Divided into two distinct regions - Savoy and Dauphiné - the chain reaches its 15,782ft zenith on the junction of its borders with Italy. Here, the snow-capped summit of Mt Blanc is the highest mountain in Western Europe. Backdrop to a foreverness of chocolate box villages and picture postcard towns, the Alps offer a fantastic setting for a holiday, whether you're into skiing and walking, mountain-biking and river rafting, or simply travelling about in stunning scenery. Towns like Meribel, Chamonix, Courchevel and Val d'Isere are well known holiday destinations for their skiing and summer hiking, but the Alps also have some of the prettiest towns in France which you don't have to be active to enjoy, including Annecy, Chambery and Grenoble.
Spectacularly situated against an amphitheatre of peaks at the confluence of the Drac and Isere rivers, Grenoble is the ‘capital of the Alps', with a bustling university town ambience and superb modern art museum; at the northern end of the French Alps, Annecy is a beautiful lakeside town, with a stunning old town, 13th century castle, and wonderful boat trips to medieval villages around the lake.
From the gentle southern shores of Lake Geneva, to the clear, dark waters of Lake Annecy, from pretty alpine pastures to the rugged mountain peaks that culminate in Mont Blanc, the Alps is a land of dizzying beauty. In the summer you`ll appreciate the scent of alpine flowers by the roadside as you wind your way along mountain passes, the sound of cowbells in the distance, the odd ibex disappearing into the crags, and of course, the famous hillside vineyards. Hiker or not, there's something here for everyone to fall in love with during a holiday in the French Alps.
We have selected a range of luxury hotels in the French Alps which provide the perfect location from which to explore the region. A self-drive touring holiday of the French Alps offers a wonderful opportunity to explore and discover the diversity of this stunning region.
Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be
● Single centre or multi-centre● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Utilise a variety of transport arrangements to France and within France, combining flights, hire-car, rail, ferries and private transfers
Our special interest holidays to the French Alps
● Wine and food holidays● Cultural breaks
● Golf holidays
● Spa holidays
● Family holidays
● Walking and cycling holidays
Included in all our holidays
● Concierge service● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday
Call us on 01392 441245
Highlights of the French Alps
Walking in Parc National de la Vanoise, France's first national park, studded with peaks, lakes and glaciers, and home to France's largest colony of Alpine ibex; summer skiing in Les Deux Alpes; elegant Chambery with its 14th century castle and enchanting old town; the resort of Les Trois Vallees, offering superb skiing of course, but also wonderful walking in summer, with cable cars whisking even the most indolent right to the top of the mountain ridges; Annecy with its picturesque lakeside setting and medieval villages close by, which you can reach by ferry; fondue and raclette, traditional French Alpine dishes that are an absolute essential, preferably washed down with a sharp Savoy white, in a mountain-top café overlooking the snow-capped summits; cheese-makers right across the region; Grenoble with its small but bustling university-town ambience and superb modern art museum.
Climate of the French Alps
Average air temperatures in Centigrade: Jan: 3.1, Feb: 3.7, March: 7.9, April: 13.8, May: 15.7, June: 22.4, July: 26.8, August: 25.7, September: 22.7, October: 15.9, November: 10.7, December: 6.3.
Source: Direction de la Météorologique de France
French Alps travel information
The French Alps are reached very easily from the UK by air. Some clients choose to take their own car all the way. Grenoble is gateway to, and the capital of the French Alps. The city lies 30 minutes by car from the Grenoble-St-Geoirs airport, 40 minutes from the Lyon-Satolas international airport, and 90 minutes from Geneva's Cointrin airport. Grenoble is also connected to the Paris-Lyon-Marseille motorway on the west and to the Chambéry-Geneva motorway on the east. Buses and trains provide an excellent service around the French Alps.By air
Geneva is served by British Airways; it is around 20 to 90 minutes’ drive from Geneva airport to our various hotels. It is also possibly to fly to Chambery.Self-drive
Geneva is served by British Airways; it is around 20 to 90 minutes’ drive from Geneva airport to our various hotels. It is also possibly to fly to Chambery.Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be
● Single centre or multi-centre● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Utilise a variety of transport arrangements to France and within France, combining flights, hire-car, rail, ferries and private transfers
Our special interest holidays to the French Alps
● Wine and food holidays● Cultural breaks
● Golf holidays
● Spa holidays
● Family holidays
● Walking and cycling holidays
Included in all our holidays
● Concierge service● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday
Call us on 01392 441245
Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be
● Single centre or multi-centre● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Utilise a variety of transport arrangements to France and within France, combining flights, hire-car, rail, ferries and private transfers
Our special interest holidays to the French Alps
● Wine and food holidays● Cultural breaks
● Golf holidays
● Spa holidays
● Family holidays
● Walking and cycling holidays
Included in all our holidays
● Concierge service● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday
