The Alps (les Alpes) are the most famous mountain ranges in Europe and for good reason. Located east of France and on the Swiss and Italian borders, the range is dominated by the majestic Mont Blanc, at 15,774 feet (4,808 meters), it is the highest in Western Europe. And it never loses its layer of snow. It was discovered in the 19th century by climbers and today it offers a great sport for beginners, particularly with the construction of Via Ferratas numbers (iron stairs bolted to the rock) while challenging the experts as well.
In the Alps, you will come across some of the most spectacular mountain scenery, towering ranges that can be seen from the Mediterranean coast, providing a wonderful backdrop to cities like Nice and Antibes. In winter, the Alps are a skier’s paradise; In summer, the tall grasses are full of hikers and hikers, cyclists, and people fishing in the cold lakes.
The main towns
Grenoble , the ‘capital of the Alps’, is a lively city with a medieval quarter full of shops and restaurants. It also has good cultural offerings from a leading modern art museum to the Resistance Museum. The city began as a Roman fortified city, but owes its first fame to the local uprising in 1788, which started the French Revolution. It is also the last stop on the Napoleon Route after the French Emperor arrived here in March 1815. It has an international airport and serves the ski resorts of Les Deux-Alpes and L’Alpe d’Huez, among others.
Visit the Maison de la Montagne at 3 rue Raoul-Blanchard for hiking tips and information on refuges. It has a notable jazz festival every March and a gay and lesbian film festival in April.
Annecy, just 50 km (31 miles) south of Lake Geneva and located on glorious Lac d’Annecy, is one of the most beautiful resort towns in the French Alps. It has historical monuments such as the castle, which houses a museum and an observatory, an old town full of arcaded shops, and the Palais de l’ile, a fortress between two bridges in the middle of the Canal du Thiou.
Chambéry is located at the entrance of the mountain passes into Italy, giving the city great importance as a trading post in the 14th and 15th centuries . It was the capital of Savoy, ruled by the dukes who once lived in its imposing castle. It is a beautiful city, with good museums to visit and great architecture to admire. To the north is the Aix-les-Bains spa, popular for its thermal baths. Lac du Bourget, the largest natural lake in the country, is one of the best places in France for water sports.
Briançon , 100 km (62 miles) east of Grenoble, is the capital of the Ecrins area. It is one of the highest cities in Europe (1350 meters or 4,429 feet above sea level), and noted for its splendid citadel and fortifications of Vauban in the 17th century. For a myriad of different sports, head to the Parc National des Ecrins and Vallouise about 20 km (12 miles) to the southwest.
winter sports
The Alps have some of the largest connected ski areas. Les Trois Vallées covers Courchevel, Méribel, La Tania, Brides-les-Bains, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Les Menuires, Val Thorens and Orelles, totaling 338 slopes and 600 km of slopes.
Other areas include the Portes du Soleil (288 slopes, 650 km of slopes not completely connected); Paradiski (239 slopes and 420 km of slopes) and Espace Killy (137 slopes, 300 km of slopes).
Reflexes
Aiguille du Midi – Climb aboard the téléphérique, one of the highest cable car lifts in the world that will take you 3,000 meters above the Chamonix Valley for an extraordinary view of Mont Blanc. It is only for the adventurers; you feel on top of the world. It is expensive (55 euros for adults) but it is worth it.
Walking through the national or regional parks in the area such as Ecrins and Chartreuse is a landscape of limestone peaks, pine forest and grasslands.
Lake cruise at Lac d’Annecy , lasting one to two hours, or a 2-3 hour cruise that includes lunch or dinner. Short cruises around 14 euros; lunches and dinners on cruises for around 55 euros.
