From the prestigious Mont-Blanc to Ardèche Gorges, from Brou royal monastery to the ideal castle of the postman Ferdinand Cheval, from Old Lyon to the peaceful waterways of Annecy, the Rhône-Alpes region offers many surprises.
With the largest ski slopes in the world, Rhône-Alpes region is a true paradise for amateur sliding sport. In Courchevel, Chamonix, Avoriaz or in a small more confidential village, you could go to Alpine skiing, snowboarding, nordic skiing, biathlon etc… In winter, of course, but also during summer because several resorts have high skiable glaciers (Val d'Isere, Tignes, Les 2 Alpes, L'Alpe d'Huez). With it's mild and sunny climate, the region offers many ways of getting oxygenated : hiking in different natural parks of the Vannoise or Vercors estate, biking on the ViaRhona, fresh water swimming in great alpine lakes, caving in the caves of Isère…
Enjoy your stay in Rhône-Alpes to fill up on the culture. In Lyon, appreciate the Gallo romain theater, the Saint-Jean cathedral, the Notre-Dame de Fourvière Basilica, the Pink Tower traboule, the Bourse Palace, the Bartholdi fountain… Take a few hours to visit the Beaux Art museum, with the most important collection of painting in France, juste after Louvre one. In Isère, visit the estate of Vizille and its castle of the 10th century which housed the States General of Dauphiné, in 1788, starting point of the French Revolution. In the Loire, discover the site Le Corbusier de Firminy and, in Ardèche, go back in time while admiring the very recent replica of the cave Chauvet-Pont d'Arc.
In Savoie and Haute Savoie, do not miss the castle of the Dukes of Savoy in Chambéry or the castle of Menthon-Saint-Bernard which inspired Walt Disney for his animated film "Sleeping Beauty". Re-build yourself on the banks or in the prodigious waters of the Alpine lakes (Léman, Annecy, Bourget, Aiguebelette). But also taste the flavors of this beautiful region of gastronomy, the second most starry in Michelin guide. On the menu : thin delicatessen, quenelles, canut's brain, tart with pralines in a small «bouchon lyonnais» or gratin dauphinois, tartiflette, fondue, diots in a Savoyard chalet restaurant... Not to mention the beautiful variety of wines proposed by the region.