm thermal mineral waters. The Thermes Chevalley waters are said to cure various health conditions including rheumatism, joint stiffness, back pain, and osteoarthritis. The facility's staff also provides relaxation programs, nutritional guidance, fitness courses, and physical therapy.

Much of the architecture in Aix-les-Bains dates back to the Belle Époque, when it was a fashionable spa destination. From an earlier era, the 15th-century Château des Marquis d'Aix (now the Town Hall) has a Renaissance staircase built of stone from Roman structures.

Art lovers will appreciate the Musée Faure (10 Boulevard des Côtes) housed in a stately villa, which has an interesting collection of Impressionist paintings, Rodin sculptures, and faience ceramics.

Val d'Isère has long been a favorite skiing area because it offers numerous ski lifts and cableways over an enormous terrain. The expansive Tignes-Val d'Isère ski resort is located in the Tarentaise Mountains at an altitude of between 1,550 meters and 3,500 meters.

The Tignes-Val d'Isère ski area is so vast and with so many options, both on- and off-piste, that it is possible to try a different run every time. The area offers 163 ski slopes on mountainsides that cover 300 kilometers.

The village of Val d'Isère is, at its heart, a traditional Alpine hamlet, with little chalets centered around a Baroque church.

The historic village has grown into a modern resort and boasts a lively après-ski ambience with an array of restaurants, from casual dining rooms that serve hearty Savoyard cuisine to Michelin-starred gastronomic establishments (including one-starred La Table de l'Ours and two-starred L'Atelier d'Edmond).

During summertime, Val d'Isère attracts many visitors with its vibrant mountain scenery and outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and climbing. It's also a marvelous area for taking nature walks to see wildflowers and bird life.

Nestled in the green mountain pastures of the French Alps, the spa town of Evian-les-Bains overlooks the crystal-clear blue waters of Lake Geneva . In this pristine location, Evian-les-Bains is a popular health resort and leisure destination known for its culture and entertainment options.

Evian-les-Bains has a rich history that dates back to the medieval era, but its heyday was during the Belle Époque when the town flourished as a spa resort. Elegant 19th- and early 20th-century architectural landmarks reveal the town's heritage as a prestigious destination for taking the waters.

Visitors still come to Evian-les-Bains to bath in the curative mineral waters. Les Thermes Evian spa facility offers therapeutic thermal baths and wellness programs as well as fitness courses. The facility's hydrotherapy spa treatments feature hydromassage jets designed to provide relaxation and muscle toning benefits.

An excellent example of spa architecture, the Palais Lumière was a thermal spa built in 1902 and now hosts art expositions throughout the year.

Listed as a Historical Monument, the Théâtre Antoine Riboud was built between 1883 and 1885 by a student of Charles Garnier. This lavish neoclassical theater hosts Estivales Théâtrales , a summertime theater festival focused on lighthearted comedies.

Evian-les-Bain also draws crowds for its classical music festival, Rencontres Musicales d'Evian , which takes place from the end of June through July.

For the simple pleasure of strolling in a rejuvenating setting, visitors can head to the town's lakeside promenade and Pré Curieux water gardens .

The Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval is a spectacular limestone mountain that was carved out by glaciers into a circular shape. This unspoiled nature reserve has wonderful trails for scenic walks and hiking. Visitors are enchanted by the peaceful Alpine environment of snow-capped mountain peaks, refreshing pine trees, and abundant waterfalls.

Nestled in this wilderness area, the picturesque village of Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval is listed as one of France's "Plus Beaux Villages" (Most Beautiful Villages). The village is actually a collection of 24 small hamlets surrounded by the nature reserve and graced by the "Cascade du Rouget" waterfall.

Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval is distinguished by its traditional Alpine architecture of high-pitched roofs and steepled churches. The town has an ancient abbey, the Abbaye de Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval , founded by Ponce de Faucigny in the 12th century, as well as an adjoining 13th-century parish church with a garden that is open to the public.

Nearby is a ski resort, as well as access to many hiking trails and other outdoor activities such as mountain biking and fishing.

Megève is another one of France's best ski resorts , with opportunities for downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding. The quaint medieval village of Megève dates back to the 14th century and offers an authentic Alpine experience.

As a typical mountain village, Megève has narrow cobblestone streets, a main town square, and a historic parish church. The atmosphere is charming and vibrant, and the village is also well-developed enough to handle the influx of seasonal visitors to the ski resort.

Travelers will appreciate the abundance of modern hotels, exclusive boutiques, and upscale restaurants.

Although the skiing at Megève is limited because of its low elevation, the extensive ski domain incorporates areas in the nearby towns of Combloux, Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc, Saint Nicolas de Véroce, and Les Contamines Montjoie, with the skiable terrain encompassing eight mountain peaks.

Megève is also a popular vacation destination during summertime, for those who enjoy outdoor activities. Things to do include hiking, white water rafting, mountain biking, and rock climbing.

On the banks of the fast-flowing Leysse River, in a fertile basin surrounded by hills and mountains, picturesque Chambéry has a rich history tied to the Dukes of Savoy. The town was the capital of the independent state of Savoy from the 13th to the 16th centuries and is dominated by the old castle of the Dukes of Savoy.

The Château de Ducs de Savoie is a fortified castle that was founded in the 11th century and designed as a walled village, although the edifice that stands today was mostly built in the 14th century.

The château houses the local government offices, however a few rooms in the medieval wing are open to the public and display exhibits about the history of the castle. Visitors may take a guided tour (available in French only) to see more of the castle.

The Musée des Beaux-Arts , which occupies a former grain barn, displays an impressive collection of masterpieces by the Old Masters including Uccello, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, Lorenzo Lotto, Giovanni Battista, and Georges de La Tour. There are also noteworthy landscape paintings by Albert Charpin, Xavier de Maistre, Jacques Barthélemy Appian, and Antoine Watteau.

An indication of the town's former grandeur and cultural influence are the regal old mansions , created by noble families in the 15th and 16th centuries. The finest of these " hôtels particuliers " are found along the Rue Croix-d'Or.

The Col du Galibier, in the sunny Maurienne valley of the northern Dauphiné district, reaches a height of 2,646 meters and ranks with the Col de l'Iseran (200 meters higher) as one of the highest mountain passes in France .

There are awe-inspiring panoramic views on both the ascent and the descent from the summit. The scenic drive is best planned during the summer, as it may be impassable from October until the end of May because of snow.

At the south entrance to the tunnel on this route stands a monument to Henri Desgranges, who initiated the Tour de France cycle race in 1903. The Col du Galibier is part of the Tour de France route but is also popular among recreational cyclists.

Albertville is a good base for a ski holiday in the French Alps and a worthwhile destination to simply enjoy the Alpine scenery. This bustling high-mountain town was founded by King Charles-Albert of Savoy in the 19th century and was laid out with a modern city plan.

On a hilltop spur above the town is Conflans , the oldest part of Albertville. This historic quarter is a relic of the past with its Gothic town gates, medieval walls, historic houses, and Baroque church.

Several top ski resorts are less than an hour away from Albertville. About 45 kilometers from Albertville is La Clusaz , a popular winter sports destination. La Clusaz ski area encompasses five interlinked mountain peaks, with 85 ski slopes covering 125 kilometers of groomed trails.

The charming historic village of La Clusaz , with its narrow, winding streets and splendid views, is a wonderful place to stay. Accommodations range from luxurious five-star hotels to cozy chalets and family-friendly rental apartments.

Another nearby option for skiers (60 kilometers from Albertville) is La Plagne , part of Paradiski ski area, which is one of the largest ski resorts in Europe with 425 kilometers and around 150 ski slopes. The resort area of La Plagne includes several small villages, and each has its own distinct high-mountain character.

Those looking for endless ski runs should head to Les 3 Vallées , just 27 kilometers from Albertville. Les 3 Vallées is the most extensive ski area in the world . This 600-kilometer domain has 166 lifts that provide access to 328 ski slopes.

Les 3 Vallées comprises several different resort areas, including the prestigious Courchevel area, which has six villages; the charming Alpine village of Méribel ; the more affordable resort of Brides-les-Bains ; and the family-oriented ski area of Les Menuires .

The Portes du Soleil ski area includes 12 different ski resorts in the Chablais mountain range. The resorts on the French side include Abondance, Chatel, Montriond, Morzine-Avoriaz, Saint-Jean d'Aulps, Avoriaz, La Chapelle d'Abondance, and Les Gets.

The bustling resort of Morzine-Avoriaz is sheltered in a forested valley with the Chablais mountains as a backdrop. Morzine provides a wide selection of accommodations in its authentic Alpine village. Avoriaz is a modern traffic-free resort that is popular with families.

La Chapelle d'Abondance enjoys a postcard-perfect setting in the sunny Vallée d'Abondance. This traditional Savoyard village offers all the amenities of a top-notch French ski resort . The nearby ski area includes downhill slopes and cross-country skiing.

In an idyllic lakeside setting, Montriond is an excellent choice for skiers who appreciate long runs. The nearby ski area boasts an almost eight-kilometer-long ski run, l'Abricotine, which extends from a mountain peak near the border with Switzerland.

The Route Napoléon is a scenic itinerary for a driving tour through the French Alps. The four lakes of Laffrey are the main features on the barren plateau of Matésine. Here, on March 7, 1815, Napoleon won against a battalion, which had been sent to prevent him from advancing any further.

The Route Napoléon runs between Gap and Grenoble and one of the best places to visit is Corps , a fetching historic town in the expansive Vallée des Drac. The rural landscape in this area is particularly scenic.

It's worth taking a detour from Corp to the Church of Notre-Dame de la Salette , perched at an altitude of 1,170 meters amid stunning Alpine scenery. The church was built after the Virgin reputedly appeared to two children in 1851, and every summer, it attracts many pilgrims.

In the foothills of the Alps, the town of Saint-Gervais has been renowned since the Belle Époque period as one of the best spas in the Savoy region .

The town offers an escape to nature where visitors may enjoy the beauty of the mountain scenery and take advantage of the thermal baths. Many hotels in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains offer bathing facilities and spa treatments.

The luxurious Armancette Hotel provides comfortable accommodations in stylish guest rooms, suites, or fully equipped chalets. This five-star hotel has an upscale spa with an indoor-outdoor pool, three Jacuzzis, a sauna, and steam room. The hotel's outdoor terrace overlooks Mont Blanc .

Saint-Gervais-les-Bains is also a popular wintertime destination as it's connected by a network of cableways to the skiing areas of Megève and Chamonix.

Perched above Lake Geneva, Thonon-les-Bains is a popular spa destination both in summer and winter.

A top place to visit is the 17th-century Château de Sonnaz, which offers glorious panoramic views of the Jura Mountains and Lake Geneva. The château houses the Musée du Chablais , which presents exhibits about the heritage of the Chablais Mountains region.

About 14 kilometers west of Thonon-les-Bains is Excenevex , a resort town on Lake Geneva with a large natural beach of fine sand bordered by pine trees. The beach has shallow waters ideal for swimming. Other things to do at Excenevex include boating, fishing, and volleyball. There is also a children's playground.

It's worth traveling a few kilometers farther to the medieval village of Yvoire , one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France." This enchanting lakeside village boasts a 14th-century château with fortified ramparts and an exquisitely landscaped garden (listed as a " Jardin Remarquable ").

For a French Alps ski holiday, the best areas to stay include Chamonix, Albertville, or one of the Portes du Soleil villages. During summertime, spa resorts such as Evian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains are especially pleasant, while Annecy delights with its fairy-tale ambience. Grenoble is a good base any time of year. Here are some highly rated hotels in convenient locations:

Luxury Hotels:

Right in the center of Chamonix, the five-star Hotel Mont-Blanc is a legendary establishment with superb views of Mont Blanc. This elegant 19th-century property has been refurbished in sleek contemporary style. Amenities include a spa, gourmet restaurant, and outdoor swimming pool.
The four-star Hotel Ermitage - Evian Resort in Evian-les-Bains has lovely gardens with an outdoor swimming pool, set on a 47-acre property overlooking Lake Geneva. Amenities include a thermal spa, several restaurants, and children's activities.
In Grenoble's atmospheric Vieille Ville (old town), the four-star Grand Hotel Grenoble Centre is within walking distance of many restaurants and shops. This boutique hotel features sleek contemporary-style guest rooms.
The four-star Hôtel Macchi is the ideal place to stay for a ski holiday at the Portes du Soleil area. This traditional chalet in the Vallée d'Abondance has a restaurant that serves seasonal cuisine and a spa with an indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and Ayurvedic treatments.

Mid-Range Hotels:

In a quiet area of Thonon-les-Bains, less than 15-minutes' walk to the town and lake, the three-star Hôtel L'Arc en Ciel has an outdoor pool, stylish modern guest rooms, and large suites that are great for families.
Only steps from the chairlifts and a short walk to the quaint ski resort village of La Clusaz, the four-star Hôtel Beauregard has a cozy ski lodge feel. Amenities include an indoor swimming pool and sauna. Guest rooms feature old-fashioned Alpine décor and private balconies.
The three-star Allobroges Park Hotel enjoys a perfect location in the heart of Annecy, near the old town and just a five-minute walk from the lake. Contemporary-style guest rooms are outfitted with flat-screen televisions and updated bathrooms.

Budget Hotels:

The three-star Savoy Hôtel is sheltered by verdant hillsides in the spa town of Brides-les-Bains, less than 10 kilometers from Les Trois Vallées ski area. This cheerful hotel occupies a renovated convent building with modern guest rooms, a restaurant, spa, and outdoor swimming pool.
The Zenitude Hôtel-Résidences Les Terrasses du Lac stands on a hillside overlooking the deep blue waters of Lac Léman. This three-star hotel benefits from the tranquil environment of Evian-les-Bains, and the property includes an outdoor swimming pool and sauna. The hotel's apartments with kitchenettes are perfect for families and extended stays.
Near Annecy's old town and just a five-minute walk from the lake, the Atipik Hôtel Annecy offers a friendly welcome and cozy rooms. Some of the guest rooms have canal views.

The French Alps: A Mini Discovery Guide

Last Updated: 6 March 2024

Walking underneath dramatic glaciers and snow-capped peaks, strolling in the picture-perfect old towns and villages, tasting the delicious mountain cheese while relaxing on the shores of alpine lakes, the French Alps have much to offer to its visitors.

Although crowded in winter , this part of France is often bypassed by English-speaking tourists in summer who traditionally prefer popular destinations such as Paris, Provence, the South-West and the Loire. Nevertheless, the true beauty of the mountains, with their inspiring and spectacular settings, make them a good reason to visit the area. Extending from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean Sea in Nice , the French Alps show a diversity of landscapes, traditions and gastronomy, as well as various cultural and sports activities.

Description of the French Alps

Limits of the french alps.

The French Alps extend 180km from Lake Geneva on the Swiss border in the north to Nice and the Italian border in the south. Switzerland and Italy border its eastern side.

Two administrative regions share the vast mountain territory:

Auvergne Rhône-Alpes to the north and,
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) to the South.

The French Alps are included partly or wholly in eight départements:

Haute-Savoie (74, Annecy ),
Savoie (73, Chambéry),
Isère (38, Grenoble),
Hautes-Alpes (05, Gap),
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04, Digne-les-Bains),
Alpes Maritimes (06, Nice),
Drôme (26, Valence), and
Var (83, Toulon).

Many historic provinces comprise this vast mountainous area: Savoie , Dauphiné , Provence , and the County of Nice .

The Alps in general

The French Alps are part of the greater mountain range of the Alps, which stretch in a crescent shape 1,200 kilometres (700 miles) from Nice to Vienna across seven countries: Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, and France.

The highest mountain of the Alps is Mont Blanc (4,810m), situated on the French-Italian border. From the Danube to the Mediterranean Sea, 82 summits are reaching an altitude of at least 4,000 metres (48 in Switzerland, 38 in Italy and 24 in France).

Alpine mountain passes

Many mountain passes linking valleys or countries with altitudes greater than 1,000 metres are regularly climbed by the prestigious Tour de France bicycle race.

Alpine passes played a great part in the mountain’s history, from the Roman era to the Middle Ages and from the Napoleonic Wars to World War Two.

Find out more about the great mountain road passes of the French Alps.

The Alps: Europe’s Reservoir

The Alps are known as Europe’s Reservoir thanks to the great rivers that rise from their glaciers: the Rhine , the Rhône , the Po , the Inn , the Ticino , and the Adige .

In France, the great rivers of the Alps are the Rhône , the Arve , the Isère , the Arc , the Romanche , the Drac , the Drôme , the Durance , the Verdon , the Var and the Vésubie .

The French Alps include some of France’s most beautiful lakes , for instance:

Lake Annecy , Lake Bourget, Lake Geneva, Lake Aiguebelette, Lac du Sautet, Lac de Serre-Ponçon, Lac du Chevril, Lac du Mont-Cenis, Lac de Castillon, Lac de Sainte-Croix, Lac d’Esparron…

And a multitude of small lakes found in protected areas:

Lac Lauvitel, Lac de l’Eychauda, Lac du Combeynot (Écrins), Lac des Vaches, Lac Long, Lac Blanc, Lac des Assiettes ( Vanoise ), Lac des 9 couleurs (Queyras), Lac Vert, Lac Noir, Lac du Basto, Lac d’Enfer (Mercantour)…

Main glaciers

The glaciers of the French Alps are found in four main massifs: Mont Blanc , Vanoise , Grandes Rousses, and Écrins. They cover a total area of 350 km2 , and the snow line on the glaciers lies between 2,750m and 2,950m.

Mont Blanc has the only continuous glacier area in France and accounts for a third of the total glacier area in the French Alps. It includes the well-known Mer de Glace, which is the largest glacier in the country (30 km2).

Main cities

Although the highest mountain range in France, the Alps are home to large cities due to the deep and large valleys that separate its different massifs. The French capital of the Alps is Grenoble , a dynamic economic and university centre of 450,000 inhabitants that hosted the 1968 Winter Olympic Games.

In addition, there are other important cities such as Annecy, Chambéry, Gap, Briançon, Aix-les-Bains, Cluses, Thonon-les-Bains, and Albertville.

Overall, the Alps cover a large area and are densely populated in large valleys. 14 million people live in the mountainous region, which is home to cities such as Innsbruck (Austria), Bolzano (Italy), Chur (Switzerland), Grenoble (France), and Aosta (Italy).

In France, the densely populated “ Alpine Furrow ” (Sillon alpin) is an axis stretching over 330 km from Geneva to Valence, passing through Annecy , Aix-les-Bains , Chambéry and Grenoble.

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Protected areas in the French Alps

The French Alps attract many visitors who come to discover one of its many protected areas. The mountain range includes National Parks, Regional Natural Parks, and Natural Reserves .

National Parks

As of 2014, three of the 10 National Parks in France are located in the French Alps.

Vanoise National Park (Parc national de la Vanoise)

Situated in the département of Savoie , the park protects an area of 1,250 km2 (483 sq mi). It was the first National park created in France (6th July 1963).

Écrins National Park (Parc National des Écrins)

The park, which was created on March 27, 1973, covers parts of the départements of Isère and Hautes-Alpes and protects an area of 918 km2 (354 sq mi).

Mercantour National Park (Parc national du Mercantour)

In between the départements of Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the park protects an area of 685 km2 (264 sq mi). It was created on the 18th of August, 1979.

Regional Natural Parks

A Parc Naturel Régional (or PNR) covers a rural area of outstanding beauty to protect its scenery and heritage and enforce sustainable economic development. As of 2014, out of the 49 PNRs found in France, 7 are located in the French Alps.

Vercors Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional du Vercors)

Situated in the départements of Drôme and Isère, the park protects an area of 2,063 km2. It was created on the 16th October 1970.

Luberon Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional du Luberon)

Covering the fringe of the Alps in the départements of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Vaucluse, the park protects an area of 1,747 km2. It was created on the 31st of January, 1977.

Queyras Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional du Queyras)

Included in the département of Hautes-Alpes, the park protects an area of 603 km2. It was created on the 31st January 1977.

Chartreuse Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional de la Chartreuse)

Situated in the départements of Savoie and Isère, the park protects an area of 767 km2. It was created on the 6th May 1995.

Bauges Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional du Massif des Bauges)

In-between the départements of Savoie and Haute-Savoie , the park protects an area of 900 km2. It was created on the 7th December 1995.

Verdon Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional du Verdon)

Situated in the départements of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Var, the park protects an area of 1,770km2. It was created on the 3rd March 1997.

Prealps of Azur Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional des Préalpes d’Azur)

Covering parts of the département of Alpes-Maritimes, the park protects an area of 889 km2. It was created on the 30th of March, 2012.

Natural Reserves

Nature Reserves are outstanding protected areas created by the State for endangered plants and vertebrates (fish, reptiles, birds, mammals…).

The French Alps amount to many spread throughout the range, with some protecting well-known sites, for instance:

Aiguilles Rouges,
Bout du lac d’Annecy ,
Cirque du grand lac des Estaris,
Contamines-Montjoie,
Roc de Chère (Lake Annecy),
Sixt-Passy,
Tignes-Champagny,
Sainte-Victoire (Provence)

Human activities in the French Alps

Traditionally, the French Alps have relied on forestry and cattle farming . More recently, hydroelectric power, technological industries, and particularly tourism activities have threatened this fragile mountain environment.

The coniferous forests of the Alps are exploited for pulp, lumber and wood furniture. They are often found on the north-facing slopes, whereas the sunnier south-facing slopes are covered with fields and pastures.

More recently, an intensive reforestation programme has been undertaken, and it is estimated that forests now cover more than a third of all usable land.

Cows and sheep

Two main breeds of alpine cows produce gruyère-type cheese: the Tarine and the Abondance. The ringing of the bells attached to their necks is one of the typical sounds heard on a walk in the Alps.

In addition, there are countless mountain sheep in the southern Alps in Provence.

Each spring, the cows and sheep leave the farms to reach the high pastures, where they stay for the whole duration of summer. This is called the transhumance and can be a popular public celebration (such as in Annecy for cows and Saint-Remy-de-Provence for sheep).

Hydroelectric power

Since the 1950s, enormous reservoirs and dams have been built to use the formidable hydroelectric power from the alpine rivers. Several man-made lakes were created in flooded valleys and villages: Chevril, Roselend, Mont-Cenis, Chambon, Serre-Ponçon, and Sainte-Croix.

Technological industries

Grenoble has become a significant European scientific centre in physics, computer science, and applied mathematics. The self-proclaimed ‘ Capital of the Alps ’ is one of the leading European cities in high-tech industries, especially biotechnology and nanotechnology.

A combination of research and industry known as the ‘ Grenoble model ‘ was implemented as early as 1955 with the creation of the Grenoble Center for Nuclear Studies (CENG).

Other technological centres in the French Alps are found in Haute-Savoie and Savoie.

Thermal Baths

The French Alps are reputed for their numerous spa towns, some of which have gained international fame, like Evian.

Haute-Savoie : Evian-les-Bains, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Thonon-les-Bains.
Savoie : Aix-les-Bains , Brides-les-Bains, Challes-les-Eaux, La Léchère, Salins-les-Thermes.
Isère : Allevard, Uriage-les-Bains.
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence : Digne-les-Bains, Gréoux-les-Bains.
Alpes-Maritimes : Berthemont-les-Bains.

Traditions and cultural identity

The French Alps share a strong cultural identity with the rest of the Alps. This is observed in the traditional culture of farming, cheese-making, and woodworking, which has not disappeared in Alpine villages despite the development of mass tourism.

In fact, since the 1950s, tourism has become the dominant industry, radically transforming the once impoverished area into one of the world’s thriving regions.

Activities and Sports in the French Alps

Winter sports.

The French Alps rank amongst the largest winter sports areas in the world, with top-class and famous resorts such as Chamonix, Courchevel, Val d’Isère, La Plagne, and L’Alpe d’Huez.

In addition, the region has a strong Olympic history and has organised three Winter Olympic Games, including the very first edition of the competition:

Chamonix (1924),
Grenoble (1968), and
Albertville (1992).

In 2011, Annecy lost the bid for the 23rd Winter Games in 2018 to Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The equipment and facilities provided there since the 1950s offer a wide range of winter sports options such as downhill skiing (ski alpin), cross-country skiing (ski de fond), monoskiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing, and dog sledging.

Gigantic ski resorts in the French Alps

Many individual ski resorts have linked into giant ski domains connecting different villages. Primarily found in the northern Alps, these extensive ski areas are organised into two different forms:

domaines reliés (linked resorts) are resorts that have linked their ski areas by a network of shared pistes connected by cable cars or chairlifts. Examples of domaines reliés are Portes du Soleil (between France and Switzerland), Les Deux-Alpes, Espace Killy (Tignes and Val d’Isère), Les Grandes Rousses (L’Alpe d’Huez, Allemont), Paradiski ( La Plagne , Champagny-en-Vanoise, Nancroix, Les Arcs), Les Trois Vallées (Les Ménuires, Courchevel, Val Thorens , Méribel).
domaines skiables (skiing resorts) are resorts where you can ski with one ticket but whose ski areas may be accessible by car or coach.

A few ski resorts are also open for summer activities. These mountain resorts enjoy proximity to sites of outstanding natural beauty and include villages such as Chamonix and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains for the Mont-Blanc Massif, and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Pralognan-la-Vanoise , Champagny-en-Vanoise, Val d’Isère for the Vanoise National Park.

Summer sports and activities

From late spring to early autumn, the French Alps offer a different side of its potential.

In fact, many National Parks and Regional Natural Parks provide many outdoor activities, one of the most popular being walking and hiking.

Walking and Hiking in the French Alps

Unsurprisingly, walking is by far the best way to discover the Alps and their majestic scenery. There are thousands of kilometres of marked paths, including the GR trails, crossing some of the most renowned sites: Mont-Blanc, the Vanoise, the Écrins, the Vercors, the Queyras, the Mercantour, and many other massifs.

Families will enjoy day walks, while experienced hikers may plan a long itinerary through the passes of the Alps, passing from one valley to the next and occasionally staying overnight in a mountain refuge.

Therefore, the Grandes Randonnées (GR) trails include the famous GR5 , which crisscrossed the Alps from north to south, from Lake Geneva to Nice. The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) winds around the massif of Mont-Blanc in France, Italy, and Switzerland. The GR55 reveals the best of what is to see in the Vanoise National Park, while the GR54 explores the Écrins National Park.

Apart from walking, numerous popular activities and sports are practised each summer in the French Alps: mountain biking, canyoning, rock-climbing, caving, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, angling, horse or donkey riding… Aerial activities include paragliding ( parapente ) and hand gliding ( deltaplane ).

Tourism and main sites

It is estimated that 120 million people visit the Alps each year, 1.5 times the number of visitors to France.

Natural Environment

The three National Parks found in the French Alps (Écrins, Mercantour and Vanoise ) attract around 2,000,000 visitors yearly. Along with the Regional Natural Parks, they provide a wide range of sports activities, particularly for ramblers, cyclists and nature lovers.

In addition, other popular mountain sites are the massifs of Mont Blanc , Beaufortain, Aravis, Champsaur, Belledonne, Grandes-Rousses, Chartreuse, Vercors and Mercantour.

Cities, small towns and villages

The French Alps include beautiful towns and villages, some of which have gained international reputation. Here are a few popular sites listed by département:

Haute-Savoie : Abondance, Alby-sur-Chéran, Annecy , Chamonix-Mont-Blanc , Combloux, Évian-les-Bains, La Roche-sur-Foron , Megève, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, Talloires , and Yvoire .
Savoie : Aussois, Bessans, Bonneval-sur-Arc, Chambéry, Conflans, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, and Valloires.
Isère : Grenoble, Mens, Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, and Vizille.
Drôme : Buis-les-Baronnies, Die, Montbrun-les-Bains, and Nyons.
Hautes-Alpes : Briançon , Embrun, Gap, Guillestre, La Grave, Montmaur, Saint-Véran, Serres, and Vallouise.
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence : Annot, Barcelonnette, Castellane, Colmars, Digne-les-Bains, Entrevaux, Forcalquier, Les Mées, Manosque, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Riez, Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye, Seyne, and Sisteron.
Alpes-Maritimes : Grasse, Le Boréon, Saint-Martin-Vésubie, Sospel, Tende, Vence, and the hilltop villages of Coaraze, Gourdon, Lucéram, Peille , Peillon , Péone, Sainte-Agnès , and Saorge.
Var : Bargème, Cotignac, Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, Seillans, and Tourtour.

Feudal Castles and Fortifications

Set in a border area since the Middle Ages, the French Alps have been the stage for countless military operations. Indeed, from Lake Geneva to Nice, a significant number of feudal castles and fortifications can be observed and sometimes visited, for instance:

Haute-Savoie and Savoie : Annecy , Aix-les-Bains , Chambéry, Chantemerle (La Bâthie), Duingt , Menthon-Saint-Bernard , Miolans, Montrottier, Thorens-Glières, Yvoire , and the forts in the Maurienne Valley.
Isère and Hautes-Alpes : Briançon , Grenoble, Le Bourg d’Oisans, Mont-Dauphin, and Sassenage.
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence , Alpes-Maritimes and Var : Allemagne-en-Provence, Authion, Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban, Entrecasteaux, Entrevaux, Esparron-de-Verdon, Gréoux-les-Bains, Seyne-les-Alpes, and Sisteron.

Cathedrals, Churches and Abbeys

Many renowned churches and abbeys draw visitors through their doors:

Hautecombe Abbey on the western shore of Lake Bourget,
the churches of Annecy ‘ the Rome of the Alps ’,
Sainte-Chapelle of the Ducal Palace in Chambéry,
the Romanesque cathedral of Sisteron,
the Gothic cathedrals of Embrun and Forcalquier,
Collegiate Church Notre-Dame in Briançon .

Without forgetting, many chapels scattered across the high pastures of the Alps.

Moreover, the Tarentaise Valley in Savoie is famous for its beautiful Baroque churches that house rich altarpieces. Many churches in the historical province of Savoy are dominated by an onion-shaped spire (Bozel, Combloux, La Roche-sur-Foron , Talloires , Thônes…)

Local artefacts

Visitors to the French Alps will bring back the following artefacts:

woodcarving from Queyras.
teddies representing a marmot, a chamois or a St. Bernard dog.
wooden walking cane from Savoie can be sold in souvenir shops with an engraved edelweiss flower and walking stick badges.
bells that recall those attached around the neck of mountain cows.
earthenware from the Provençal Alps, particularly the faïence de Moustiers.
cheeses from Savoie: reblochon , beaufort , abondance and tomme de Savoie are the most popular.
Wines from Savoie, Clairette from Die (Drôme) and the green coloured génépi liqueur.
olive oil from the Provençal Alps.
honey from the Provençal Alps, particularly miel de lavande (lavender) and miel toutes fleurs de Provence (Provençal flowers).

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Read more about the French Alps in French on our blog Mon Grand-Est .

About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

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24 PLACES TO SEE IN FRANCE

Your guide to pretty much everything in the French Alp region

20 Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in the French Alps

A roundup of the 20 Best Places to Visit in the French Alps in 2023!

With France being on many people’s bucket lists, I wanted to help break down the main towns, cities and areas that make up the French Alps to help you plan your holiday better.

Table of Contents

1. Annecy | Scenic Lakeside Town

Annecy old town Places to Visit in the French Alps

Annecy is the largest city in the Haute-Savoie region of France. It’s nicknamed “Pearl of French Alps”, and we have to agree. Annecy is a gorgeous lakeside city with breathtaking views and a charming old town. You will see snowcapped mountains in the distance as you drive in, giving it the perfect fairy tale appearance. The medieval township of Annecy (Le Vieil Annecy) is situated on the North Side of Annecy Lake. It was established in the 14th century, and as such, there are plenty of old buildings and twisting laneways.

You could be forgiven for thinking this is the Venice of the Alps, with the canals of Thiou River winding through the old town. It’s very picturesque. Beautiful white swans glide through the canals and into the lake, and in summer there are bursts of colour at every turn. Pots of geraniums are kept in windowsills and at entranceways, it adds a lovely ambience.

Dining in Annecy

Restaurants and cafes dot the sidewalks, my favourite place to sit with a glass of rose and people watch is Le Lilas Rose. Try to get a table outside if the weather permits. They also serve plenty of local French food and have a great Menu Del Dia.

If you are looking for traditional Savoyard cuisine, I suggest Le Chalet in the old town of Annecy. The Tartiflette there is fantastic!

When French food gets too much, there are also other options in the old town. Little Italy is great for pasta and all things Italian Food, while Casa Santa Clara provides tasty Spanish tapas.

Things to do in Annecy

Along Avenue, d’Albigny is a bike path that is shaded with trees and allows for a complete circumnavigation around the entire Annecy lake. You can hire a bike and ride the entire 40kms distance, or take a leisurely ride part of the way and turn back. It’s a beautiful ride and is mostly flat.

The top tourist attraction in the old town is the twelfth century Palais de l’Isle , on an islet in the Canal du Thiou. The structure was initially a jail and later utilized as the Palace of Justice. Today the Palais de l’Isle shows an assortment of displays of the region’s history and architecture.

Families and friends spend a lot of time at the lakeside in the area called Jardins De L’Europe. You can hire small boats and travel around Lake Annecy, or you can sunbathe and relax. There are small food carts in the area too for light refreshments and coffee.

Inside the old town , a particularly awesome spot to meander is along the Rue Sainte-Claire . This particular road highlights sixteenth to eighteenth-century structures that presently house many shops and eateries.

Annecy has two historic churches, the 15th-century Church of Saint-Maurice and the 16th-century Cathedral of Saint-Pierre . Entry is free but check first that there are no events being held at the time.

If you are looking for something a bit further out, the Château d’Annecy is popular. which dates back to the 13th century and was once the residence of the Counts of Geneva. Today, the château is a museum devoted to local history, medieval sculpture, landscape paintings, and contemporary art. It costs €5 to get in and has mixed reviews from travellers.

Chamonix Places to Visit in the French Alps

2. Chamonix | French Alpine Ski Resort

At the foot of Mont Blac, the biggest mountain in the Alps lies the village of Chamonix. Chamonix has been a favourite for generations of travellers seeking snow and summer activities. The lush green slopes in summer are popular for bikers and hikers, while the towering peaks provide ample rock climbing and Via Ferrata options for other summer travellers.

Chamonix is the home of an internationally renowned ski resort offering some of the best skiing in Europe. There is 23 kilometres of resort skiing along with the Vallée de Chamonix between Les Houches and Argentière.

The best resuarants in Chamonix

Dining in Chamonix gives you a large array of cuisines and styles of food. French food and especially alpine favourites such as Tartiflette and Fondue can be found in local restaurants all over the town. But there are also several fine dining options if you are interested in degustation menus and fine wines. Chamonix boasts 3 one-star Michelin Restaurants and 5 Bib Gourmand restaurants.

Book early, if you wish to dine at Petite Royal, Albert 1er or Le Serac the most popular fine dining restaurants in Chamonix. Expect to spend around €200per person for a meal and inform the staff before arriving if it is a special occasion.

For casual dining, I recommend Le Monchu for fondue and Poco Loco for their monstrous burgers. Perfect after a day on the slopes!

Things to do in Chamonix

One of the most popular activities to do in Chamonix is visiting the Aiguille du Midi peak (at 3,842 meters high) with unique perspectives on Mont Blanc and the Glacier des Bossons. From the focal point of Chamonix, the Aiguille du Midi is open by a 20-minute trolley ride over high-mountain woodlands.

Another great way to appreciate unimaginable vistas is on the Panoramic Mont-Blanc gondola. This invigorating, tourist detour crosses above ice falls and chasms, with a vantage focussing towards Pointe Helbronner in Italy.

The Chamonix golf club is a popular summer retreat and provides stunning mountain views as you tee off.

If you are in Chamonix to party, there are plenty of options. The most famous bar is La Folie Deuce where the rich and beautiful pop bottles of champagne and dine on oysters and caviar. It’s a really fun place if you are with a group of friends.

3. Courchevel 1850 | High End Chalets and Restaurants

The playground of the uber-wealthy, Courchevel is synonymous with gorgeous high-end chalets, Michelin restaurants, Louis Vuitton and very expensive champagne. Celebrity spotting is a fun pastime in Courchevel 1850, with many famous people visiting during the ski season for lavish parties and “to be seen”. For many, this is one of the best places to visit in the French Alps.

It is renowned for having one of the longest ski seasons and the best snow cover in the whole of the Alps. It is also home to the world’s largest ski area – Courchevel sits within the Three Valleys, which boasts 600km of pistes and an interlinked lift system, with over 170 lifts.

Restaurants in Courchevel 1850

Of course, you wouldn’t come to Courchevel without booking a Michelin star restaurant or two.

There is 1 three-star Michelin restaurant in Courchevel 1850: Le 1947 Cheval Blanc and a handful of other fine dining options. I like Koori, a high-end Asian fusion restaurant it doesn’t have a Michelin star, but it is recognised in their latest guide.

Cheap eats are possible in the centre of town. Try Ineos Club House or The Burger Factory.

Things to do in Courchevel 1850

Generally, people visit Courchevel to be seen, so dining out is one of the bigger draw cards.

If the weather isn’t looking so great, the bowling alley in the centre of town gets popular.

Courchevel has operational lifts in both Summer and Winter, so the usual alpines sports are possible: Mountainbiking, canoeing, rock climbing and hiking and of course, the many snow sports. You can hire electric snow scooters to race or take around the mountain for a different experience. There is also a whole host of other snow friendly activities across the Three Valleys. Some of these include Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledging, ski touring, tobogganing, Nordic walking and ice skating.

4. Saint-Gervais-Mont- Blanc | Thermal Park Village

The town of Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc is located in the Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps. It has been a popular holiday destination since the early 1900s, and I can see why! The picturesque village sits nestled in the mountains and is easily accessible from Chamonix and Annecy.

It is a popular destination in both summer and winter and appeals to a wide variety of people. I would suggest booking your accommodation early here because options get very limited during peak travel seasons.

Where to eat in Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc

There are many great little cafes and restaurants around the village of Saint Gervais. Some of my favourite casual dining spots include 4 Epices restaurant crêperie for delicious crepes and coffee and the Boulangerie d’Antan Jérôme Lesève for fresh bread and pastries.

If you are looking for fine dining options Le Sérac is perfect. It is nestled between the church and the Town Hall and boasts a bright dining room set in contemporary decor overlooking the Mont-Blanc range. The menu is contemporary French cuisine and they are featured with 1 star in the recent Michelin guide.

Activites in Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc

In winter Saint-Gervais is part of the Evasion Mont-Blanc ski area, with more than 400 kilometres of tree-lined ski slopes and breathtaking panoramic views. All of the usual snow sports are available to do in Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc resort areas but there are some additional fun things to mention too. If you are a daredevil, you may enjoy bungee jumping , or paragliding , both of which can be done in from Saint- Gervais.

The Thermal Park has been operating since 1807 and is naturally hot, rich in minerals and trace elements, it is recognized by the national academy of medicine. You can spend the day here in the relaxing hot pools, or have additional treatments done by onsite practitioners. It was very recently renovated and looks amazing!

One of the most popular activities to do in Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc is The Mont-Blanc tramway . This is one of the last remaining cog railways which carries skiers and hikers up the highest railway track in France. The views are stunning, do not forget your camera!

5. Val d’Isère | Picturesque French Alpine Village

Val d’Isère looks a lot like a film set when you first drive-in. Its perfectly curated chalets are especially aesthetically pleasing after a light dusting of snow. The village is small and walkable which makes it perfect for family holidays, it has all of the charms of a typical Savoyard village.

Val d’Isère is also a true paradise for beginners and lower level skiers. From the village itself, you can walk straight onto the piste into an area with four free lifts and gentle slopes to safely start skiing. Val d’Isère is also known for its off-piste slopes. And boasts some of the worlds best lift-accessed off-piste and has many independent instructors and guides who specialise in off-piste tuition and guiding.

The far-reaching Tignes/Val d’Isère Ski Resort is situated in the Tarentaise Mountains at a height of between 1,550 meters and 3,500 meters.

Restaurants in Val d’Isère

There are a few small restaurants and bars lining the slopes on the edge of the village. They all offer similar food and drinks. It’s a great area to pull up a seat outside and watch the skiers go past- make sure you order a mulled wine to keep your hands warm!

Val d’Isère has plenty of casual dining restaurants within walking distance of the ski resort. Croque Monsieur and Pizza are popular choices. And the menu of the day is always a good deal. I love La Grande Ourse for its courtyard dining and great views and Cocorico Apres Skiing for its unique location.

There is a 1 star Michelin restaurant if you are after fine dining. La Table de I’Ours is in the centre of Val d’Isère. If you are wanting something with a more interesting location, I’d suggest Le Panoramic which is situated up the mountain. You will need to use the chair lifts to get there, but the view is worth it.

The best activities to do in Val d’Isère

There are a host of activities to do in Val d’Isère during both the summer and winter months.

During late spring, Val d’Isère draws in numerous travellers with its lively mountain view and open-air exercises, for example, climbing, horseback riding, mountain trekking, and hiking. It’s likewise a great region for comfortable nature strolls to see wildflowers and birdlife.

Of course in winter, everyone comes to Val d’Isère to ski! With its lovely village atmosphere and charming way of life, it is a perfect winter destination. The Ski Schools in Val d’Isère are fantastic and many people get ski lessons while they are here.

6. The Chartreuse Mountains | Monks and Mountains

This is the perfect spot to visit in France during Summer. In fact, during winter it is a ski field, and inaccessible by car. It’s a short day trip out from Grenoble and there are tour companies who provide guided day trips in the region, or you can easily self-drive.

Restaurants

There are limited dining choices once you are up in the mountain area. Restaurant la Pierre Chaude and OREADE Balnéo Restaurant are really popular for day trippers coming from Grenoble.

Activities in the Chartreuse Mountain area

Everyone who visits the Chartreuse Mountains wants to spend some time wandering the grounds of the Monastery of the Grande Chartreuse . Its beautifully preserved architecture and gardens are worth the effort to visit. It is a 4-hour hike, or you can take a public bus.

A visit to the Museum of la Grande Chartreuse is one of the most popular day trip in the Chartreuse Mountains. It is a unique site that is just 2 km from the famous monastery founded by Saint Bruno in 1084. The present museum, located in the ancient annexe of Chartreux Monastery, provides visitors with a wealth of insight into the monk’s human and spiritual adventure. It is only open from April till November, and on special days, so you should check opening hours before your visit.

There are hiking trails all over the Chartreuse Mountains, you could easily spend a week in the region hiking each day. The Pump Track de Saint Pierre de Chartreuse (by Gilson) is popular for mountainbikers. It is a moderately technical pump track, fairly short bumps, fun to ride for all levels.

7. Aix-Les-Bains | Lakeside Roman Ruins

Aix-Les-Bains is a gorgeous lakeside town next to the largest freshwater lake in France, Lac du Bourget. It’s an easy drive over from Chambery if you were to take a long weekend escape or a detour on a longer French road trip.

The town’s natural hot springs have been used for remedial purposes since Roman times. The ruins of Roman baths, the Arch of Campanus and the Temple of Diana , are open to the public. Because the hot springs are open to the public, it is often one of the main reasons tourists visit. Aix-les-Bains is an internationally renowned spa town. Roman settlers since the 1st century visited for the bath, and there are some fascinating clues about their presence around the resort today. History buffs will be delighted!

Restaurants in Aix-Les-Bains

This little spa town has a couple of Michelin Star restaurants if you are looking for something special. Le 59 Restaurant and L’Estrade both have been mentioned in this year’s Michelin guide. And offer reasonably priced fine dining options.

I think the Brasserie de l’aquarium and Restaurant LA PLAGE is the best for their outdoor dining options with sweeping patios and plenty of fresh air.

There are several other notable restaurants in Aix-Les-Bains, Restaurant Le Rouet which serves delicious Savoyard cuisine s and Le San Fermin with its picturesque dining.

Interestingly, Aix-Les-Bains is host to plenty of foreign restaurants. There are several Indian curry houses, sushi restaurants and kebab shops. This makes for a welcome change if you have been eating French food in the Alps for a while.

Activites you must do while in Aix-Les-Bains

Visit the Musee Faure : The museum proposes a good collection of impressionist paintings and also some Rodin sculptures on the third floor. The artworks were donated by a wealthy businessman and the museum was set up in his honour. It’s nicely laid out over three floors with new artworks being showcased on the first floor. It’s defiantly worth spending an hour or so wandering around.

The Via Ferrata in Aix-Les-Bains is a great summer activity if you like rock climbing. It has a breathtaking view of Aix Les Bains. While it is not a very difficult course, it should be noted that there is a 70 m drop below your feet. Course well secured and not monotonous. Expect to walk around 30 min to get to the start of the Via Ferrata.

Aqualac is a favourite spot for families as it is a large swimming pool complex. There are heated pools in the winter and swimming pools for kids of all ages. Aqualac has waterslides and an outdoor pool. There is also a picnic spot, trampolines and 2 playpark areas.

If you are looking for a day spa vibe, the modern facilities at the Hôtel Marina Adelphia include a wellness centre with therapeutic baths and an upscale spa with a sauna and Jacuzzi.

8. Grenoble | A City of Science and History

Often called the Capital of the Alps, Grenoble is the largest city in the region and it is steeped in history. Grenoble’s history goes back over 2000 years and the city has grown to be one of Europe’s most important research, technology and innovation centres. You can still see remnants of the Roman walls, while also seeing the huge technological advancements being made in this major scientific centre.

It is a cutting edge city yet additionally with a rich verifiable legacy. Walk around the city’s historically significant area to find Grenoble’s legacy with Place Saint-André or the fountains on Place Grenette.

At an elevation of 475m, the Bastille stronghold rules and offers a superb all-encompassing perspective on the city of Grenoble and the Isère valley.

Savoy wine is grown near Grenoble, and a day trip out to the various chateaus is always a good idea. The AOC of Savoy has unique wine varieties such as ripaille, marin, marignan, or montmélian.

The best Grenoble restaurants

For dining, Grenoble has Maison Aribert a 2 star Michelin restaurant. There is also a handful of other noted Michelin restaurants in the most recent guide, including some bib gourmands.

I absolutely have to recommend Kai iwi Café a New Zealander owned cafe offering amazing breakfasts and good coffee among other things. Ka Pai!

Chez Le Pèr’gras has perhaps the most beautiful view of the city. It is a fine dining restaurant that is perched above the city by the Bastille. be sure to book ahead to get a good table outside.

The city has many foreign restaurants and bars, so you will be able to satisfy almost any food craving you may have.

Popular activities in Grenoble

Travel on the “ Grenoble-Bastille cable car “, a transparent egg-shaped cable car, known to locals as “Les Bulles” (the bubbles). You will have an excellent view of the Isère river. At the top are two restaurants and the Bastille Art Centre. Where you can see contemporary art exhibitions.

The Musée de Grenoble is one of France’s most significant expressive arts exhibition halls. The assortment incorporates compositions by extraordinary experts, including Rubens, George de La Tour, and Philippe de Champaigne, as well as nineteenth-century craftsmen like Delacroix and Monet. Current workmanship is addressed with works by Picasso, Matisse, and Léger, among others.

Book a day trip out to the Savoyard wineries , or self-drive. You can tour the vineyards of the Abymes and Apremont, at the foothills of Mont Granier and stop at the church Our Lady of Myans. There is also wine tasting in the city with a self-service wine bar. It’s called Chez Le Per’gras and is a fun and economical way to try various french wines.

french food is the best in the French Alps

9. Évian- Les- Bains | Lakeside Retreat

Settled in the green mountain fields of the French Alps, the town of Évian-Les-Bains is encircled by a beautiful landscape, on the south side of Lake Geneva with its perfectly clear blue waters.

Évian-Les-Bains is a famous wellness resort town and has a rich history that traces all the way back to the middle ages. You can see this evidenced in the cute laneways in the old town even today.

A day trip here from Geneva or Lausanne is very popular, and the town is accessible by boat on Lake Geneva. Évian-Les-Bains offers a good mix of stunning natural beauty, Belle Epoque glamour and history, sport and delicious food and wine from the Haute-Savoie, making for a fun and easy getaway for either romance, groups or families.

And yes, this is the home to Evian, the bottled water company.

Restaurants in Évian-les-Bains

Make sure you order a serving of local fried breaded fish, it’s the speciality of the town, served with a slice or two of lemon and a dipping sauce. Delicious!

Au Jardin d’Eden is a popular French restaurant in the old town, along with Restaurant Le Muratore “Bistrot Culinaire” both offer a local menu with Savoyard cuisines and a menu of the day.

Strolling around the town will allow you to find your own hidden gems.

Activities and things to do in Évian-les-Bains

Most people visit Évian-Les-Bains to relax and unwind. The bigger hotels have day spas within them complete with therapeutic massages and saunas.

Being on the side of Lake Geneva means water sports are common. You can hire a boat for the day to explore or go fishing with locals.

Bourg-St-Maurice is a great base in the Alps

10. Bourg St Maurice | A hub city for the French Alps

The often-overlooked town of Bourg-St-Maurice also happens to be one of my favourites. It doesn’t have the same ski-in ski-out vibe that other alpine villages have, but it does offer a few extra unique points that make it a destination in itself. For one, it is easily accessible by TGV from Paris, London or anywhere in between. It also offers Airbnb properties which allow you to have budget ski holidays easily, as you can self cater. I like that Bourg-St-Maurice does have some chalets in town, and if you want to stay in the township, everything is within walking distance and well priced.

The funicular starts near the centre of town and can take you all the way up to Les Arc 1600 for €5. Much easier than getting a bus or self-driving each day, although you can if you wanted to. It’s such an underrated destination in the French Alps, but I think for a budget-conscious traveller, it’s the perfect place for a winter ski holiday.

It should be noted that Bourg-St-Maurice is the stepping off point for many travellers visiting the Les Arcs resort.

The best restaurants in Bourg-St-Maurice

Local Savoie dishes are available at almost every restaurant in town. I like to eat at La Refuge or le chalupot in the main town. They both offer fantastic menus of the day while also being true to the Alpine cuisine.

There is a row of great restaurants by the roundabout that is perfect for outdoor dining on the patio. I like Le Tonneau and Snack Ski Roc. Just across the street is another great cafe, that has the best coffee in town- Pause Coffee.

There are no fine dining options in Bourg-St-Maurice, but I like it that way! Everything is accessible here, and not at all pretentious. The food that is served is good quality because the town survives on locals who live there, now tourists who only stop for a week and leave.

The top activities to do in Bourg-St-Maurice

There are plenty of activities that you can do around Bourg-St-Maurice. The township itself is cute to stroll through and be sure to check out the market in town on Sunday mornings. There is also a popular Co-op for Beaufort Cheese and other local foods in the town near the train station. Expect to queue for at least half an hour on Saturdays as holidaymakers get ready to leave.

Take the Funicular up to Les Arcs and buy a ski pass . The ski area consists of 106 runs, 54 lifts, and 200 kilometres of descent. Generally, Les Arcs is a good ski area for beginners. There are plenty of wide, high-altitude blue runs to progress to, giving a real sense of exhilaration. Arc 1800 has the best of the area’s dedicated beginner’s skiing, with its new development at Mille8 having a special peaceful zone for beginners.

Mountainbiking around Bourg-St-Maurice is very popular in summer. There are several companies that offer bike hire and guides if you need them. If you prefer to organise yourself, there are currently 22 marked VTT trails in operation that are detailed on the summer piste map.

11. Tignes | Glaciar Skiing

Tignes comprises 5 Villages; Tignes Val Claret, Tignes le Lac, Le Lavachet, Tignes Les Boisses and Tignes-les-Brévières. Most tourists opt to stay at Tignes Le Lac which is situated by the lake and has plenty going on. It is the main town and everything is really accessible. Others stay at Val Claret which also offers plenty of restaurants. It’s also where the funicular to the Glacier leaves from.

Tignes is both a summer and winter destination, with many people using it as a base for altitude training for summer sports. It’s also home to the second-highest golf course in Europe.

Come winter, Tignes really comes alive. Together with neighbouring Val d’Isère, it forms the “Espace Killy” ski area. The proximity of two resorts offers one of the most seamless links between ski areas in Europe, in effect creating a single skiable area of over 300 km piste. The terrain of the valley lends itself to more challenging skiing, with advanced skiers often opting for the resort as their preferred ski area. In saying there, there have been improvements to create additional beginner runs.

The best restaurants in Tignes

Tignes has an array of restaurants catering to all budgets and diets. I particularly like Tignes Cusine , a low key outdoor restaurant with Thai curry and Noodle soup on the menu.

There are a few fine dining restaurants in town, including Le Kaya which has an Asian fusion menu. Val Clart has a one Michelin star restaurant with Ursus. The degustation menu starts at €98 and covers an array of Savoyard dishes that represent the trees and the area surrounding Tignes. Like many of these alpine fine dining restaurants, they are only open during the winter season.

Activities you much do while in Tignes

A visit to the Grande Motte Glacier in Tignes is possible almost all year round. Take the funicular up to The Panoramic restaurant , and enjoy the sights. From there, there is a cable car that takes you up to 3453m. From here, you can see many other places to visit in the French Alps in the distance.

Yes, you can ski in Summer in the French Alps! From mid-June to the end of July, the Motte Glacier is open for summer skiing. You can also do glacier hikes and guided glacier climbs.

Within the resort area, you can hire sleds, ski equipment and even snow tubing . When the lake has frozen over, there is a path to walk across, and igloos for kids to play in. The town puts on a few small events at various times too including musicians and free mulled wine or hot chocolate.

Tignespace is one of the region’s biggest indoor sports complexes. There is a rock climbing wall, trampolines, a skate park, Squash courts, tennis courts and a gym among other things. It’s open year-round.

Read More: How to get a cheap holiday in the French Alps

12. Conflans, Albertville | Medieval Village

The medieval city of Conflans offers the charm of a medieval hamlet. You can discover its narrow streets, old shops, gardens, and baroque churches easily in a few hours. It overlooks the city of Albertville and is easy to visit by self-driving. While the town is open year-round, I found that 90% of the shops and restaurants were closed when visited in Winter, I would suggest coming here in Summer for a better experience. Enjoy incredible views of the Savoie valley, with the Chartreuse mountains further in the distance.

Restaurants in Conflans

Dining options are limited in Conflans. There are several small cafes (and an Irish pub, because, why not!) situated in a small courtyard in the middle of town. If you don’t find anything open there (like I experienced!) head into Albertville for a bite to eat.

Albertville has a wide variety of restaurants including Buffalo Grill for cheap American diner-style food and all of the other fast food outlets such as Mc Donalds and Burger King. I only note this because after a while of eating French food, sometimes, you crave fast food, and Albertville is where you can get that fix.

The best activities to do in Albertville and Conflans

Visiting Conflans is the number one activity in Albertville!

Albertville itself is more of a working city. It does not have tourist attractions itself but is a good resting stop if you have been on a long road trip across France or something similar. It can almost make for an interesting base for exploring this region of the French Alps if you don’t mind the daily drive to each ski field.

An hour away from Albertville is several large ski resorts. La Clusaz is about 45 kilometres away, the ski area encompasses five interlinked mountain peaks, with 85 ski slopes covering 125 kilometres of groomed trails. You also have access to La Plagne and Les 3 Vallées ski resorts around a one hour drive away.

To check when the ski fields are open, click here.

13. Route Napoléon | Epic French Roadtrip

This popular road trip in France is a nod to Napoleon’s journey in 1815. The route is marked all the way along with commemorative plaques and monuments. Route Napoléon runs from south to north through these towns:

Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey
Col Bayard (1,246 m)

The 325 km (200 mi) stretch of modern road winds through the spectacular mountains of Provence, in France, up to Grenoble. Allow yourself a couple of days for the journey if you want to make a longer road trip of it. One of the best places to visit is Corps , a pretty historic town in the Vallée des Drac. And if you have time, make a detour to the Church of Notre-Dame de la Salette . It sits at an altitude of 1,170 meters amid stunning Alpine scenery. It’s easy to see why so many people make this road tip every year and consider it Places to Visit in the French Alps.

Restraurants along the Route Napoléon

I would recommend stopping for at least a day in the Gorge Verdon region, Which has plenty of hotel options and please to eat such as Nature Cafe and Le Voute .

There is one fine dining option on the route, in Gap, called La Serafine. But there are plenty around the Antibes region if you wanted to go on a Michelin bender!

The best activites on the Route Napoléon

Stop At gorge Verdon and do some kayaking, white water rafting or canoeing. There are loads of tour agents in town who can help you book, and many of them offer the same packages. You can also bungee jump or do a Via Ferrata.

14. Châtel | A Ski resort next to Switzerland

Nestled into the Swiss border, and just down from the town of Evian-Les-Bains, is Châtel. A picturesque village in France’s Haute-Savoie region and a base for the Portes du Soleil ski area . A cable car runs from the centre to the Super-Châtel piste, which has panoramic mountain views, and summer hiking and biking trails.

Where to eat in Châtel

Châtel has a number of fantastic restaurants to eat at. The town’s layout allows many restaurants to have big expansive outdoor dining options, which makes for a change from some of the other resorts in the French Alps. Mountain Restaurant Le Fantaski and Mountain Restaurant Les Portes Du Soleil are the most notable. In town, La Poya , La Table Savoyard and La Fiacre are firm favourites.

Things to do in Châtel

Visit La Vielle Douane Museum and an amusing museum about the region’s history with smuggling salt. It’s great to amuse small children when the weather is bad. There is also a little tourist train that drives through town to keep the little ones amused.

The aquatic centre is a well-rated and popular activity in Châtel. They have a full therapeutic spa area including Hammans, saunas, jacuzzies, and massage jets. They also have an outdoor pool that is heated to 32 degrees- yes, even in winter!

If you have a bit of a daredevil attitude, you might like to try the zipline in Châtel. While it is only a short ride (around two minutes from the top to the bottom) flying down the mountain is an extraordinary experience.

Nearby Lake Vonnes offers trout fishing between May and September each year.

15. Little St Bernard’s Pass | Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard

This scenic route connects France with Italy and is not to be confused with the other end of the pass that crosses from Italy to Switzerland. This pass is only open in the summer months (May- October), and it will be signposted from Bourg-St-Maurice and Seez if it is closed due to weather.

The drive is spectacular and best done yourself by car.

The more adventurous travellers might enjoy a road cycle, but an excellent level of fitness is required. Interestingly, the Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard is also often used as a stage in the Tour De France. Most recently in 2009.

Restaurants at the St Bernards Pass

At the top, you can stop at the Bar Ristorante San Bernardo , it is open year-round, and services the vehicle traffic in summer, and in winter it becomes a ski-in restaurant. Expect to pay a little more for the location, but the food is good and the beers are cold.

On the way down to the Italian side, there are plenty more restaurant options, mostly offering fresh-made pizza and delicious Italian dishes in La Thuille.

The best activities to do at Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard

There aren’t any organised activities in the area, but it is a great place to stop, stretch your legs and have a coffee. You can park your car and hike a little in the surrounding mountains if you like. Be wary of the changeable weather up here, even in summer.

In winter Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard is part of the Italian La Thuile ski resort .

16. La Plagne | The largest ski resort in Europe

La Plagne , part of Paradiski ski area, is one of the largest ski resorts in Europe 100 km 2 of ski area spread across four communes (Aime, Bellentre, Champagny-en-Vanoise and Mâcot-la-Plagne). La Plagne has 225 kilometres of slopes made up of 134 slopes with a good balance of ski levels to suit everyone. There is also a large off-piste skiing area including Bellecôte’s North Face. La Plange also has A bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track from the 1992 Winter Olympics.

There are 11 resort areas to stay within, each offering a different style and vibe. Choosing which resort to stay in is the difficult part!

The best restaurants in La Plagne

You won’t find La Plagne in the Michelin guide this year, but that’s not to say there aren’t decent dining options available. La Plagne is marketed towards the average traveller, leaving neighbouring Courchevel 1850 and Les Arcs to dominate the higher end restaurant market.

La Vache Rouge is a general favourite in the French Alps, they have several branches around and have delicious Savoyard dishes along with their famous steaks. La Métairie is also a standout fondue restaurant, both located in the main part of La Plagne resort.

La Face Nord is a popular choice for its patio dining with a sophisticated flair.

Top activities in La Plagne

Every winter sport under the sun is available in La Plagne. Even the obscure ones like Bobsledding and the Luge ! You can do a solo bobsled, or opt for the raft. This steers and brakes on its own and holds 4 people for an amazing, shared experience, reaching 80 km/h in the fastest section of the descent. Considered as the “introduction” descent, it is perfect for the “first time”.

You can hire an array of other fun toys to ride over the mountains with. Motorised all-terrain Swincars, quad bikes, electric bikes, snow scooters, Moonbikes and skidoos.

The mecca of relaxation is in Belle Plagne with the 1500 m² Deep Nature complex devoted to decompressing and relaxing. Consisting of a Premium area and a Family area, with saunas, Turkish baths and indoor and outdoor pools.

17. Peisey-Nancroix | Charming Local Alpine Village

The Peisey-Nancroix area is part of the Paisey-Vallendry area and is located at the entrance to the National Park of Vanoise. It’s a peaceful area with chalets and a few small family run refuges. It is nestled between mountains so sunlight is a little infrequent, and it’s usually a few degrees colder than Les Arcs because of this. In summer the local cows graze on the fields and in winter they are turned into dos sled tracks and nordic skiing tracks. It is one of my favourite Places to Visit in the French Alps!

The best restaurants in Peisey-Nancroix

There isn’t a lot of dining options in Peisey- Nancroix as it is a place most people come for day trips. Opening hours can be sporadic for many of the businesses here but you can usually find a bite to eat at Restaurant Crêperie Chez Félix Rosuel or Restaurant Le Fer à Cheval .

I love the Le Petit Hibou a small restaurant at the top of Peisey-Nancroix. The head chef and owner is a Kiwi and her food is fantastic. It’s not open year-round, so check first, and ideally book your table, because it does fill up quickly. Service is wonderful and the menu changes frequently, but it is all beautifully presented and they have vegan options!

Activities and things to do in Peisey-Nancroix

My favourite Via Ferrata is via Ferrata Des Bettières located just within the park of Vanoise. It has three stages and you can easily opt-out between them, which is great to know if the weather is changeable or if you are unsure of your fitness levels.

In Winter the area around Le Petit Hibou is turned into a cross country ski area with several tracks for different degrees of skills. You can hire cross country skis there. Grab a mulled wine at one of the restaurants next door.

18. La Rosière | Fun for families

It was created in the mid-1950s on the site of an old village. It was connected with the close Italian ski resort of La Thuile in 1984 by means of two long drag lifts through the Little St Bernard Pass. It is a popular holiday destination for families with the Club Med hotel within La Rosière. It is only a small ski area, but it is perfect for beginners with 8 green and 25 blue slopes. There are also 35 red and 14 black runs for the more advanced skiers. KId’s all agree, that La Rosière is one of the Places to Visit in the French Alps!

The views over Bourg-Sta-Maurice and across to Les Arcs are really lovely- it is worth the splurge for a chalet or hotel that faces this. Getting to La Rosière is easy- You can grab a shuttle from Bourg-St-Maurice if you have arrived by TVG, or get the Coolbus shuttle from the airport.

Restaurants around La Rosière

The all-inclusive packages with Club Med are good value and handy to have as your staple while in town. Dining options outside of the resort are less numerous than at other ski resorts.

But Le Genépi, Restaurant Les Marmottes and Restaurant Le Boréal all provide fantastic French food and specialise in Savoyard dishes, they are worth the visit for a change of Club Med scenery.

Activities to do in the area

Drive out to Lac Du Roselend, a Dam about 5kms away that offers beautiful views and some light hiking trails. The road is twisty on the way out there, which makes for a lovely summer driver- it is closed in winter.

In winter there is a Village Igloo with ice carvings. It is well worth the visit, the kids love it and there is a full bar for the adults. You can even book an igloo hotel room if you are brave! Otherwise, book a table for dinner and enjoy dining inside an expansive igloo bar and restaurant. Prices are reasonable, given the extraordinary location.

Ride the XTREME Luge 4 Saisons , a short but fun ride down the mountainside. The circuit is varied with parts of it nestled in the forest and opening with beautiful breaks in the slope which allow nice alpine views. Can you go all the way down without braking? That’s their famous challenge!

19. Méribel | Chalet Ski-in Ski-out

Located in Les Trois Vallées along with Courchevel, and Le Menuires, Méribel is often noted as the more affordable ski resort in the region. While it still attracts some big names and celebrities staying in its chalets, it does have a slightly more demure tone. You can still find nice properties to stay in without breaking the bank while being able to enjoy popping over to Courchevel for a luxury experience too.

There are plenty of ski schools serving the area if you need to brush up on your ski skills before hitting the slopes.

Where to eat in Méribel

Le Folie Deuce between Méribel and Courchevel is always a hit with the apreś ski crowd. Buy a bottle of rose and enjoy the festivities.

Méribel also has an igloo restaurant which is worth a visit if you are staying in the area. You will need to hike for an hour to get there, but a delicious fondue and light beverages are included in the set dinner. Reservation is required and it is obviously only open in the winter months.

If you are looking for something low key and with a homely vibe, Aux Petits Oignons is a great little spot to visit. Try the snails, and enjoy the local alpine atmosphere.

For fine dining, book a table at Le Cepe, it has a gorgeous outdoor patio area which is perfect on a sunny afternoon. It has Michelin Bib Gourmand status currently.

The best activities to do in Méribel

The obvious- grab a ski pass for Les Trois Vallées and spend your days in the mountains. There are plenty of activities to keep you happy, even if you don’t ski. Such as horseback riding, Snowshoeing, and riding snowmobiles .

Lac De Tueda is a lovely lake that has walking tracks in the summer and Nordic skiing tracks in the winter. It’s a lovely place to visit and offers a free shuttle bus from Méribel.

20. Col de l’Iseran | A bucketlist roadtip in France

Col de l’Iseran is the highest paved pass in the Alps at 2,764 metres. It is a popular rest stop for road trippers on their way to and from Italy, but it should be noted that the Col de l’Iseran is only open in summer.

Admittedly one of the best mountains passes. Gradual, undulating, rich in detail, colour and scenic sub-genres. cyclists, motorcyclists and others carrying their drawing rooms as ‘grey nomads. There are decent signposting along the route. Plenty of crevices and other steep descents on the side make this passage among the most impressive and one of the Best Places to Visit in the French Alps.

Where to eat around Col de l’Iseran

There is a single restaurant at the summit, which has sporadic opening hours. The menu is basic, and not really accommodating for diety needs, so if you are looking for a good meal, I’d suggest eating at the towns on either side of Col de l’Iseran summit. Bonneval-sur-Arc and Val-d’Isère both have better-serviced restaurants. Albeit, with less amazing views.

The best activities to do in Col de l’Iseran

The Col is also accessible by off-road mountain paths and is the highest point both of the Alpine GR 5, a long-distance trail from Lake Geneva to Nice, and of the similar Grande Traversée des Alpes . There are waterfalls to the south of this steep descent as it enters the Vanoise National Park.

The pass has been used five times on the Tour de France since 1947. So it makes for a very popular summer destination for road cyclists taking up the challenge. It is 48kms in length one way and takes the riders from 812m to 2770m in altitude. It can be quite challenging, so come prepared.

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After recently spending a lot of time in the gorgeous French Alps, I realised there wasn't enough information out there for English speakers. And wa-la! Everything French Alps was born! Please reach out if you don't find the answers you are looking for, I'll be happy to help. If you want to butter me up to write nice things about your business in the French Alps, I can be persuaded with Tartiflette, Rosé wine and a basket of cheese. What can I say, I'm a cheap date, Just ask my BF :P

Five areas to discover in the French Alps for a great holiday adventure

Mountains offer great landscapes, hiking and places to stay, as these ideas from a new Wild Guide to the French Alps show

Les Bauges, Savoie

While the pristine turquoise waters of Lac d’Annecy are renowned, the remote massif of Les Bauges, which rises to its west and south, is one of the least-visited areas of the French Alps. Fringed on almost all sides by great forested limestone ridges and escarpments, the interior of the Bauges feels a place apart in time as well as in geography. As it’s a protected parc naturel regional , ski development here is limited mostly to the cross-country variety. In summer this verdant oasis of green, cut by deep gorges and ravines, is a nature lover’s dream.

See and do While the peaks here may not have the height or glaciers of those farther east, they lack nothing in drama. The isolated monoliths of gleaming white limestone make for challenging but achievable hiking. Perhaps the finest for views is Mont Trélod, surrounded by ever more jagged ridges. Luckily it has one side that is a little less steep, offering a practical (although still hairy) approach, with the chance to spot rare mouflon and chamois along the way. The walk starts from the end of a narrow road above the village of La Compôte, where you can stock up on tome de bauges cheese from the farmers’ co-op. The climb begins through woods to the high pastures, and the summit panorama will have you planning further days on Mont Colombier or the Dent d’Arclusaz to the south.

The landscape below the peaks is no less enticing. The Chéran, one of the few truly wild rivers in the Alps, runs right through Les Bauges: its flow is unrestricted by hydro works, so it’s home to a thriving population of wild trout. It’s perfect for wild swimming too, and along its course and tributaries are some spectacular limestone gorges and waterfalls to explore.

Accommodation: Au Crêt du Bois, French Alps.

The village of Le Châtelard, with its many balconied old houses, is the main centre for supplies and services here. Check out Camping les Cyclamens (pitch for two €15.80) which has a treehouse suspended five metres above the ground. The surrounding hamlets have a variety of gîtes to rent, many with traditional balconies supported by tavalans – naturally curved tree boughs, a distinctive feature of local architecture.

Our pick, however, would be Au Crêt du Bois (sleeps six, €300 for two nights), a beautifully restored stone farmhouse at Le Noyer, a few kilometres west. The lovely garden includes a small swimming pool, and a raclette grill and fondue are supplied – but be sure to book dinner at the tiny Chez Cyrille restaurant a short stroll away, where you can choose between two excellent-value menus each day, with an emphasis on local veg and cooking.

Upper Var valley, Alpes-Maritimes

The Col de Cayolle is perhaps the most beautiful and unspoiled mountain pass in France. The Var has its source at the western end of the Mercantour national park, on the south side of the pass into the Alpes-Maritimes. The upper valley is both magnificent and relatively quiet, extending from the col down to Vauban’s fortified town of Entrevaux, where picturesque narrow alleyways are still accessed by foot via a medieval drawbridge.

See and do The upper valley is almost cut off from the world below by the spectacular red sandstone canyon of the Gorges de Daluis. The great rock walls are, however, threaded by a remarkable balcony road which once carried a tramway. Above these gorges the valley is far less known, and the peaks around the Col de Cayolle are grazed by herds of ibex, following a successful reintroduction programme in the late 1980s. There’s a classic circular half-day walk giving views over three lakes – Petite Cayolle, Lac des Garrets and the stunning Lac d’Allos.

While the Var itself is mostly wide and shallow unless in flood, its minor tributary the Chamoussillon runs through a deep, sheer-sided ravine before joining the river just north of Saint-Martin-d’Entraunes. It’s mostly inaccessible except to skilled canyoning enthusiasts, but there is a stunning series of hidden cascades, rock waterslides and pools for bathing reached more easily from the lower end. Not shown on any maps, and with plenty of flat rocky slabs for soaking up the sun, this is an enchanting place to spend a lazy day.

Mountainside property near the village of Péone, French Alps

Stay Guillaumes is the main settlement in this part of the valley, and has a couple of bars and hotels and a fine restaurant, overlooked by the crumbling 15th-century ruins of Château de la Reine Jeanne. Be sure to take a detour to the village of Péone to the east, a tottering jumble of alleyways built at the foot of a series of rock pinnacles.

The Chamoussillon ravine is best visited on foot from the privately run campsite at Le Prieuré (pitch for two from €18, gîtes from €60 in high season), which has huge shady pitches, safari tents and cabins, and a small swimming pool. In the evening wood-fired pizzas are served on the terrace with views across the valley. For a more offbeat choice, there are Mongolian yurts at Oustamura (from €70 B&B for two), above Entraunes.

Ubaye, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence

View over valley and mountains from Fort de Saint-Ours, French Alps

The wild upper reaches of the Ubaye valley remain one of the least developed places in all the Alps. This is frontier territory, with nearby passes providing links to Italy and Briançon. However, the majestic valley beyond Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye has stayed virtually cut off. Here numerous footpaths lead to pools of pristine waters and the mountains of the Chambeyron massif. A string of ancient ruined forts can be explored by the adventurous.

See and do The fort at Tournoux is the one most clearly seen from the road, a series of fortifications tumbling down the mountainside reminiscent of a Tibetan monastery. By contrast, the second world war Plate Lombard fortifications are almost completely hidden and unvisited, yet it enjoys a superb location, best visited from the charming hamlet of Fouillouse. But it’s the area around the village of Saint-Ours, above the Col de Larche road, that has the greatest concentration of defences such as the Fort de Saint-Ours, built in the 1930s as part of the defences against invasion from Italy. It once housed 250 troops and saw fierce fighting in 1940, 1943 and 1945. The eerie concrete remains now feel oddly incongruous in such a beautiful location. It’s well worth walking further to visit the 19th-century Viraysse barracks, a dramatic ruin surrounded by gaunt rock peaks. A steep zigzag path from here leads to the battery on the summit of La Tête de Viraysse, at 2,772 metres with unforgettable views.

Battery at the summit of La Tête de Virayss, French Alps.

From just below the Col de Larche, a walk through meadows leads to the edge of the Mercantour national park and Lac du Lauzanier. Kids will be enchanted by the tameness of the marmots along the way, and griffon vultures can often be seen gliding on the thermals.

Stay Gîte Auberge de Saint-Ours (€100 half-board) is rustic and utterly charming, with comfortable attic rooms and mouthwatering fresh seasonal produce served on the geranium-covered terrace. Perhaps the best base for a longer stay in the area is Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye, at the gateway to the wild upper valley. Yurts Ubaye at Chez Carole (from €420 a week, sleeping six) are close to the river and have a wood-fired sauna for cooler nights; be sure to stock up on beers from tiny, organic craft brewery La Sauvage .

Haut-Giffre, Haute-Savoie

The Haut-Giffre, a section of the Giffre massif, is just over the mountains from Chamonix yet remains virtually unknown to overseas visitors. Above the charming town of Samoëns, the high valley route is an unmissable gem winding up past the Tines gorges to its loftiest village, Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval. Here two tributaries of the Giffre river lead to huge amphitheatres of rock, the majestic Cirque des Fonts and the even more impressive Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval, where multiple waterfalls cascade into a deep glacial trench.

See and do Few regions can match this one for waterfalls and lakes. The 90-metre Cascade du Rouget is known locally as the Reine des Alpes and is the starting point for a superb hike up to the Sauffaz and Pleureuse waterfalls, passing the remote Refuge Alfred Wills en route to Lac d’Anterne, under sheer walls of rock. A swim with the Arctic char will certainly liven the senses, but if it’s too cold here, you could try the more sylvan Lac de Gers, overlooked by a refuge serving locally raised lamb, pork and beef with vegetables grown on the terraces below.

Le Bout du Monde – the end of the world – is as evocative as its name suggests. Follow the Giffre upstream, through woods and meadows until seemingly impregnable rock walls encircle the valley head. However, a short climb reveals a tiny gate marking the Bout du Monde. A great view back down the valley showcases the sheer force of the glaciers that carved this remarkable landscape.

Stay The market town of Samoëns has served as the main hub for the valley since the 15th century, having been a renowned centre for stonemasons. Some of the nearby hamlets make superb bases: in Vallon d’en Bas, every building oozes character. Here you’ll find Véronique and André’s renovated Savoyard farmhouse B&B, La Ferme d’en Bas (from €89 B&B). Don’t miss the evening meal, a communal feast of regional dishes with many organic ingredients. To get closer to nature, Camping le Pelly (pitch for two from €23.90) is at the heart of the Sixt-Passy nature reserve and has large pitches and a friendly vibe.

Vercors, Isère

Swimming at Cascade Blanche near Port-en-Royans, French Alps

The great plateau of the Vercors massif rises above the encircling valleys like a fortress, culminating in an incredible escarpment that runs for miles like a frozen wave of rock. Behind lies a vast richly forested nature reserve, home to ibex, chamois, black grouse and vultures. Beyond the reserve, the interior of the plateau is at first glance a gentler place of rolling green pastures. Yet this pastoral idyll is riven by dramatic gorges, through which roads are cut along narrow balconies and beneath overhanging limestone cliffs, and the rivers form perfect deep pools and waterfalls. Beneath this a vast underground landscape of caverns, underground lakes and passageways is still being explored.

See and do Starting above Lans-en-Vercors, a half-day walk through woods, pastures and limestone pavements leads to the summit viewpoint of Pic Saint-Michel, on the rim of the escarpment. On the return, stop for lunch at the remote Auberge des Allières , accessible only on foot. In the afternoon, head down the stunning Gorges de la Bourne, stopping to explore spectacular caves, including the Grotte de Bournillon which has the largest cave opening in Europe. Finish the day with an early-evening swim at the Cascade Blanche near picturesque Port-en-Royans.

This remarkable landscape has bred a remarkable people, and the Vercors was the centre of the French resistance during the second world war. The maquis fighters built up an army of 4,000, and in 1944 declared the Free Republic of Vercors, aided by parachute drops from the Allied powers. But further expected support failed to materialise, and the terrible enemy reprisals saw 15,000 soldiers invade the massif, slaughtering 600 resistance fighters and 200 civilians. Visit the striking modern memorial on the Col de la Chau, and the Grotte de la Luire, a cave which served as a makeshift hospital for the wounded until it was found by the Nazis – only one injured person escaped death or capture.

Book cover for Wild Guide French Alps by Wild Things Publishing

Stay Driving or cycling the twisting balcony and gorge roads is an unmissable part of the Vercors experience, so the exact choice of base matters little. Up on the plateau, La Chapelle-en-Vercors offers quiet and authentic guesthouses. Our choice, though, would be to stay at Choranche in the Gorges de la Bourne. Camping Le Gouffre de la Croix (pitch for two from €21.80) is on the river at a spot perfect for swimming. For more comfort, rent one of the six lovingly restored stone gîtes at Les Hauts de Choranche . Dating from the 18th century, they combine hand-carved wooden staircases, hefty beams and thick stone walls with modern comforts including a small spa and steam bath.

This article was amended on 7 September 2021. The declaration of the Free Republic of Vercors was in 1944, not 1943 as an earlier version said.

Helen Webster and Paul Webster are the authors of Wild Guide French Alps (Wild Things Publishing, £18.99)

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10 Best Towns In The French Alps To Visit

by Jonny Duncan
October 17, 2023

These towns in the French Alps, a magnificent mountain range in southeastern France, are the perfect destinations to visit and base yourself on for the unparalleled beauty and outdoor opportunities in the region.

Nestled among the towering peaks and rolling valleys, numerous picturesque towns and cities offer you a gateway to this natural wonderland.

Whether you’re a winter sports enthusiast seeking the thrill of the slopes or a nature lover in search of breathtaking landscapes, the towns in the French Alps have something for everyone.

Towns In The French Alps

From the world-renowned resort town of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc to the historic charm of Annecy, these alpine communities beckon with their unique character and access to the stunning landscapes of this iconic region.

Often referred to as the “Venice of the Alps,” Annecy is known for its picturesque canals and beautiful lake, making it a popular tourist destination year-round.

It is the capital of the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and one of the best towns in the French Alps to visit.

The city is situated on the shores of Lake Annecy, one of the cleanest and most beautiful lakes in Europe. You can enjoy swimming, boating, and water sports on the lake.

Annecy’s old town is characterized by its narrow, winding streets, medieval architecture, and colourful buildings. It’s a great place for a leisurely stroll, shopping, and dining in cosy restaurants.

Palais de l’Isle is an iconic building, shaped like a small castle, and located in the middle of a canal in the old town. It has served various purposes throughout history, including a prison and a courthouse.

Château d’Annecy is a historic castle that overlooks the town and offers panoramic views of the city and the lake. It now houses a museum with exhibits on regional history and art.

Stroll along the picturesque canals that wind through the old town. The canals are lined with colourful flowers, cafes, and restaurants.

Annecy is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. The surrounding area offers hiking, cycling, paragliding, and winter sports in the nearby French Alps.

Sample the local Savoyard cuisine, which includes dishes like raclette, fondue, and tartiflette, often featuring local cheeses and potatoes.

Book accommodation in Annecy here.

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, often simply referred to as Chamonix, is a famous resort town located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France.

It is situated at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe. Chamonix is well-known for its stunning natural beauty and is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, particularly in the winter and summer months.

The town is at the base of Mont Blanc, which is a popular destination for mountaineers and climbers. The Aiguille du Midi cable car takes visitors to high-altitude viewing platforms for breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks.

Chamonix is renowned for its world-class skiing and snowboarding opportunities. The Chamonix-Mont-Blanc ski area offers a variety of slopes suitable for all levels, and it’s part of the larger Mont Blanc Unlimited ski pass network.

In the summer, Chamonix is a paradise for hikers and mountaineers. There are numerous trails that offer stunning alpine landscapes, and it’s a common starting point for expeditions to Mont Blanc.

Aiguille du Midi is an iconic mountain that offers panoramic views of the Mont Blanc Massif. The Aiguille du Midi cable car takes visitors to an altitude of over 12,000 feet, where they can experience breathtaking vistas.

The Mer de Glace is one of the largest glaciers in the Alps, accessible via a cogwheel train and cable car. Visitors can explore ice caves and tunnels within the glacier.

Montenvers Railway is a historic cogwheel train that takes visitors from Chamonix to the Mer de Glace glacier and offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

The town itself has a charming Alpine atmosphere with numerous shops, restaurants, and cafes, making it a great place to relax after outdoor adventures.

Chamonix offers a wide range of adventure sports such as paragliding, rock climbing, and white-water rafting.

Its spectacular scenery, outdoor activities, and proximity to Mont Blanc make it a must-visit location for those looking to experience the beauty of the French Alps.

This is easily one of the best towns in the French Alps to visit.

Book accommodation in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc here.

Aix-les-Bains

Aix-les-Bains is a charming spa town located in the Savoie department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

It is renowned for its thermal spas, picturesque setting on the shores of Lake Bourget , and its rich history as a spa and wellness destination.

Aix-les-Bains has a long history as a spa town, and its thermal springs have attracted visitors for centuries. Visitors can enjoy the healing properties of the thermal waters in modern spa facilities.

The town is situated on the shores of Lake Bourget, the largest natural lake in France. This pristine lake offers opportunities for swimming, boating, and watersports. The picturesque promenade along the lake is a great place for a leisurely stroll.

Aix-les-Bains boasts beautiful parks and Parc de Verdure is a serene green space perfect for picnics, leisurely walks, or just relaxing in the shade of trees.

Château de la Roche du Roi is a medieval castle that sits atop a hill and offers panoramic views of the town and Lake Bourget. It’s a great spot for history enthusiasts and hikers.

Abbaye d’Hautecombe is located on the shores of Lake Bourget, and this Cistercian abbey is a beautiful and tranquil place to visit. It is the final resting place of several members of the House of Savoy.

The lake provides opportunities for swimming, sailing, paddleboarding, and fishing. The surrounding hills and mountains offer hiking and cycling trails.

The Thermal Park is a well-maintained park that is home to the town’s thermal spas and a lovely place to relax and enjoy the natural surroundings.

Out of all these towns in the French Alps, Aix-les-Bains is a delightful destination for those seeking the therapeutic benefits of its thermal springs.

Book accommodation in Aix-les-Bains here.

Albertville

Albertville is a town located in the Savoie department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is situated in the Tarentaise Valley and is known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Albertville is a gateway to the region, making it one of the best towns in the French Alps, and serves as a hub for various outdoor activities, including winter sports and hiking.

Albertville gained international recognition when it hosted the 1992 Winter Olympics. You can explore the Olympic Park and learn about the history and legacy of the games.

Conflans is a picturesque medieval village perched on a hill above Albertville. It’s a charming place to visit with its historic architecture, narrow streets, and panoramic views of the valley.

The surrounding area is known for its outdoor recreational opportunities. In the winter, visitors can enjoy skiing and snowboarding in nearby ski resorts, while summer offers hiking, mountain biking, and paragliding.

Fort de Tamie is a historic fort, located in the nearby Beaufortain mountains, and is open to the public during the summer months.

The Savoie region is known for its delicious cuisine, which includes dishes like raclette, fondue, and tartiflette. Local cheeses and Savoyard specialities can be enjoyed in restaurants in Albertville.

Albertville is an ideal destination for those interested in winter sports, outdoor adventures, and exploring the natural beauty of the French Alps.

Book accommodation in Albertville here.

Grenoble is located in southeastern France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is often referred to as the “Capital of the Alps” due to its proximity to the French Alps and its status as a major urban centre in the region.

Technically it’s a city but it has a very charming old town and its location is perfect for the region, which is why it’s added to this list as one of the “best towns to visit in the French Alps” for the old town.

Grenoble is surrounded by the dramatic peaks of the French Alps. This picturesque location makes it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy activities like hiking, skiing, and mountaineering.

The Bastille is a historic fortification located on a hill overlooking the city. Visitors can reach it by taking the “Bubbles” (Les Bulles), a cable car system that offers stunning panoramic views of the city and the Alps.

Grenoble is home to several museums, including the Musée de Grenoble, which houses an extensive art collection featuring works by famous artists such as Picasso, Kandinsky, and Delaunay.

The historic old town centre of Grenoble is characterized by charming, narrow streets, squares, and well-preserved historical architecture. It’s a great place for a leisurely stroll and exploration.

The region around Grenoble offers a wide range of outdoor activities, including hiking, skiing, snowboarding, and cycling. In the summer, you can explore the nearby Vercors Regional Natural Park, a stunning area of limestone plateaus, caves, and forests.

Book accommodation in Grenoble here.

Bourg-Saint-Maurice

Bourg-Saint-Maurice is a charming town located in the Savoie department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It serves as a gateway to the French Alps, particularly the Tarentaise Valley, and is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and winter sports enthusiasts.

Bourg-Saint-Maurice is a hub for several renowned ski resorts, including Les Arcs, La Plagne, and Paradiski. These resorts offer world-class skiing and snowboarding during the winter months and a range of outdoor activities in the summer, such as hiking and mountain biking.

The Tarentaise Valley offers a wide array of outdoor activities beyond skiing, including hiking, mountaineering, paragliding, and white-water rafting. The area’s alpine landscapes provide numerous opportunities for adventure.

The town itself features historical architecture and sites, including the Church of Saint Maurice, with its Baroque façade, and the Château de Charbonnières, a 19th-century mansion.

The Isère River, which flows through the Tarentaise Valley, provides opportunities for white-water sports like kayaking and canoeing.

Vanoise National Park: Bourg-Saint-Maurice is close to the Vanoise National Park, the first national park established in France. The park is known for its diverse wildlife and hiking trails.

The town hosts weekly markets where you can sample local products and find fresh, seasonal ingredients for traditional Savoie dishes.

The region features scenic drives that lead to breathtaking viewpoints, including the Col de l’Iseran, one of the highest paved mountain passes in the Alps.

Book accommodation in Bourg-Saint-Maurice here.

Chambery is known for its historical significance, picturesque old town, and its proximity to the French Alps. Chambéry is a delightful destination for those interested in history, culture, and exploring the Alpine region.

Chambéry’s historic old town is characterized by narrow cobblestone streets, medieval buildings, and charming squares. The Place Saint-Léger, in particular, is a hub of activity with cafes and shops.

Château de Chambéry was the residence of the Dukes of Savoy. It features beautiful architecture, a museum, and stunning views of the city.

The Elephant Fountain is a unique and iconic landmark in Chambéry. It features four life-size elephant sculptures, which were added to the city’s fountain in the early 19th century.

The Cathedral of Saint Francis de Sales is an impressive example of Baroque architecture. It is dedicated to the city’s patron saint, Francis de Sales.

Chambéry is located near Lake Bourget, the largest natural lake in France. The lake offers opportunities for swimming, boating, and water sports, and its shores are lined with charming towns and beaches.

The region surrounding Chambéry offers a range of outdoor activities, including hiking, cycling, and skiing in the nearby Alpine resorts during the winter. It’s one of the best towns in the French Alps to visit.

Book accommodation in Chambéry here.

Briançon is a historic town located in the Hautes-Alpes department and is often regarded as the highest town in France, and one of the best towns in the French Alps.

Briançon is known for its rich history, well-preserved architecture, and its location as a gateway to numerous outdoor activities in the surrounding mountains.

The heart of Briançon is its historic old town, which is known for its well-preserved medieval and Vauban fortifications. These fortifications have earned Briançon recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The town is famous for the fortifications designed by the military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. The Fort des Têtes and other fortresses surrounding the town are impressive examples of military architecture.

The Place d’Armes is the central square in Briançon and is surrounded by colourful buildings, cafes, and shops. It’s a great place to relax, people-watch, and soak up the atmosphere of the town.

The Briançon Citadel is a historical military structure that provides an interesting glimpse into the town’s history and the role it played in military defence during past centuries.

Briançon is part of the Serre Chevalier ski resort, one of the largest in the French Alps. In the winter, visitors can enjoy skiing and snowboarding in this beautiful mountain setting.

Book accommodation in Briançon here.

Megève is a charming and upscale ski resort town located in the Haute-Savoie department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

It is renowned for its picturesque alpine scenery, top-tier skiing, and a well-preserved traditional village atmosphere. Megève is a popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts and those seeking a luxurious mountain retreat.

Megève is part of the Evasion Mont-Blanc ski area , which includes over 400 kilometres of ski slopes, making it one of the largest ski areas in the French Alps. You can enjoy skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and other winter sports during the ski season.

The town of Megève is characterized by its beautifully preserved traditional architecture, cobblestone streets, and wooden chalet-style buildings. The central square, Place de l’église, is a hub for dining, shopping, and après-ski relaxation.

The Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste, with its stunning spire and Baroque interior, is a significant historical and architectural site in the town.

Megève hosts various winter events and festivals, including ice skating shows, holiday markets, and torchlight descents.

Megève is known for its excellent culinary scene, with numerous restaurants, bistros, and cafes offering both traditional Savoyard cuisine (such as fondue and raclette) and gourmet French cuisine.

The town boasts several upscale spas and wellness centres where visitors can relax and rejuvenate after a day on the slopes.

In addition to winter sports, Megève offers hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding in the surrounding mountains during the warmer months.

Megève is a year-round destination, but it truly comes to life in the winter with its world-class skiing and festive atmosphere. It’s one of the best towns in the French Alps to visit.

Book accommodation in Megève here.

Beaufort is a small and picturesque village located in the Savoie department, like many other places on this list. The village is known for its scenic beauty, traditional Alpine architecture, and its association with Beaufort cheese, a famous French cheese known for its delicious flavor.

Beaufort is renowned for its eponymous cheese, Beaufort cheese. The cheese is a staple of Savoie cuisine and is produced in the region. You can visit local dairy farms and cheese factories to learn about the cheese-making process and, of course, taste fresh Beaufort cheese.

Beaufort is surrounded by stunning alpine landscapes, making it an ideal destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. The village offers beautiful views of the mountains, including the nearby Beaufortain Massif.

The region is a paradise for outdoor activities, with opportunities for hiking, cycling, and mountaineering in the summer, as well as skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing in the winter.

Beaufort, like many villages in the region, hosts regular local markets where you can find regional products, artisan crafts, and, of course, Beaufort cheese.

Beaufort has several historical chapels and churches, including the Chapel of Sainte-Geneviève, that add to the village’s charm and history.

The area surrounding Beaufort has several mountain huts where hikers can rest, enjoy local dishes, and take in the alpine scenery. These huts are often used as base camps for mountaineers.

In addition to Beaufort cheese, the Savoie region offers a range of delicious cuisine, including traditional dishes like tartiflette, raclette, and diots (sausages). Local restaurants serve these dishes and more.

Beaufort is an excellent destination for those seeking an authentic alpine experience. Although not a town it’s one of the best villages in the French Alps to visit.

Book accommodation in Beaufort here.

The French Alps

These are just a few of the many towns in the French Alps. Each of these places has its own unique charm and attractions, making the region a popular destination for tourists throughout the year.

For more on France take a look at the 20 most famous landmarks in France .

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The Essential Guide to the French Alps

The glorious peaks enveloped in pristine snow are just one reason skiers and hikers flock to the french alps. another is the scene—here, it’s about as glitzy as it gets, with everything from luxury hotels and michelin-starred dining to world-class shopping and a lively après-ski nightlife that draws visitors from all over the world..

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Quick Guide to the French Alps in Summer

Article written by Elisa - Travel Writer & Local in France This article may contain compensated links. Please read disclaimer for more info.

French Alps Summer Holidays

If you love nature and wide-open spaces, the French Alps are among the best places to visit in France in summer . Mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and more await you in this small peaceful land located in Eastern France .

Whether you are visiting on a weekend getaway or planning dedicated French Alps summer holidays, there are many incredible places to see and great experiences to live in this unique mountain range! From hiking to mountaineering or paragliding, there’s a good reason the French Alps in summer lure millions of visitors each year.

The Alps in France also have a beautiful historical heritage, which you will discover as you stroll through the alleys of Vieux-Annecy , Chambéry, or the upper town of Briançon .

Fancy some wine, great cheese, or even better, a fondue? Then the French Alps will amaze you with its culinary choices too.

From the most beautiful towns in the French Alps to national parks and iconic alpine landscapes, here’s a quick guide to the French Alps in Summer, with the best places to visit and things to do, and our top planning tips.

How to Get to & Around the French Alps in the Summer

Numerous low-cost airlines offer affordable flights from Europe to the airports of Lyon , Grenoble , and Chambéry – Click here to buy your flight tickets to the French Alps

From Paris, you can travel to the French Alps by TGV or SNCF trains to Lyon, Chamonix, Annecy, Chambéry, or Briançon – Click here to buy your train tickets to the French Alps

The best way to get around the French Alps in the summer is by car. If you don’t have a car in France, you can rent one in places like Annecy, Grenoble, or Chambéry. When we need to hire a car, we use Discover Cars . Discover Cars compares 900 companies at over 53,000 locations to guarantee you the best price! – Click here to rent your car in France

Don’t leave for the French Alps without travel insurance!

HeyMondo offers travelers insurance that combines medical and travel-related coverage for single trips (with the possibility to include coverage for numerous adventure sports), annual multi-trip, and extended stays (with Covid-19 coverage included). Use this link to get a 5% off .

Best Places to Visit in French Alps in Summer

Click here to view this Map on Google My Maps

TIP: If you want to combine some of these places during your French Alps summer holidays, this French Alps summer itinerary by car is perfect for you!

Things to Do & Best French Alps Towns in Summer

Where to go in the French Alps in Summer? Here is the list of the best things to do in the French Alps and the best places to visit for a fun summer in the French Alps.

1. Aiguille du Midi (Mont Blanc)

L’Aiguille du Midi (3,842 m) is a mountain in the Mont Blanc Massif, accessible by cable car. This is the highest attraction in Europe, offering the visitor a unique panorama that embraces the highest peaks of Western Europe. It is also an excellent opportunity to get a closer view of Mont Blanc (4,808 m), the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe.

We have listed the Aiguille du Midi as one of the top things to do in France ! Don’t miss The Vertical Space , a museum dedicated to the adventure of ascending Mont Blanc throughout history.

In just 20 minutes, the Aiguille du Midi cable car will take you from the center of Chamonix to the high mountains. The total visit lasts 2 to 3 hours on average. Children under 3 years old are not accepted (not recommended for children under 5 years old).

We recommend:

Chamonix, Aiguille du Midi, and Mer de Glace full-day trip from Geneva (Switzerland)

2. Annecy and its Lake

Annecy is one of the loveliest cities in the French Alps, and we are sure it will steal your heart too. Located on the north side of Lake Annecy , in the Haute-Savoye department, Annecy is one of the most beautiful cities in France , with many things to do in and around.

Annecy has a pretty medieval center, with landmarks like the castle Palais de l’Isle , which is now a history museum, and the Château d’Annecy . The surrounding wooded mountains provide the town’s wonderful scenery.

Annecy is a great destination for a relaxing weekend getaway (check out our Annecy 2-day itinerary ) and also for an adventurous summer in the French Alps . You can tour around the Lake by bike, take a boat trip, rent a stand-up paddle, or spend a relaxing day on one of the beaches. Annecy Lake is one of the world’s favorite locations for paragliding, and several competitions have been held there.

Tandem paragliding flight over Lake Annecy
Canyon of Angon near Lake Annecy
Stand-up paddle rental on Lake Annecy
Electric bike rental on Lake Annecy
Rent a boat, with or without a skipper, in Annecy

3. Briançon

Briançon is one of the best French Alps towns in summer to visit. Located in the Hautes-Alpes department at an altitude of 1,326 meters, Briançon is the highest town in the European Union.

A garrison town fortified by Vauban in the 18th century, Briançon is listed since 2008 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with other Vauban sites in France.

The Citadel of Vauban , at the foot of the castle, is Briançon’s beating heart. Here, you can admire other historical monuments such as the Collegiate Church of Notre Dame , the Church of the Cordeliers , the colorful old houses, Place d’Armes , or the fountains and sundials that decorate the alleys.

The exceptional natural environment of Briançon is perfect for a Summer in French Alps. The list of Briançon outdoor activities includes hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, paragliding, canoeing, and rafting. From Briançon, you can also discover other tourist destinations such as Le Monêtier-les-Bains, Saint-Chaffrey, Montgenèvre, and the Queyras Regional Natural Park.

Tandem Paragliding in Briançon – Serre Chevalier
Rafting down the Guisane River in Serre Chevalier – Briançon
Canyon des Acles in Serre Chevalier – Briançon
Bungee jump from Asfeld Bridge (60 m) in Briançon

4. Chambéry

Chambéry is Savoie’s capital, one of the best cities in the French Alps for sightseeing and tasting regional food and wines.

In wintertime, some of the best ski resorts in the Alps are within an hour’s drive from Chambéry, while in the Summer, it is the perfect base for hiking (Massif de Bauges, Massif de Chartreuse), canyoning, or a day trip to Aiguabelette Lake.

Chambéry is easy to explore, and it has a pretty Old Town. The list of fun things to see in Chambéry includes the Medieval Castle of the Dukes of Savoy (where the first counts of Savoy settled in 1285), the Chambéry Cathedral , the intriguing Elephant Fountain , and more.

Canyon of Ternèze, near Chambéry – Massif des Bauges

5. Chamonix

Chamonix is a world-known ski resort that first became famous in 1924 for hosting the Winter Olympics. Nestled in the Arve Valley at the foot of Mont-Blanc, Chamonix comprises 16 charming villages and hamlets, including Argentière, Le Tour, and Montroc.

But Chamonix is one of the best places to visit in French Alps in summer too! The natural scenery, so picturesque under the snow, is equally beautiful in the summer and best explored by following one of the surrounding trails.

Chamonix’s main tourist attraction is l’Aiguille du Midi , which is easy to visit by cable car (20 min) from the center of Chamonix. You can also take Chamonix’s Montenvers railway train through forests, tunnels, and viaducts to the famous Mer de Glace glacier (1,913m) , the largest glacier in France.

The list of fun activities in Chamonix Mont-Blanc includes the Ice Cave , the summer luge (Chamonix roller coaster in the mountains!), or a stroll along the pretty alleys of its lively city center lined up with shops and galleries.

Tandem Paragliding facing the Mont-Blanc
Rafting on the Arve River in Chamonix
Mountain Bike excursion in the Chamonix Valley

6. Lac du Bourget & Hautecombe Abbey

In the department of Savoie, Lac du Bourget is the largest natural lake in France (18 km long). This beautiful lake that borders the world-famous spa city of Aix-les-Bains is surrounded by the Massif de l’Epine, Mont du Chat, Chambotte, Mont Revard, and Les Bauges.

Lac du Bourget is great for a relaxing stroll or a bike ride. It is also the ideal place for a bath (the water can reach 26C in summer) or water activities like kayak, canoeing, fishing, or sailing.

TIP: This road trip itinerary from Lyon to Annecy visits the Lac du Bourget, the Abbey of Hautecombe, Aix-les-Bains, and more!

If you are looking for cultural things to do in the French Alps, the Abbey of Hautecombe , on the lake’s wild shore, is a very good option. This 12th-century Cistercian Abbey and majestic necropolis of the House of Savoy is built in an exuberant Gothic style. From Aix-les-Bains, it is a 35-minute drive to the Abbey of Hautecombe, but you can also take a boat cruise at Aix, which includes a visit to the Abbey.

Paragliding flight over Lake Bourget
Hiking and Packrafting expedition on the Lake Bourget
Rent a boat, with or without a skipper, in Aix-les-Bains

7. Mont Aiguille (Massif du Vercors)

In the heart of the Massif du Vercors, Mont Aiguille is a wonderful place to explore and a sumptuous décor during your hikes in this natural park.

A mountainous massif in the Pre-Alps, between the departments of Isère and Drôme, the Massif du Vercors is a rugged and complex relief of cliffs, ridges, and gorges that culminates in the Grand Veymont (2,341 m).

To admire and make the most of this extraordinary countryside, the park offers a wide range of summer activities, like hiking, climbing, canyoning, or paragliding.

Guided hike in the Vercors National Park

8. Parc National Mercantour

If you are looking for magnificent landscapes to explore in the French Alps in the summer, head to Parc National du Mercantour . Covering a vast area along the Italian border between the departments of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes Maritimes, Parc National du Mercantour is one of France’s wildest and most varied national parks, mixing Alpine and Mediterranean influences and forming an incredible mosaic of natural environments.

Parc National du Mercantour is home to more than 3,000 animal and plant species – the greatest biodiversity in France! It is also a true paradise for hiking, with its 600 kilometers of marked trails, including part of the GR5 and the long-distance itineraries Grande Traversée du Mercantour and the Alpi Marittime .

Last but not least, Parc National du Mercantour is home to some of the prettiest French Alps villages, like medieval Tende – once a trading town on the salt road –, Saorge or Saint-Martin-Vésubie .

Trekking under the stars in the Mercantour National Park
Mercantour wildlife hike from Allos
Hiking of the Grand Cheval de Bois in the Mercantour

9. Parc National des Ecrins

Parc National des Ecrins, located between the departments of Isère and Hautes-Alpes, is one of the largest protected mountain areas in France, comprising more than forty glaciers and one hundred peaks. Some of these peaks are more than 3,000 m high, including the famous Barre des Ecrins with its 4,102 m.

This is another of the great places to visit in French Alps in summer for hikers, with more than 740 km of marked trails, including the GR54 , which circles the Oisans. The park is also home to a vast animal and plant biodiversity, with more than 4,000 recorded species.

In Parc National des Ecrins, it is also possible to find the purple saxifrage, the plant species growing at the highest altitude in France (4,070 m!).

10. Fort Queyras

Fort Queyras is one of the best places to visit in the French Alps for history lovers. This 12th-century fortress in the Hautes-Alpes department is built on a hill at a narrowing in a glacial valley overlooking the Gorges du Guil.

This impressive fortress housed soldiers in charge of protecting the Dauphiné against Savoyard or Provençal incursions, but in the end, it was only used twice in the wars between the Protestants and Catholics. In the 1700s, the military architect Vauban launched a restoration project in the fort to make it impregnable, and more constructions were added.

Today, Fort Queyras is in private hands but open to the public for visits. After crossing the drawbridge, explore an inextricable maze of passages, stairs, castmates, and bastions, constructed between the 12th and 19th centuries. This is an ideal half-day family excursion to add to your French Alps summer itinerary.

11. Saint-Véran and Queyras Regional Natural Park

Saint-Véran , in the heart of the Queyras Regional Natural Park , is the highest municipality in Europe, located at 2,042 meters above sea level. With a population of just over 200 inhabitants, Saint-Véran is one of the most beautiful mountain villages in the French Alps, “where roosters peck at the stars.”

Saint-Véran has beautiful traditional architecture with stone houses, log cabins, larch wood fountains, and sundials. Don’t miss the interesting Soum Museum , which shows the organization of a 17th-century farmhouse in total autarky during the long winter months.

As for the Queyras Regional Natural Park , it will delight hikers of all kinds. In summer, there’s mountain biking, horse-riding, tree-top trails, paragliding, and Via Ferrata. Along the GR58 trail ( Tour du Queyras ), there are about thirty lakes, twenty passes (cols), and twenty peaks to climb. There are other picturesque villages to explore, like Arvieux, Abriès, Aiguilles, Ceillac, Château-Ville-Vieille, or Molines-en-Queyras.

12. Ubaye Valley

Marking the limit between the Dauphiné and Provence, this glacial valley in the Alpes-Haute-Provence department is wonderful to explore. The Ubaye Valley is bisected by the river of the same name, which is famous among rafting and kayaking enthusiasts. There are beautiful hikes, too, that explore numerous torrents, vast forests, and pristine lakes.

The Ubaye Valley is also famous for its rich local cuisine, mixing Alpine, Mediterranean, and Italian influences. You can taste excellent local products such as génépi liqueur (a plant that grows in the Alps), tomme cheese from the valley, and tourtons.

Rafting down the Ubaye River (near Barcelonnette)

Yvoire is one of the best places to visit in French Alps in summer. This picturesque medieval village located on the French shore of the Lac Léman (Lac Genève in Switzerland) is listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France .

Yvoire is the most isolated place on our map of the French Alps, but it is well worth the detour! One of the best medieval towns in France , Yvoire has more than 700 years of history, and we are sure you will enjoy visiting its ramparts, medieval castle, fortified gates, and cobbled streets.

Don’t miss the Jardin des Cinq Sens , in the heart of the village, listed as a remarkable garden by the Ministry of Culture. There are many pretty shops to buy souvenirs and regional products too. In the afternoon, enjoy a drink or dinner on one of the terraces by the lake.

Rent a boat, with or without a skipper, in Yvoire

Where to Stay in the French Alps in Summer

Where to stay in French Alps in Summer, near the mountains and the best outdoor activities? Annecy, Aix-les-Bains, and Chamonix are good bases to explore most of the places described in this article.

Aix-les-Bains

And there you have it, the list of the best things to do in the French Alps for a relaxing or adventurous summer trip. Which one tempts you most for your French Alps summer holidays?

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Tramway in mountains, Mont Lachat, Chamonix, France

Mountains loom large almost everywhere you look in Chamonix. Skiers and sightseers are launched by cable car to heights of 3842m on the Mont Blanc massif, while the glacial void of La Vallée Blanche – one of Europe's most fêted off-piste adventures – beckons to the brave. Skiers and boarders have a choice of pistes along the valley, while in summer the same lifts access hiking and biking trails.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Aiguille du Midi

The great rocky fang of the Aiguille du Midi (3842m), rising from the Mont Blanc massif, is one of Chamonix’ most distinctive features. The 360-degree…

Mer de Glace

France’s largest glacier, the 200m-deep 'Sea of Ice', flows 7km down the northern side of Mont Blanc, scarred with crevasses formed by the immense…

The highest peak on the western side of the Chamonix Valley, Le Brévent (2525m) has tremendous views of the Mont Blanc massif, myriad hiking trails…

Musée Alpin

This diverting two-level museum allows you to wander through Chamonix history, from butter moulds and farming tools of yore to the dawn of the 18th…

Musée des Cristaux

Beautifully lit collections of crystals, many from around Mont Blanc, are exposed within this small museum. The adjoining Espace Tairraz focuses on the…

Grotte de Glace

Step directly inside the glacier at this tunnel of ice, reshaped every year for the past half-century, which sparkles with perennially recreated ice…

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Latest stories from Chamonix

Mountaineers on Mont Blanc traversing a snowy ridge.

Sustainable Travel

Feb 24, 2020 • 3 min read

On 13 February, French president Emmanuel Macron announced a plan to limit access to Mont Blanc, curbing the number of ascents allowed and introducing a…

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French Alps

1.1 Mountains
4.1 Ski resorts
4.2 Water sports
5 Understand
8 Get around
13 Stay safe

The French Alps are part of the large European chain of mountains known as the Alps . They are primarily attractive for outdoor activities, such as Alpine Skiing and mountaineering . Less famous but still popular sports, in the region, include mountain bike (cross-country, Downhill), white water rafting and paragliding. The region is also noted for its stunning beauty, including many alpine lakes, the largest being Lake Geneva (Lac Leman), Lac d'Annecy and Lac de Bourget; these lakes are year-round attractions for their beauty and access to numerous water sports.

The French portion of the Alps are also home to famous resorts towns Chamonix , St. Gervais , Albertville (1992 Olympic Winter Games), Grenoble (1968 Olympic Winter Games), and Annecy with its old city and lake.

Regions [ edit ]

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Mountains [ edit ]

Get in [ edit ].

The French Alps are well connected to the rest of the country. The nearest international airport is Grenoble Isère Airport . Lyon and other cities have a direct TGV (fast train) to Paris. Many towns are also connected by TGV or ordinary trains. There are also highways in many valleys. There is also the international airport of Geneva ( Switzerland ) nearby.

Cities [ edit ]

Albertville (Winter Olympic Games in 1992)
45.899167 6.129444 1 Annecy
45.566389 5.920833 2 Chambéry
45.186944 5.726389 3 Grenoble (Winter Olympic Games in 1968)

Other destinations [ edit ]

Ski resorts [ edit ]

45.09 6.07 1 Alpe d'Huez
45.4525 6.566667 2 Brides les Bains (part of Les Trois Vallées )
45.922222 6.868889 3 Chamonix (Winter Olympic Games in 1924)
45.415 6.633889 4 Courchevel (part of Les Trois Vallées )
45.904167 6.423056 5 La Clusaz
46.007 6.68312 6 Le Grand Massif
45.571667 6.807778 7 Les Arcs
45.007222 6.121667 8 Les Deux Alpes
Les Menuires (part of Les Trois Vallées )
45.35 6.6 9 Les Trois Vallées (Winter Olympic Games 1992)
45.401111 6.565556 10 Meribel (part of Les Trois Vallées )
45.856944 6.6175 11 Megève
46.174757 6.806054 12 Portes du Soleil
44.648611 6.64 13 Risoul (part of La Forêt Blanche)
45.469722 6.909444 14 Tignes / Val d'Isère
45.298056 6.58 15 Val Thorens (part of Les Trois Vallées )
Vars (part of La Forêt Blanche)

Water sports [ edit ]

Lake of Aiguebelette
Lake of Annecy
Lake of Bourget
Lake Geneva - the Societe Nautique de Geneve and the mercenary team of Alinghi hold the America's Cup.

Understand [ edit ]

Talk [ edit ].

The primary language in the French Alps is French, although as with any other tourism hotspot, don't be surprised if your broken French is met with well spoken English.

Due to the mountains, you can't fly directly into the French Alps, however, you can fly to surrounding airports and arrange transfer from there. There are many companies that specialise in airport transfers from local airports to all the major ski resorts. The major local airports are in Grenoble and Chambéry .

Get around [ edit ]

One of the best ways to get around the Alps is renting a car. It gives you the freedom to go wherever you please while you're there and take in all the wonderful scenery. As a major tourist location, there are plenty of car rental agencies to help you do this.

See [ edit ]

The tallest mountain in the Alps and in Europe (outside the Caucasus) is Mont Blanc in Haute-Savoie, which stands at 4,807 m (15,767 ft), so it's definitely worth a look if travelling to the Alps. Lake Geneva is another natural landmark that can be seen in this area.

Do [ edit ]

The beautiful terrain around the French Alps means that there is plenty to do all year round and that people can try a range of diverse and exciting activities. The area is of course most famous for its skiing however visitors flock to the area for a variety of other activities including mountain biking, hiking and mountaineering.

Eat [ edit ]

The French Alps have also great many restaurants and are especially famous for its numerous varieties of cheese.

Drink [ edit ]

The popularity of the Alps, particularly for skiing, has led to very high prices, especially for drinks. It is not unusual to pay more than €4 for a small glass of beer in a mountain bar.

Stay safe [ edit ]

Go next [ edit ].

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Why visit Annecy, gateway to the shores and summits of the French Alps

In the Haute-Savoie region of south-eastern France, Annecy and its lake tend to grab the limelight, but extending your visit to the surrounding peaks makes for an all-round Alpine getaway.

Paul Cézanne thought Annecy picturesque to a fault. He’s said to have sneered when visiting in 1896, dismissing it as a landscape for travel sketchbooks. It could be why, when he painted it anyway, his work — titled Le Lac d’Annecy — portrayed a wilder scene than many might expect. Framing the view from Talloires, it captured the gentleness of the lake but a sense of mystery to the mountains behind it, too.

In life as in art, the allure of this destination lies in this contrast. Lake Annecy is found within the Annecy Mountains region, which includes the Aravis range and villages of Le Grand-Bornand, La Clusaz and Manigod. In summer, this means the best of both Alpine worlds: mess about on the water, then head higher for hiking, biking and fresh air.

Away from the trails, Annecy town is marking 20 years as one of France ’s ‘Villes et Pays d’Art et d’Histoire’, a label for destinations that promote their heritage; it has 28 historic sites to discover. Celebrate in August with the annual Fête du Lac, Europe’s largest firework display, or Au Bonheur des Mômes, a festival that brings theatre, dance and a mischievous spirit to Le Grand-Bonard.

Day 1: Cycling & city life

Morning To get a sense of the scale and beauty of the Annecy region, start with a cycling tour of the lake. Pack chocolate flapjacks from retro-style cafe Le Bar Roux d’Heure in Annecy town before picking up bikes from Roul’Ma Poule on Rue des Marquisats, a five-minute walk away. It couldn’t be better located, right opposite the beginning of the Voie Verte du lac d’Annecy — one of the oldest greenways in France. There’s the chance to complete a 26-mile, mostly flat loop around the lake; it takes around three hours to finish, but time goes by quickly as you pedal between beaches and small villages, and past gardens bursting with hollyhocks, bougainvillea and oleanders.

Afternoon Lots of boulangeries surround the Jardins de L’Europe park at the water’s edge of Annecy town, so pick up a quiche and find a shady bench for a picnic lunch. Then, join a guided tour led by local enthusiasts of the old town. It’s a maze of medieval streets lined with arcades and arches, crisscrossed with canals and offshoots of the River Thiou. At its mouth, you can’t miss the Palais de l’Ile — built on a rocky island in the 12th century as the lord of Annecy’s residence, it’s since been a prison, court and mint. Now surrounded by cafe terraces and colourful canal-side houses, with window boxes filled with geraniums, it’s Annecy’s most picturesque spot.

An old French village with quaint multicolored houses in sunset shades, and a mountain in the far background.

Evening Book a private dinner with Annecy Lounge Boat to feast on local charcuterie and cheese fondue as you cruise at sunset. It’s a good option for families or larger groups; the boats seat up to 12, and every seat offers tremendous views. Alternatively, hop on board a water taxi and head south to the shoreside village of Doussard, where the private pontoon of La Cuillère à Omble sets the scene for the seafood feast to come. This bistro sources char, pike, perch and more from Haute-Savoie’s three lakes and serves them on a terrace by the water. The restaurant is right by the Bout du Lac Nature Reserve, one of the lake’s last untouched stretches of shore, ensuring a tranquillity unmatched elsewhere.

Day 2: Mountain drives & mighty peaks

Morning After a day on the lake, it’s time to head into the mountains, and while it’s possible to get around by bus, renting a car means stopping whenever a view catches your eye. Take a pit stop in the village of Manigod, a 30-minute drive from Annecy, where the Lo Garâjo coffeeshop has unbeatable views of the Aravis massif as well as a wine cellar, craft beers, a bookstore and a boutique. Continue over the Col de la Croix Fry into La Clusaz before climbing back up to Le Grand-Bornand — a spectacular drive on winding Alpine roads. A lunch of Reblochon cheese and blackberry tart is served at La Clé des Annes on the Col des Annes, where ingredients are largely sourced from the restaurant’s own farm.

Afternoon Walk off your meal exploring the surrounding Alpine meadow on marked footpaths, where the silence is broken only by the occasional ringing of a cow bell. For a gentle and panoramic stroll, head to Les Terres Rouges restaurant and loop back via the Fenil farm. Alternatively, allow at least two hours for the six-mile round trek from the Col des Annes to the Gramusset refuge at the base of Pointe Percée, the Aravis’ highest peak at 2,750m. When you start getting tired, drive down to Le Grand-Bonard to recharge at the cosy Shed Cafe . One of the latest additions to the village, it serves coffee, homemade smoothies and sweet treats — as well as beers, depending on your mood.

Cows grazing in the Alpine meadows with rocky hills in the background.

Evening In 2000, a group of artists joined forces to celebrate Le Grand-Bonard’s 2,000 inhabitants and 2,000 cows grazing on pastures at 6,560ft (2,000m). Aptly called The Cow Trail, the works are dotted around the village and include sculptures, murals and photo installations. Keep an eye out as you make your way to Confins des Sens , a stone-and-wood affair with a terrace facing the Aravis. It’s the place for mountain food with a gourmet twist: partners for more than 20 years, chefs Anthony Barrucand and Jean-Sébastien Faber change the menu seasonally, but expect everything from scallops with butternut squash, citrus and honey to veal with parsley sabayon and potatoes.

The best water activities to do in Annecy

1. Freediving Freedive in Lake Annecy with Planète Apnée, a venture launched in 2023 to tap into the sport’s growing popularity. There are sessions for beginners, as well as outings that will have you float over a shipwreck.

2. Toumo yoga Inspired by a Tibetan method, this yoga class features breathing techniques and visualisation — plus controlled exposure to spring-fresh, icy-cold water in mountain streams above Le Grand-Bornand.

3. Kayaking Spot pike and perch as you glide in a see-through kayak around Lake Annecy. Watersports specialist Gliss’cool is based in Angon, an easy paddle away from Talloires and Roc de Chère National Nature Reserve.

4. Canyoning Walk up streams, jump from waterfalls and abseil down the rock faces of pretty Angon canyon. As long as you can swim, you’re welcome — the guides will tailor the half-day experience accordingly.

5. Water hiking A gentle form of canyoning, this is ideal for children aged six and over. Walk through a river in La Sambuy, sometimes sliding down rocks, sometimes splashing into pools.

Where to stay near Lake Annecy

1. Là Haut Set in the Massif des Bauges Regional Nature Park, this is a mountain refuge dressed up as a chic chalet, complete with a barrel-shaped sauna. Opt for the Shelters Experience to sleep inside a metal shelter repurposed from polar expeditions.

2. Refuge de la Pointe Percée Originally built in 1928, this is a mountain refuge through and through, so expect shared dorm rooms and communal dining. It’s a three-hour hike from Le Grand-Bornand but worth it for the sunsets on nearby Pic de Jallouvre alone.

3. Chalet Sisar Accessed via a dirt track through the forest, this renovated old farm sits on the Beauregard plateau, high above the village of La Clusaz. There are five bedrooms sleeping up to 12, a huge south-facing terrace and myriad trails right on the doorstep.

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Alps- Mont-Blanc

Destination

Alps - Mont Blanc

Here you can climb to the summit of a mountain or dip your toes in a crystal clear lake: in the shadow of Mont Blanc in the Alps, the pure air will soon have you feeling refreshed and relaxed. In winter, ski resorts tempt you onto the slopes then afterwards recharge your batteries at invigorating mountain spas and magnificent restaurants and places to stay.

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What to do in the Alps - Mont Blanc?

From the mythical Mont Blanc to the Portes du Soleil, the Alps invite you to use and abuse superlatives. Perfect your schuss in the world’s largest ski area, track one of the most beautiful views of the Alps or improve your swing in Chamonix, the highest golf course in Europe. It’s up to you!

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The 10 Most Beautiful Villages in the French Alps

A living mountain range.

The French Alps aren't just about nature and wonderful mountain scenery, they are also home to historic villages with a very specific local culture and traditions. During a vacation in these mountains you can expect crystal clear lakes, tranquil forests and beautiful peaks.

But the area also has a long history and is home to a people rooted in their region and their past. In these remote villages where the hospitality is as warm as the winters are cold, you can stay in traditional chalets and enjoy the generous local food in its restaurants. Discover the 10 most beautiful villages in the French Alps.

Évian-les-Bains

A town famous for its water and a place to relax.

Évian-les-Bains is a spa town on the banks of Lake Geneva (lac Léman), whose water is famous all over the world. Lots of visitors go there to visit the spa and drink its waters from the Cachat spring, but it's just as nice to visit for relaxation, a little culture or some sport. There are lots of artisan boutiques and art galleries in the Art Nouveau influenced pedestrianized streets leading down to the lake.

Or you can hop on a boat, which is the only way to visit the water gardens of Pré Curieux (les jardins de l'eau du Pré Curieux). If you are looking for something more energetic, golf, sailing and rowing are also possible.

Location: Place de la Porte d'Allinges, 74500 Évian-les-Bains, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 50 75 04 26

A very special Town of Art and History

Chambéry, on the banks of the River Leysse, is the former capital of Savoy and a town that buzzes with art and history. It was one of the homes of the Dukes of Savoy so in addition to the famous castle there are some beautiful 15th and 16th century mansions (hôtels particuliers) that bear witness to the town's past grandeur.

The most beautiful of these mansions are along rue Croix d’Or. Strolling through covered passageways and internal courtyards, past trompe l'oeil facades and fountains decorated with elephants, this is a fascinating town to explore. Have a coffee in place Saint-Léger and enjoy a bit of people watching before heading off to enjoy the Italian masterpieces in the museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts).

Location: 5 Bis Place du Palais de Justice, 73000 Chambéry, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 79 33 42 47

The 10 Most Beautiful Natural Sites in the French Alps

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Saint-gervais-les-bains, come for the spa or for the scenery.

Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, a little town sitting at the foot of the Alps, has been considered one of the prettiest thermal towns in Savoy for over a century. And there's still plenty to enjoy today. Of course, there's the spa with its thermal springs and well-being treatments (hammam, sauna, massage), but there are also the beautiful mountains and countryside.

If you're a keen climber you may use the town as a base for your climb of Mont Blanc, or you could just try the aerial cableway to enjoy the amazing view. Saint-Gervais is also excellent for winter sports, having a network of cable automobiles that joins it to the Megève and Chamonix ski-resorts.

Location: Maison de Saint-Gervais, 43 Rue du Mont Blanc, 74170 Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 50 47 76 08

A village with as much character as the cheese named after it

Abondance is a tasty cheese, but also an attractive, traditional alpine village. The little onion dome on its church is typical of the religious architecture of Haute-Savoie, and below it the local houses are built in with their wooden floors on stone bases.

As well as the ancient abbey and its cloisters don't forget to visit the cheese co-operative to try the local specialty before you leave. If you're looking for some exercise, the village also has a ski area.

Location: Chef Lieu, 74360 Abondance, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 50 73 02 90

The home of off-piste skiing

La Grave is a mountain village surrounded by incredible scenery and synonymous with French skiing. The main village is surrounded by 6 hamlets, all overlooked by the majestic La Meije mountain and three imposing glaciers.

The steep and winding streets (called "trabucs") lead to the houses built in shale and volcanic rock (no wooden chalets here), as well as the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (l'église de Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption), the White Penitents' chapel (la chapelle des Pénitents blancs) and the peaceful cemetery looking out over La Meije. La Grave is also famous for its off-piste skiing featuring high quality powder in unspoiled larch forests.

Location: RD 1091, 05320 La Grave, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 76 79 90 05

Beaufort-sur-Doron

Cheese, skiing and alpine meadows.

Beaufort-sur-Doron has everything you'd expect to find in a mountain ski station and shares its name with a gourmet cheese. This village in the Beaufortain mountains has stone streets and colorful stone houses lined with flowers around a pretty church of Sainte Maxime (l’église Sainte-Maxime).

Above the village there are the blue waters of Lake Roselend (lac de Roselend). On the walk up to the lake you can admire the old forge and the old bakery or visit the cheese co-operative to find out how to make this local specialty, and try it of course. Not forgetting the ski-resort of Arêches-Beaufort, where there are lots of sporting activities, in summer as well as in winter.

Location: 2 Grande Rue, 73270 Beaufort, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 79 38 37 57

Bonneval-sur-Arc

The village where all the houses had names.

Bonneval-sur-Arc is just like you imagine an alpine village to look at first glance and boasts snow-capped peaks and glaciers.This tiny, remote village, straight from a fairytale, is surrounded by majestic glaciers. The thick walled stone buildings have limestone tiled roofs (lauze) held up by very strong lumber beams.

It's easy to imagine the inhabitants spending their winters weaving next to a good fire, so they have something to sell the next summer. Nowadays this old village has 21st century ambitions and offers snowboarding, skwalling and ice-climbing.

Location: Résidence Ciamarella, 73480 Bonneval-sur-Arc, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 79 05 95 95

The balcony of Mont-Blanc

Cordon, 900 meters above sea-level, is ideally placed for a spectacular view of the Mont Blanc mountains, hence its nickname the Balcony of Mont Blanc (le balcon de Mont-Blanc). Why not spend a few days in a traditional mountain chalet, breathing in the clear mountain air and recharging your batteries?

If you want to be a bit more active you can visit traditional farms and share in local festivities, enjoy local food or walk (or ski) among the pine trees. This ski resort is very family friendly and offers lots of things to do, whatever your age.

Location: 1 Chemin des Motteuses, 74700 Cordon, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 50 58 01 57

The highest town in France

Briançon is a Town of Art and History (ville d’Art et d’Histoire) fortified by Vauban and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Briançon is a homage to Louis XIV's famous engineer who designed a citadel and various forts (Salettes, Randouillet) to strengthen this frontier town.

In addition there are some beautiful churches like the Church of the Shoemakers (l’église des Cordeliers) and the collegiate church of Our Lady (la collégiale Notre-Dame), and not forgetting the colorful facades, sun dials and fountains in the streets. A must-see during any vacation in the Alps, this town is also connected to the Serre Chevalier ski-resort if you want sport as well as culture.

Location: 1 Place du Temple, 05100 Briançon, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 92 21 08 50

A magical fortified town

Entrevaux is a town full of heritage and a beautiful setting to relax and recharge. Behind the impressive drawbridge are narrow streets and tall houses, but also a flour mill and an oil mill, fountains, medieval bread ovens and shops.

Explore the old dungeons and the citadel's keep, try the Chemin de Ronde for amazing glimpses of the Var valley through arrow slits in the walls, or walk up to see the fascinating mix of Gothic and Baroque architecture on the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption (la cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption). In July there are lots of medieval festivals to enjoy.

Location: Rue de la Porte Royale, 04320 Entrevaux, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 93 05 46 73

This article includes opinions of the Go Guides editorial team. Hotels.com compensates authors for their writing appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs.

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Delegation that visited Utah visited the French Alps. Will France host 2030 Winter Games?

By lisa riley roche, deseret news | posted - may 5, 2024 at 10:34 p.m..

Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY — Even though questions remain about a 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps, including whether some events will be held in another country, France's bid team seemed assured after a visit by the same International Olympic Committee delegation that came to Utah last month.

Both Salt Lake City and the French Alps already have been named preferred hosts by the IOC Executive Board — Utah, for the 2034 Winter Games, and France, for 2030. The IOC leaders are now awaiting a report based on the site visits by the organization's Future Host Commission before recommending either bid advance to a final vote by the full IOC membership in July.

"We are confident that it will be confirmed," French IOC member and president of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee, David Lappartient, told reporters, according to a translation of his remarks at a news conference last week held to mark the end of the five-day tour of the country's proposed Winter Games venues.

Unlike Utah, which has been pursuing another Olympics for more than a decade and was deemed a "role model" for future hosts by the IOC delegation because venues from the 2002 Winter Games are still in place and all within an hour of athlete housing at the University of Utah, France didn't even get into the race until less than a year ago.

That's led to speculation France's bid could falter and force the IOC to look for a new 2030 location, possibly even turning to Salt Lake City four year earlier than anticipated. Switzerland, which has a new, privileged status as the only bidder for now for the 2038 Winter Games, is also seen as an alternative.

France's proposed 2030 Winter Games venues are spread across several hundred miles, from ski resorts in the north to the beachfront city of Nice in the south. While the Alpine and other venues in the north were described as needing little work to be ready for a 2030 Winter Games, new and temporary facilities will have to be built to hold ice events along the French Riviera.

Still to be decided is whether a temporary speedskating oval will be constructed in Nice or if the long track events would be held outside France, possibly in the Netherlands or in Italy, where a temporary track is being installed for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina.

The competition for the 2030 and 2034 Winter Games

Lappartient, who said there should be an answer about the speedskating venue by early June, appeared more interested in emphasizing the competitiveness of the bid process since France decided to go after a Winter Olympics despite Paris hosting the 2024 Summer Games.

While it now seems like "We are winning because there's no one competing against us," Lappartient said the French Alps faced "six competitors on the starting line," including Salt Lake City, which bid for both 2030 and 2034 with a preference for the later date to avoid competing for sponsors with the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

The other 2030 contenders were Sapporo, Japan; Vancouver, Canada; Switzerland and Sweden. While Sapporo and Vancouver were out of the running due to a lack of public support even before France's late bid, Lappartient, an IOC member since 2022, said IOC leaders could have chosen Sweden, bidding for the ninth time; Switzerland, "a huge winter sports country;" or Salt Lake City.

"Today, we get the impression that it was easy," he said of the decision to opt for France as the preferred host. "We are almost at the finish line now, and I think all that we have shown this week makes us rather confident. But, of course, there are some obligatory pieces," that are still needed, including government guarantees that the cost of hosting will be covered.

Still, the French Olympic official cautioned, "We must remain humble. We just want to make sure our bid is the best that it can be so there's no possible reason for (the IOC) not to award us the Games." Lappartient noted that he and other French members of the Switzerland-based IOC will not be able to participate in the final vote, set for July 24, celebrated as Pioneer Day in Utah.

Austrian IOC member Karl Stoss, the chairman of the Future Host Commission, was already talking about what would happen after the 2030 Winter Games are awarded to the French Alps, declaring, "Immediately after the election we will come together, and we will talk about the Olympic program," including adding new sports to appeal to a younger demographic.

Saying some ideas have been discussed, Stoss suggested the new events would not be in Alpine skiing but in Nordic and ice sports.

New interest in hosting the 2036 Summer Games

The Future Host Commission's trip to see the French Alps bid comes as the IOC is seeing renewed competition to host the Olympics, with what IOC President Thomas Bach says are "double-digit" numbers of countries in the running for the 2036 Summer Games.

"We have never been in such a favorable position. We have never seen such a high interest in hosting the Olympic Games," Bach told the Agence France Presse news service during a recent interview from his offices at the IOC's headquarters in Switzerland.

The list of potential host nations include Saudi Arabia, the sole candidate for soccer's 2032 FIFA World Cup; Qatar, that lost the 2032 Summer Games to Brisbane, Australia; Indonesia, and India. Germany, Turkey, South Korea and Hungary are also looking at 2036, according to GamesBids.com .

When AFP asked Bach about human rights concerns in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, he declined to discuss whether that would make them contested choices.

"We are now 12 years away from these Games, so it is way too early to comment on any of these interests," the IOC leader said. He did, however, credit reforms made under his watch in the bid process that emphasize controlling costs by using existing facilities for the high level of interest.

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14 Top Vacation Destinations in the French Alps
Saint-Gervais, surrounded by Mont Blanc among other towering peaks, is also a top French Alps destination in its own right, with bountiful eateries and plenty of mountain air to inhale. Take a 70 ...
12 Most Beautiful Places in the French Alps to Visit
As the sun sets, casting a golden hue over Lake Geneva, it's easy to see why Évian-les-Bains is often touted as one of the places to see in the French Alps. Évian-les-Bains lakeside beauty, spa town serenity, and scenic French beauty. 9. Grenoble.
16 Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in the French Alps
Author Lisa Alexander spent two years living in France and has traveled the country extensively. For nature lovers, the French Alps are one of the best places to visit in France.This area boasts some of the most magnificent scenery in Europe: awe-inspiring mountains, crystal-clear lakes, rushing waterfalls, and pristine forests.
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French Alps & the Jura Mountains. France, Europe. High up in the French Alps, it's enthralling to imagine the forces that shaped these colossal peaks. The African and Eurasian tectonic plates collided some 35 million years ago, forcing the land skyward into a 1000km chain of saw-edged mountains.
THE 15 BEST Things to Do in French Alps
2023. 1. Aiguille du Midi. 7,852. Mountains. From Chamonix (1035m), fly over the forest to reach le Plan de l'Aiguille in 10 minutes (2317m). On your right, the Glacier des Bossons, in front of you the Mont-Blanc (4810m), on your left the Aiguille Verte, the Drus and the Aiguilles de Chamonix.
Visit the French Alps
The Alps are the ideal destination for a whole host of leisure and outdoor activities - skiing, hiking, mountaineering, white water rafting, pot-holing, mountain biking, visiting thermal baths and much more besides! By Rédaction France.fr. The magazine of the destination unravels an unexpected France that revisits tradition and cultivates ...
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Description of the French Alps Limits of the French Alps. The French Alps extend 180km from Lake Geneva on the Swiss border in the north to Nice and the Italian border in the south.Switzerland and Italy border its eastern side.. Two administrative regions share the vast mountain territory: Auvergne Rhône-Alpes to the north and,; Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) to the South.
20 Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in the French Alps
Celebrity spotting is a fun pastime in Courchevel 1850, with many famous people visiting during the ski season for lavish parties and "to be seen". For many, this is one of the best places to visit in the French Alps. It is renowned for having one of the longest ski seasons and the best snow cover in the whole of the Alps.
Must-see attractions in French Alps & the Jura Mountains
Grande Saline. The salty history of the Jura is well-explained in the town of Salins-les-Bains, which derives its very name from the salt trade. Step inside the Grande…. Discover the best attractions in French Alps & the Jura Mountains including Aiguille du Midi, Mer de Glace, and Ville Ancienne.
Best French Alps Road Trip Itinerary: Annecy to Chamonix
The French Alps is an incredible region of amazing landscapes, fairytale towns, and natural wonders perfect for nature lovers. The French Alps is a popular destination during the ski season, but anyone yet to visit the French Alps in summer is certainly missing out.
Five areas to discover in the French Alps for a great holiday adventure
Mountains offer great landscapes, hiking and places to stay, as these ideas from a new Wild Guide to the French Alps show Helen Webster and Paul Webster Thu 19 Aug 2021 01.30 EDT Last modified on ...
French Alps: What to Know Before You Go (2024)
2024. Hotel Les Grillons. 646. from $166/night. 2024. Hotel Aiguille Du Midi. 311. from $135/night. French Alps Tourism: Tripadvisor has 1,340,057 reviews of French Alps Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best French Alps resource.
10 Best Towns In The French Alps To Visit
These towns in the French Alps, a magnificent mountain range in southeastern France, are the perfect destinations to visit and base yourself on for the unparalleled beauty and outdoor opportunities in the region. Nestled among the towering peaks and rolling valleys, numerous picturesque towns and cities offer you a gateway to this natural wonderland.
The Essential Guide to the French Alps
The glorious peaks enveloped in pristine snow are just one reason skiers and hikers flock to the French Alps. Another is the scene—here, it's about as glitzy as it gets, with everything from luxury hotels and Michelin-starred dining to world-class shopping and a lively après-ski nightlife that draws visitors from all over the world.
THE 30 BEST Places to Visit in French Alps (UPDATED 2024)
2023. 1. Aiguille du Midi. 7,850. Mountains. From Chamonix (1035m), fly over the forest to reach le Plan de l'Aiguille in 10 minutes (2317m). On your right, the Glacier des Bossons, in front of you the Mont-Blanc (4810m), on your left the Aiguille Verte, the Drus and the Aiguilles de Chamonix.
Quick Guide to the French Alps in Summer
French Alps Summer Holidays. If you love nature and wide-open spaces, the French Alps are among the best places to visit in France in summer.Mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and more await you in this small peaceful land located in Eastern France.. Whether you are visiting on a weekend getaway or planning dedicated French Alps summer holidays, there are many incredible places to see and ...
Best Things to Do in the French Alps
Past kimkim travelers enjoyed the following itineraries that included experiences in the French Alps: Tour du Mont Blanc Self-Guided Trek - 8 days. Lyon, Annecy & Chamonix - 10 Days. Highlights of Eastern France: Paris, Reims, Strasbourg, Colmar, Annecy, & Nice - 13 Days. Written by Ash Merscher, updated Feb 8, 2022.
French Alps Travel Guide Resources & Trip Planning Info by Rick Steves
The Savoie region grows Europe's highest mountains and is the penthouse of the French Alps, with drop-dead spectacular scenery. More than just a pretty-peaked face, stubborn Savoie maintained its independence from France until 1860, when mountains became targets, rather than obstacles, for travelers. Today's Savoie is France's mountain-sports capital, showcasing 15,780-foot Mont Blanc as its ...
Chamonix travel
Chamonix. France, Europe. Mountains loom large almost everywhere you look in Chamonix. Skiers and sightseers are launched by cable car to heights of 3842m on the Mont Blanc massif, while the glacial void of La Vallée Blanche - one of Europe's most fêted off-piste adventures - beckons to the brave. Skiers and boarders have a choice of ...
French Alps
French Alps. The French Alps are part of the large European chain of mountains known as the Alps. They are primarily attractive for outdoor activities, such as Alpine Skiing and mountaineering. Less famous but still popular sports, in the region, include mountain bike (cross-country, Downhill), white water rafting and paragliding.
How to spend a weekend in Annecy, France
Why visit Annecy, gateway to the shores and summits of the French Alps. In the Haute-Savoie region of south-eastern France, Annecy and its lake tend to grab the limelight, but extending your visit ...
Alps- Mont-Blanc
ESSENTIALS. From the mythical Mont Blanc to the Portes du Soleil, the Alps invite you to use and abuse superlatives. Perfect your schuss in the world's largest ski area, track one of the most beautiful views of the Alps or improve your swing in Chamonix, the highest golf course in Europe. It's up to you!
The French Alps
Visit the French Alps. Skiing in the French Alps is the ultimate winter holiday, whether you're a novice or experienced on skis. The main airports are at Lyon, Chambéry, and Grenoble.
The 10 Most Beautiful Villages in the French Alps
Saint-Gervais-les-Bains. Abondance. La Grave. Beaufort-sur-Doron. Bonneval-sur-Arc. Cordon. Briançon. Entrevaux. The French Alps aren't just about nature and wonderful mountain scenery, they are also home to historic villages with a very specific local culture and traditions.
French Alps
The French Alps (French: Alpes françaises) are the portions of the Alps mountain range that stand within France, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. While some of the ranges of the French Alps are entirely in France, others, such as the Mont Blanc massif, are shared with Switzerland and Italy.. At 4,808 metres (15,774 ft), Mont Blanc, on the France ...
Delegation that visited Utah visited the French Alps. Will France host
Even though questions remain about a 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps, France's bid team seemed assured after a visit by the same International Olympic Committee delegation that came to Utah ...

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Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Aix-les-Bains

Alpe d'Huez

Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark

Évian-les-Bains

Serre Chevalier

Val d'Isère

Saint-Gervais-les-Bains

Mercantour National Park

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16 Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in the French Alps

1. Chamonix

More Related Articles on PlanetWare.com

More on France

The French Alps: A Mini Discovery Guide

Description of the French Alps

The Alps in general

Alpine mountain passes

The Alps: Europe’s Reservoir

Main glaciers

Main cities

Protected areas in the French Alps

National Parks

Vanoise National Park (Parc national de la Vanoise)

Écrins National Park (Parc National des Écrins)

Mercantour National Park (Parc national du Mercantour)

Regional Natural Parks

Vercors Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional du Vercors)

Luberon Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional du Luberon)

Queyras Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional du Queyras)

Chartreuse Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional de la Chartreuse)

Bauges Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional du Massif des Bauges)

Verdon Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional du Verdon)

Prealps of Azur Regional Natural Park (Parc naturel régional des Préalpes d’Azur)

Natural Reserves

Human activities in the French Alps

Cows and sheep

Hydroelectric power

Technological industries

Thermal Baths

Traditions and cultural identity

Activities and Sports in the French Alps

Gigantic ski resorts in the French Alps

Summer sports and activities

Walking and Hiking in the French Alps

Tourism and main sites

Natural Environment

Cities, small towns and villages

Feudal Castles and Fortifications

Cathedrals, Churches and Abbeys

Local artefacts

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24 PLACES TO SEE IN FRANCE

20 Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in the French Alps

1. Annecy | Scenic Lakeside Town

Dining in Annecy

Things to do in Annecy

2. Chamonix | French Alpine Ski Resort

The best resuarants in Chamonix

Things to do in Chamonix

3. Courchevel 1850 | High End Chalets and Restaurants

Restaurants in Courchevel 1850

Things to do in Courchevel 1850

4. Saint-Gervais-Mont- Blanc | Thermal Park Village

Where to eat in Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc

Activites in Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc

5. Val d’Isère | Picturesque French Alpine Village