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Summer sledging in the French Alps — alpine coasters, rail luges and tubing
While winter sledging takes place on snow at ground level, summer sledging in the French Alps happens on rails, in wheeled pods or in rubber rings — think bobsleigh meets theme park, in a mountain setting. Over the past decade, ski resorts have invested heavily in summer sledging to diversify their warm-weather offer. The result:…
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10 essential hikes in the Northern French Alps
The French Alps are an extraordinary hiking destination — and what makes them special is the existence of objectives. When you walk in the Alps, you are going somewhere: a lake, a summit, a waterfall, a chapel, a viewpoint. These ten hikes reveal the full diversity of the Northern French Alps. They are often beautiful,…
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Best via ferratas in the French Alps
The French Alps have nearly a hundred via ferratas. These itineraries — somewhere between climbing and hiking, fully equipped with iron rungs and cables — allow anyone to access otherwise inaccessible terrain: cliff faces overlooking lakes, valleys and mountain villages. While all of them are enjoyable in their own right, some stand out for their…
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Glamping in the French Alps — domes, tipis and unusual stays
Glamping — the fusion of glamour and camping — is the perfect way to reconnect with nature without sacrificing comfort. The French Alps lend themselves magnificently to the experience: imagine sleeping in a wood-heated dome facing the mountain peaks, a tipi nestled in the snow, or a Huttopia unusual tent open even in winter. Whether…
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15 most beautiful landscapes in the French Alps
The Alps are far more than just a collection of ski resorts; they shelter geological and botanical treasures that transform every hike into a unique sensory journey. From the towering peaks of Mont Blanc to the turquoise waters of the Verdon, this mountain range offers a diversity of panoramas unmatched in Europe. Whether you are…
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The 10 most beautiful gardens to visit in the French Alps
Far from the wild, rugged image of rocky summits and sheer cliffs, the French Alps shelter true havens of biodiversity. Here, the harshness of the mountain climate meets the sheer delicacy of high-altitude blooms. To visit an alpine garden is to embark on a unique sensory journey: you can breathe in the scent of edelweiss…
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Italian lakes: which are the closest to the French Alps ?
If you are currently staying in or based around the French Alps and fancy a spontaneous change of scenery, you do not need to drive all the way down the Italian peninsula to experience the dolce vita. The Great Lakes of Northern Italy are the perfect destination for a long weekend or a short summer…
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The Italian lakes: which are the most beautiful?
Northern Italy has some of the most beautiful lakes in the Alps — but choosing between them can feel overwhelming given their diversity. Lake Garda is the most majestic and the one that offers the greatest sense of escape. Lake Como seduces with its mountain character and exceptional villas. Lake Maggiore has an absolute charm…
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Top 10 best cheeses from the French Alps
The French Alps are extraordinary cheese country — high alpine pastures, raw milk traditions and a cheesemaking culture that goes back centuries. Our top three: Beaufort, the “Prince of Gruyères”; Saint-Marcellin with its liquid heart; and the Vacherin d’Abondance, the oldest cheese in the Alps. Here are the ten best alpine cheeses, with tasting notes…
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French Alps in november: where to go and what to do
November in the French Alps is a secret month — suspended between the last fires of autumn and the first signs of winter. The mountains fall quiet, the first snows transform the landscape and the alpine towns reclaim their everyday character. For those who know how to appreciate it, November may be the most luxurious…
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French Alps in october: where to go and what to do
October in the Alps is a metamorphosis — a well-kept secret for those who love the mountains at their most authentic. Summer is over, the larch forests ignite in gold, the trails empty out and the villages reclaim their quiet rhythm. From the first snows dusting the high peaks to the half-term school break inviting…
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10 best campervan spots in the French Alps
Van travel in the French Alps is one of the great overlooked road trip experiences in Europe. Sleep one night above the Roselend reservoir with Mont Blanc on the horizon; the next at 2,400 m on the Col du Granon facing the Écrins glaciers; wake to marmots at the Col de Larches on the Italian…
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French Alps in september: where to go and what to do
September is, by most measures, the finest month in the French Alps. The summer crowds have gone home with the end of the French school holidays. The mountain huts are still open. The trails are dry and the light is extraordinary — that particular golden quality of early autumn, with the first larches beginning to…
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French Alps in autumn: where to go and what to do
Autumn is the French Alps’ best-kept secret. From September to October, the mountains undergo a transformation that most visitors never see: the summer crowds vanish, the larch forests turn gold, the trails empty out and the light takes on that particular quality — low, golden, long — that makes the landscape feel like a painting.…
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5 best beaches in Aix-les-Bains
Aix-les-Bains sits directly on the western shore of Lac du Bourget — France’s largest natural lake — and has been a lakeside resort since the Romans built thermal baths here two thousand years ago. Today the town has three beaches within easy walking distance of the centre, plus two more just south of town reachable…
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Best beaches on Lake Geneva — French and Swiss shores
Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) is one of Europe’s great lakes — 580 km², 73 km long, framed by Alpine peaks on three sides and the Jura on the fourth. With 113 officially listed beaches and water quality rated excellent or good at 90% of swimming points, it is a genuine lake destination rather than simply…
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5 best things to see around Chambéry and Aix-les-Bains
Chambéry and Aix-les-Bains sit at the heart of the French Alps — close enough to the major ski resorts and summer mountain destinations to serve as a base, but interesting enough in their own right to deserve more than a passing glance. Between them: France’s largest natural lake, one of the finest viewpoints in the…
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15 legendary alpine cycling climbs in the French Alps
The French Alps are the spiritual home of road cycling. The cols that have decided Tour de France stages for a century — the Galibier, the Izoard, Alpe d’Huez — are open to any cyclist willing to turn up and suffer. No support team required, no entry fee, no crowd. Just the road, the altitude…
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10 campsites easily accessible by train in the French Alps
Travelling without a car is no longer a challenge — it’s an accessible luxury. For the 2026 season, we’ve updated our selection of the campsites best served by rail. Whether you’re setting off from Lyon, Paris or Marseille, pitching a tent or renting a chalet right by the station is the guarantee of a relaxed…
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French ski resorts with the most green runs
Choosing a French ski resort as a beginner — or for a group with mixed abilities — comes down to one question more than any other: how much of the mountain can you actually ski? A resort where 30–40% of the runs are green gives a beginner genuine freedom to explore; a resort where green…
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Cycling around Lake Annecy: complete route guide
Cycling around Lake Annecy is one of the great easy rides in the Alps — and one that consistently surprises people who expect a serious challenge. The circuit is 37 km with just one real climb: the Roc du Chère above Talloires, 100 m of ascent over 1.5 km at a manageable 6.5% gradient. The…
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Best spa centres in French ski resorts
A day on the ski slopes followed by a few hours in a mountain spa is one of the great pleasures of a French Alps ski holiday — and one that is often underused by British visitors who don’t know what’s available. The French Alps have some of Europe’s finest resort spa centres: thermal baths…
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15 best ski hotels with spa and pool in the French Alps
After a day on the slopes, there is nothing quite like sliding into a heated pool with a view of snow-covered peaks, or surrendering to an alpine massage while the mountain darkens outside. The French Alps have some of Europe’s finest ski hotel spas — from purpose-built wellness temples in major resorts to intimate chalet…
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Best beaches on lac d’Aiguebelette — access, prices & guide
Lac d’Aiguebelette is one of the best-kept secrets in the French Alps. Just 15 minutes from Chambéry by motorway and less than an hour from Lyon, this small emerald lake — framed by the limestone cliffs of the Épine ridge — is one of the warmest natural lakes in France, one of the cleanest and…
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French alps in june: where to go at the start of summer
June is when the French Alps truly come into their own for summer. The mountain passes reopen one by one, the high alpine meadows explode into flower, lake temperatures climb to swimming level and the light — with the longest days of the year around the summer solstice — is extraordinary. Critically for UK visitors,…
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French alps in may: where to go and what to do
May is one of the most underrated months to visit the French Alps. Spring is fully established in the valleys and at lower altitudes — terraces are open, wildflowers are appearing, lake temperatures are climbing towards swimwable — while the high mountains above 2,000 m still hold their winter snowpack. It is a month of…
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Where to ski in april in the French Alps
Skiing in April is one of the best-kept secrets of the French Alps. Around 80 resorts are still open at the start of the month, dropping to around 15 by late April and 7 by the very end. What you gain is considerable: spring sunshine, virtually empty slopes, friendly après-ski and accommodation prices that are…
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French Alps in april: where to go and what to do
April in the French Alps is one of the best-kept secrets in mountain travel. While the north-facing high-altitude slopes still hold their winter snowpack, the valleys come alive — terraces reopen, wildflowers appear, lakes reflect snow-capped peaks and the light takes on the particular quality that makes spring in the mountains so distinctive. Crowds have…
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Where to ski in march in the French Alps
March is the sweet spot of the French Alps ski season. Snow has been accumulating since December, days are getting longer, terraces are filling up — and once the French school holidays end in mid-February, prices drop sharply. Whether you are chasing fresh powder or a last hurrah on the slopes before spring, March delivers.…
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5 best tools to identify mountain peaks
There is nothing more frustrating than standing on a mountain surrounded by magnificent peaks and not knowing what you are looking at. Fortunately, modern smartphones and computers now carry powerful digital elevation models capable of reconstructing the landscape around you and naming every summit in view. Whether you are a hiker, skier, photographer or simply…