The French Alps

Burgundy : The Rhone Valley : French Alps : Auvergne and the Massif Central

Car Hire (main collection points only) : Lyon Airport : Lyon Railway

In days gone by, the higher passes of the French Alps, dominated by Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe at 4,800 meters (15,780 ft), were almost deserted when the winter weather closed in; now the more remote the valley, the more likely it is to ring with the delighted or despairing shrieks of skiers.

Lower down, there are landmarks aplenty: Briancon, highest town in Europe, the monastery of Chartreuse, and of course Geneva and its elegant lake.

The French Alps offer excellent skiing with some of the world’s best known resorts.

There are over 480km (300 miles) of ski pistes, over 150 ski lifts, innumerable ski schools and quality resort facilities.

All the major resorts offer skiing package holidays.

The season runs from early December to the end of April. The height of the season is during February and March, which is reflected in the higher prices.

Passage through the Alps to Italy can be taken via the Mont Blanc Tunnel. At 7 miles (11.5km), it was the longest road tunnel in the world until 1978, and at its highest point, the tunnel's roof reaches nearly 2,470 meters (8,100 ft) in altitude.

The tunnel links Chamonix to the Italian resort of Courmayeur, which is now less than 12 miles (20km) away.

The big city of the French Alps if Grenoble. It is a many-faceted city, with chemical, computer and microchip industries, and all the rush of modern traffic. It is also an old and respected university town, though the complex is now in the suburbs.

The Winter Olympic Games of 1968 gave Grenble a boost in to the modern age that has marked it forever.

A superb view may be had from the Fort de la Bastille.

The Musees de Grenoble, Dauphinois and Stendhal all testify to a rich cultural heritage, as do the library and the modern sculptures that have been erected in the huge patio of the Hotel de Ville.

In this area you can obtain your hire car from Chambery Airport, Geneva Airport (French side), Grenoble Airport and Grenoble Railway Station.