The scenery
• Stretching along the two banks of the river and up to the highest summits, from the vineyards of the Drôme and the gorges of the
Ardèche to the glaciers of Mont-Blanc, from the ponds in the Dombes (in the department of the Ain) to the Vanoise peaks, the region is full of sources of wonder and amazement, the remarkable landscapes and the range of open-air leisure activities. Rhône-Alpes has five regional nature reserves: Monts du Pilat and Monts d'Ardèche on the one hand, and three pre-Alpine ranges on the other:
Vercors,
Chartreuse,
Bauges. These bastions of limestone rock are majestic sights to see (canyons and cliffs, sharp ridges, plateaux of pasture land). Even more so, then, are the two national parks, between
Dauphiné-Ecrins and
Savoie, shrines to Alpine scenery! And naturally, the beauty and prestige of the
Pays du Mont-Blanc, from Chamonix to Megève, completes this exceptional mountain landscape. In the valleys, the countryside is no less beautiful, with the "Riviera" feel of the lakes of Annecy and Le Bourget /
Aix-les-Bains. A feast for the eyes!
Gastronomy and local produce • The hillsides around Lyon and the Beaujolais area, the noble vineyards in the Rhone corridor and the characteristic wines from Savoie offer a wide range of delicious drinks. There is just as wide a choice of local food produce. The flavours of the Mediterranean (DPO olive oil from Nyons, truffles from the almost-Provencal Tricastin) rival with Alpine delicacies such as the DPO cheeses of Beaufort, Abondance and
Reblochon Hiking
• With both hills and mountains, hiking is immensely popular in this extraordinarily varied environment. The GR 5 (also known as the GTA) crosses all the powerful Alpine
massifs, from Lake Geneva to the Mercantour. It is also the start of several "satellite" loops like the GR 55 around the Tour de la Vanoise or the GR 50 around the Tour des Ecrins, crossing lively high mountain pastures or impressive masses of rock. The GR 9 explores the Pre-Alp
massifs, from Chablais to Diois. And everywhere, the paths stretch out to infinity, in
Beaufortain for example or on the slopes of the Haute-Maurienne; not forgetting the Ardèche (GR 4 and GR 7 and other regional GR provide 1,400 km of marked paths).
• It often happens that walkers move on to the next level. They follow in the footsteps of a hiking guide to discover the little secrets of nature or rope up with a mountain guide to attempt a more ambitious
climb, sometimes even higher than 4,000 metres!
Cyclotourism • The high plateaux of the
Vercors or the southern hills of the
Drôme are some of the references for experienced mountain bikers. Elsewhere, there are many approved sites and ideas for
tours right up to the undulating landscapes in the north of the
Isère or the Ain. The cycle path which follows the banks of Lake Annecy is also one of the "classic" Green Routes. Other paths exist, such as the Beaujolais Green route and sections of the future "Via Rhôna". Between the Rhône and the Alps, nature's "resources" seem inexhaustible...