Parts of a large chain of mountains in Europe known as the Alps, the French Alps are home to a number of famous resort towns such as Chamonix, Samoëns, Grenoble, St. Gervais, Annecy and Albertville. Renowned as a popular holiday destinations for winter sports, snow activities and outdoor pursuits, the French Alps are famous for their alpine skiing, mountaineering, mountain biking, paragliding and even white water rafting. The region is also known for its spectacular natural beauty and alpine lakes including Lake Geneva, Lac de Bourget and Lac d'Annecy.
French Alps accommodation is found in both the north and south of the region in areas known as Alpes Du Sud and Alpes Du Nord. Offering a wide range of accommodation options including some of the most popular ski resorts and resort towns, French Alps accommodation boasts hotels, villas, resorts, eco lodges, ski residences, chalets and spa retreats that range from 3 to 5 stars. Home to both boutique properties and major chains such as Mercure and Best Western, French Alps accommodation is conveniently close to a range of local leisure activities and attractions including Grenoble, St Gervais, Chamonix, Monetier-les-Bains, Samoëns, Col du Galibier, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Col d'Arsine, La Rosiere Espace San Bernardo, El Zocalo Theatre, Mont-de-Lans, Allos and Loutesskis. Book French Alps Accommodation
The French Alps are best known for their resort towns, skiing and mountaineering however there are also a number of other attractions located in this region of France. Mont Blanc, located in Haute-Savoie, is the tallest mountain in the Alps and indeed in Western Europe, measuring 4,807m. Another of the region's popular natural attractions include Lake Geneva, the largest of the alpine lakes. The resort town of Aix-les-Bains is famous for its day spas and thermal springs while Evian-les-Bains is renowned for its mineral water. Annecy, known as the 'Venice of the Alps' due to the number of canals that meander through the town and the mountain village of Briançon, the highest town in Europe, are also popular places to visit. Grenoble is the largest city in the French Alps and is known as an ancient yet vibrant city popular for countryside excursions and visiting its range of museums. Read more about French Alps Attractions
The mountains prevent visitors from flying directly into the French Alps however there are a number of airports located in surrounding towns that allow you to transfer from there. There is an international airport in Grenoble and the TGV (fast train) and other regular train services connect the French Alps to Paris, Lyons and a number of other cities. There are a number of highways within the valley which make driving easy and there are plenty of car hire companies located in the French Alps. The best way to navigate the Alps, hiring a car gives you the freedom to soak up the wonderful scenery and visit wherever you please.
The French Alps form a crescent shape that covers a distance of 1,200km in Europe. Aside from France, the Alps also extend into a number of other European countries including Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, Monaco, Slovenia and Liechtenstein. The French Alps are home to a number of glaciers as well as 30,000 wildlife species and 13,000 species of vegetation, many that are native to the region. There are a total of 82 official summits in the French Alps that measure at least 4,000 m high with the highest being Mont Blanc at 4,810 m on the French Italian border. The French Alps attract around 120 million visitors annually.
