Our guide to...

Rhone Alps

The Rhone-Alpes region has taken its name from the Rhone River, and from the Alps Mountain Range. No surprise, then, that mention of this region conjures up images of breathtakingly beautiful snow-capped landscapes with hills, valleys and open spaces to explore. To the east of France, sharing borders with Italy and with Switzerland, the Rhône-Alpes region is also one of a few to give you access to Lake Geneva.

This region is certainly one of the most popular for tourists passing through or choosing to stay within its borders. It’s used as a gateway to Italy, and is one of the more direct routes through from Calais to the southern coast. There are also two international airports, which mean that it’s easy to get to your gîte and to enjoy major attractions including the impressive Mont Blanc and its ski resorts, and the beautiful Rhone-Alpes vineyards. You’ll also find more than 60 golf courses, each with their own challenges.

Ain is a department built on its farmland, where the restaurants serve the freshest foods straight from the farms and fields. If you’re looking for a department where you can enjoy the great outdoors, then a gîte in Ain could be the perfect choice. The Jura Mountains, an abundance of lakes and rivers and some of France’s most beautiful forests are awaiting your visit.

Fishing, cycling and hiking are three of the main activities enjoyed by visitors to the Ain department, with tourists coming to ski throughout the winter months. Don’t miss the Cascade de Glandieu, and if you’re looking for attractions in Ain then it’s worth setting aside time to visit the Musée du Train Miniature and the colourful Parc des Oiseaux, where the whole family can get close to colourful birds from all over the world, enjoying unforgettable bird-feeding experiences and watching the dramatic Birds in Flight show.

In Ardèche, home of the Ardèche River, you’ll find mountains and valleys alongside amazing natural landmarks like the Vallon-Pont-d’Arc. There are mystical underground caves and castles up on hills. Containing part of the Cévennes National Park, this department is the perfect place for climbing, canoeing and kayaking holidays.

Kids will never forget a visit to Safari de Peaugres with its drive-through and walk-through animal enclosures, and there’s no better way to see the department’s incredible gorge scenery than to hop aboard Le Vélorail des Gorges du Doux. It’s also worth visiting Ardèche’s more natural answer to the big commercial water parks found elsewhere in France – the Isla Cool Douche with its private lakeside beach, boating areas, swimming areas and hammocks ideal for a lazy afternoon with your favourite book.

If you love outdoor sports then you’ll love the department of Drôme, with natural landscapes perfect for skiing, mountain biking, climbing and hiking. Go on an organised excursion, or grab your equipment and set out on an expedition of your own. Stop for a delicious lunch, enjoy an afternoon game of golf, visit a vineyard or walk the Lavender Roads through fields of lavender. If you’re looking for other things to do in Drôme, then you can organise an exciting day out to a crocodile farm or an aviation museum.

Before heading home, don’t forget to call in at La Cité du Chocolat. It’s a giant chocolate shop where you can try before you buy, with no limits or restrictions, and learn more about chocolate through interactive exhibits.

Haute-Savoie, on the southern edge of Lake Geneva, is a paradise for hikers. Many of the people living in this department don’t see themselves as typically French. What you’ll get on your visit isn’t an authentic French experience, but will be unique and memorable because of its individuality. Haute-Savoie’s southern border includes Mont Blanc, and the department also encapsulates the Aravis Mountain Range. If you love winter sports, then you’ll love this department with its opportunities for skiing and snowboarding. Haute-Savoie is where the first ever Olympic Winter Games were held in 1924, and in contrast to Mont Blanc the department’s lowest point is the beautiful Rhone River Valley. Forests cover the landscape, and this area is known for its alpine towns and its cheeses.

Some of the best French ski resorts can be found in Isère, where the French Alps have provided an ideal environment for anyone looking to plummet down a mountain at a very high speed. Even if you don’t enjoy skiing, you can have an equally thrilling experience thanks to Isère’s numerous paragliding centres. In fact, this department hosts the annual Coupe Icare – a festival of hang gliding, paragliding, hot air ballooning and aerial acrobatics – as a testament to its ideal air-sport conditions.

Attractions in Isère range from castles and museums to caves and gardens, the most popular of which is Le Jardin des Fontaines Pétrifiantes. You won’t want to miss a visit to Grenoble, and to the Bastille with its sky-high restaurant and its viewpoints accessed by cable car. A visit to the Bastille is one that you’ll never forget, and whilst you’re in Grenoble you’ll also want to visit the Museum of Natural History.

Named after the longest river in France, the department of Loire is one of the country’s most beautiful. Little riverside villages and beautiful castles are well worth capturing on camera, and you can go donkey trekking amongst peaceful forests for a very different way to enjoy your surroundings. You won’t find too many commercial attractions in Loire – just wonderful architecture in colourful and well-kept surroundings. Occasional museums, art galleries and golf courses are great for days out, and there are beautiful formal gardens filled with native and tropical flowers to inspire and delight.

Containing the city of Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Rhône is a place of art, culture and wonderful food. It’s in Lyon that you’ll be able to experience of one the most spectacular festivals in France – the Fête des Lumières. Within the Capital of Lights you’ll find Roman amphitheatre ruins, museums and parks, historic buildings and religious churches including the intricately beautiful Cathedral of St. John.

Outside Lyon, the rest of Rhône has even more to offer. Whether you spend your holiday exploring castles or watching shows at the theatre, you’ll build lasting memories to take home after your trip. Attractions in Rhône range from the Parc de Courzieu animal park to the Musée Miniature et Cinéma, where you’ll see some of the most detailed miniature scenes ever created. There are things to do in any weather, but if you’re looking for somewhere to relax on a summer afternoon then why not take a picnic to Le Parc de la Tête d’Or?

If you’re visiting Savoie then it’s worth being prepared to spend your time walking, boating and enjoying your natural surroundings. This is a department of wide open spaces, fast-flowing rivers and rocky mountains. It’s a department with wonderful lakes, including Lac d’Aiguebelette which is one of the country’s cleanest. You might also see Lac du Bourget, which is the largest and deepest lake with all of its shoreline within the borders of France. Bobsleigh and toboggan runs, along with ski and snowboarding centres, provide great entertainment for the colder winter months. In the summer, why not spend your time boating or swimming? Savoie has underground caves and calming thermal spas. You’ll return from your holiday feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, with plenty of exciting stories to tell to your friends.

Areas of Rhone Alps

Ain
Ain is a department built on its farmland, where the restaurants serve the freshest foods straight from the farms and fields. In the Jura Mountains, an abundance of lakes, rivers and some of France's most beautiful forests await your visit.

Ardeche
In Ardèche, home of the Ardèche River, you'll find mountains and valleys alongside amazing natural landmarks like the Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. There are mystical underground caves and castles up on hills.

Drome
If you love outdoor sports then you'll love the department of Drôme, with natural landscapes perfect for skiing, mountain biking, climbing and hiking

Savoie
This is a department of wide open spaces, fast-flowing rivers and rocky mountains. It's a department with wonderful lakes, including Lac d'Aiguebelette which is one of the country's cleanest. You might also see Lac du Bourget, which is the largest and deepest lake with all of its shoreline within the borders of France.

Isere
Some of the best French ski resorts can be found in Isère, where the French Alps have provided an ideal environment for anyone looking to plummet down a mountain at a very high speed.

Loire
Named after the longest river in France, the department of Loire is one of the country's most beautiful. Little riverside villages and beautiful castles are well worth capturing on camera.

Rhone
Containing the city of Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Rhône is a place of art, culture and wonderful food. It's in Lyon that you'll be able to experience of one the most spectacular festivals in France.

Haute Savoie
Haute-Savoie, on the southern edge of Lake Geneva, is a paradise for hikers. Many of the people living in this department don't see themselves as typically French. What you'll get on your visit isn't an authentic French experience, but will be unique and memorable because of its individuality. Haute-Savoie's southern border includes Mont Blanc, and the department also encapsulates the Aravis Mountain Range.