Things to do in The French Alps
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Fort de la Bastille
These days, the strategic importance of Fort de la Bastille might have waned, but the city and mountain views it proffers are spectacular. Three viewpoint indicators explain the surrounding vistas (glimpse Mont Blanc on clear days) and panels maps out hiking trails, some of which lead down the hillside.
To get to the fort, hop aboard the riverside Téléphérique Grenoble Bastille. The ascent in egg-shaped pods, which climb 264m from the quay over the swift waters of the River Isère, is almost more fun than the fort itself. Unsurprisingly, it gets crowded in summer - leave early to avoid the worst queues.
reviewed
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L'Impossible
Impossibly irresistible, the Impossible is a barn dating back to 1754 near the Aiguille du Midi cable car that has been transformed into a rustic but modern eating space - lots of wood, wicker, warm lighting, gilded gold frames and glass chandeliers. Quail stuffed with foie gras, garlic butter-oozing snails or pineapple carpaccio with ginger and mango sorbet are quintessential French dishes cooked with a twist at this ode to Sylvain Saudan (b 1936), extreme-skiing pioneer and self-proclaimed 'skier of the impossible'.
reviewed
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Aiguille du Midi
A jagged needle of rock rearing above glaciers, snowfields and rocky crags, 8km from the hump of Mont Blanc, the Aiguille du Midi (3842m) is one of Chamonix' most distinctive landmarks. If you can handle the height, the 360-degree views of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps from the summit are (quite literally) breathtaking.
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 pho…
reviewed
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Natural History Museum
Can't make it out of town? Take a break from the cultural circuit and get in touch with nature at the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle. Alpine flora and fauna, a 'carnival of insects' and an aquarium are housed in an imposing neoclassical building overlooking leafy Jardin des Plantes (Botanical Garden).
reviewed
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Contresens
The menu reads like a mathematical formula but it soon becomes clear: starters are A, mains B, sides C and desserts D. The food is as experimental as the menu – sun-dried tomato, Beaufort cheese and rocket salad burger, mussel ravioli, 'deconstructed' Snickers – and totally divine. Kid nirvana.
reviewed
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Chambre Neuf
Cover bands, raucous après-ski drinking and Swedish blondes dancing on the tables make Chambre Neuf one of Chamonix' liveliest party haunts. Conversations about epic off-pistes and monster jumps that are, like, totally mental, man, dominate at every table.
reviewed
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Munchie
The style of this trendy Swedish-run hangout is pan-Asian fusion: sashimi, sushi, tempura and Malaysian yellow curries are authentic and creatively presented. Sittings go faster than musical chairs, so it's worth a try even if you haven't booked.
reviewed
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Le Panier des Quatre Saisons
A firm favourite, the Basket of Four Seasons cooks up a veritable feast of season-driven, quintessentially French dishes. Reservations recommended.
reviewed
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Cantina Club
DJs spin everything from deep house to Afrobeat and hip hop at this pumping underground club. The street-level restaurant cooks up Tex-Mex food.
reviewed
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Mont Blanc Guided Walk
7 days (Chamonix Valley / Contamines)
An exhilarating walk through the Alps with spectacular views of famous peaks and glaciers.
Not LP reviewed
from USD$990 Advertisement
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Tour du Mont Blanc
11 days (Chamonix Valley)
An extended self guided circuit of Mont Blanc.
Not LP reviewed
from USD$1,290 -
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La Fondue
Gorge on so-smooth fondues laced with kirsch, Génépi and chartreuse or (double gorge) chocolate. An assortment of raclettes and tartiflettes completes the mountain cheese feast.
reviewed
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Téléphérique du l'Aiguille du Midi
Year round the Téléphérique du l'Aiguille du Midi links Chamonix with the Aiguille du Midi; its halfway point, Plan de l'Aiguille (2317m) is an excellent place to start hikes or paraglide in summer. Be prepared for long queues, especially in summer when you need to obtain a boarding card (marked with the number of your departing and returning cable-car cabins) from the ticket desks in addition to a ticket. Making advance reservations on the 24-hour phone number incurs an around booking fee. The ascent is not recommended for children aged under two. Even in summer the temperature rarely rises above minus 10°C at the top - so bring warm clothes!
reviewed
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La Crèmerie du Glacier
In 1926 Georges Ravanel started selling drinks to hikers from a little wooden hut at the foot of the Argentière's glacier. In the 1950s his son added home-made tarts and croûtes aux fromages (chunky slices of toasted bread topped with melted cheese) to the repertoire, and by the 1980s when the next son took charge of the business La Crèmerie - at a heady height of 1300m in Argentière - was known far and wide for its cheesy croûtes (around €5 to around €1050), fondue and other Savoyard staples. It still is today. Ski to it with the red Pierre à Ric piste in Les Grands Montets.
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Mont Blanc Classic
8 days (Chamonix Valley)
A classic self guided supported walk in the Alps through France, Switzerland and Italy.
Not LP reviewed
from USD$890 -
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Centre National d'Art Contemporain
Housed in the city's other architectural biggie, Grenoble's Centre National d'Art Contemporain is a must-see. Considered one of Europe's leading centres of contemporary art, it is dramatically placed in Le Magasin, a vast and hugely impressive glass and steel warehouse built by employees of Gustave Eiffel. There are two exhibition areas - a permanent 1000-sq-m space with a huge glass roof called 'The Rue' and a flexible space of about 900 sq m known as 'The Galleries'.
Charles Saatchi would be green with envy.
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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.
reviewed
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Les Vieilles Luges
Like a scene from a snow globe in winter, this childhood dream of a 250-year-old farmhouse can only be reached by slipping on skis or taking a scenic 20-minute hike from Maison Neuve chairlift. Under low wood beams, Julie and Claude spoil you with their home cooking – dishes such as grand-mère's beef bourguignon and creamy farçon (prepared with potatoes, prunes and bacon), all washed down with vin chaud (mulled wine) warmed over a wood fire. Magic.
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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.
reviewed
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Mont Blanc Encompassed
10 days (Chamonix Valley)
An extended walk in the Alps, traversing high mountain passes.
Not LP reviewed
from USD$1,420 Advertisement
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Barberousse
There are 70-odd types of aromatic rum (think cherry, apple, papaya etc) to try - many fermenting in giant pirate-style glass flasks behind the counter - at this superbly hip shooter bar hidden down an alley. Down a shot of cherry, apple, papaya or other fruit-flavoured liqueurs. Note that a planteur is fruitier than a shooter,and backpacks must be left in the wardrobe (around €1).
reviewed
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Chalet la Pricaz
On its fairy-tale perch above Lake Annecy, this is prime romantic sunset material. Only locally sourced organic ingredients feature on the menu. Tangy tartiflettes (Reblochon cheese with potatoes, crème fraîche, onions and diced bacon) and farm-fresh charcuterie go brilliantly with the first-rate selection of Savoyard wines. The tucked-away restaurant is off the D42, 13km south of Annecy.
reviewed
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Mont Blanc Ascent
7 days (Chamonix)
A classic climbing ascent of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps.
Not LP reviewed
from USD$2,990 -
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Musée de l'Ancien Évêché
On place Notre Dame, the Italianate Cathédrale Notre Dame and adjoining 13th-century Bishops' Palace – originally home to Grenoble's bishops – form this museum. The rich collection traces local history from prehistory to the 21st century, and takes visitors beneath the cathedral square to a crypt safeguarding old Roman walls and a baptistery dating from the 4th to 10th centuries.
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Grenoble Museum
Over museums? Don't miss this one. The sleek glass-and-steel Musée de Grenoble houses an exceptional out-of-Paris collection - its modern core is a revelation. A masterful Matisse keeps company with playful 20th-century ground-breakers by the likes of Klee, Chagall and Léger. Surrealists star (Magritte and Miró) and the abstract comes alive (Arp and Lewitt).
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