Aiguille du Midi
Chamonix
The great rocky fang of the Aiguille du Midi (3842m), rising from the Mont Blanc massif, is one of Chamonix’ most distinctive features. The 360-degree…
©gorillaimages/Shutterstock
French Alps & the Jura Mountains
High up in the French Alps, it's enthralling to imagine the forces that shaped these colossal peaks. The African and Eurasian tectonic plates collided some 35 million years ago, forcing the land skyward into a 1000km chain of saw-edged mountains.
Attractions
Must-see attractions for your itinerary
Mer de Glace
Chamonix
France’s largest glacier, the 200m-deep 'Sea of Ice', flows 7km down the northern side of Mont Blanc, scarred with crevasses formed by the immense…
Ville Ancienne
Chambéry
Chambéry's medieval Old Town reveals its beauty gradually. Rush through its lanes and you risk missing hidden courtyards, murals and well-preserved 14th-…
Citadelle de Besançon
Besançon
Dominating the city from Mt St-Etienne, more than 100 vertical metres above the old town, the 17th-century Citadelle de Besançon – designed by Vauban for…
Parc National des Écrins
Dauphiné
One of the greatest summertime pleasures of the French Alps is hiking in France’s second-largest national park. The glacier-carved, 918-sq-km park has…
Chapelle de Notre-Dame du Haut
The Jura Mountains
Bringing to mind a ship's sail or a lighthouse summoning the faithful, modernist Chapelle Notre-Dame (1955) roosts hilltop above the small town of…
Musée de Grenoble
Grenoble
For lovers of European art, this museum is an uplifting place to get lost for a day. There's an even spread of artistic eras on display: an antiquities…
Parc National de la Vanoise
Savoie
More than 100 mountain peaks tower above 3000m in this spectacular preserve. Between June and late September, 400km of walking trails grant access to the…
Articles
Latest stories from French Alps & the Jura Mountains
Filter by interest:
SkiingFrench ski resorts airlift snow to bare slopes after unusually warm winterFeb 20, 2020 • 2 min read
Guidebooks
Purchase our award-winning guidebooks
Get to the heart of French Alps & the Jura Mountains with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.
