Other activities in The French Alps
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A
Téléphérique de l’Aiguille de Midi
Year-round the vertiginous Téléphérique de l’Aiguille de Midi cable car links Chamonix with the Aiguille du Midi. Halfway Plan de l’Aiguille (2317m) is a terrific place to start hikes or paraglide. In summer you will need to obtain a boarding card (marked with the number of your departing and returning cable car) in addition to a ticket. Advance phone reservations incur a €2 booking fee. Ensure that you bring warm clothes as even in summer the temperature rarely rises above -10°C at the top.
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Massif des Bauges Regional Nature Park
Outdoor enthusiasts can delve into 800 sq km of hiking and biking opportunities in the little-known Massif des Bauges Regional Nature Park with its endless pastures and plateaux. Several marked trails kick off from the Maison Faune-Flore (adult/child €2.50/1.50; 10am-12.30pm & 1.30-6.30pm Tue-Sun) in École, where you can learn how to spot some of the 600-odd chamois and plethora of mouflons inhabiting the park.
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Télécabine Panoramic Mont Blanc
From the Aiguille du Midi, between mid-May and mid-September you can go for a 30 minutes of mind-blowing scenery – think suspended glaciers and spurs, seracs and shimmering ice fields – in the small bubbles of theTélécabine Panoramic Mont Blanc to Pointe Helbronner (3466m) on the French–Italian border.
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Takamaka
One of the most central companies that arranges adrenalin-driven activities on and around Lake Annecy is Takamaka. Introductory course prices start from €85 for tandem paragliding, €33 for waterskiing or wakeboarding, €39 for climbing or freeriding, €49 for canyoning and €55 for bungee jumping.
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Les Ailes du Mont Blanc
Les Ailes du Mont Blanc is a paragliding school.
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Summits
A paragliding school.
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Skiing & Snowboarding
Chamonix skiing is the stuff of legend: glorious off-piste terrain, thrilling descents and unbeatable Mont Blanc views. It's so darn fantastic that skiers don't even mind that accessing the slopes involves lots of transport. Of Chamonix' nine main areas, Le Tour, Les Planards and Les Chosalets are best for beginners. For speed and challenge, it has to be Brévent-Flégère, above Chamonix, and Les Grands Montets, accessible from Argentière, 9km north of Chamonix. Boarders seeking big air zip across to the kickers and rails at Les Grands Montets snowpark and the natural half-pipe in Le Tour.
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