Water and Well-being
Lake cruises and river tourism
City cruises in Lyon, a gastronomic lunch on the Rhône from Vienne, or cruise the Isère on a Mississippi paddle-boat. For an intimate waterway experience, try a barge along the Roanne-Digoin canal.
www.naviginter.fr | www.route-marine.fr| www.bateau-livia.com| www.bateau-a-roue.com| www.lesmarinsdeaudouce.fr
Evening cruise on Lake Bourget
From Aix les Bains: beaver spotting and gorgeous views of Hautecombe Abbey.
Gastronomy and Wines
Chapoutier school of wine tasting, Tain l'Hermitage
Wine-tasting workshops on the famous Chapoutier estate, including the Côtes du Rhône Grands Crus with a sommelier and a 'bistronomic' dinner.
Scook - cuisine with Anne Sophie Pic, Valence
The only female chef in France to have achieved the ultimate distinction of three Michelin stars has opened her own cookery school called Scook, teaching cuisine in all its forms.
www.scook.fr
Hameau du Vin, Romanèche-Thorins
A theme park with a difference - it's all about wine! A tasty exploration of the region's great wine heritage with the King of Beaujolais and friend of Paul Bocuse, Georges Duboeuf.
Chartreuse cellars, Voiron
The secret recipe of Chartreuse liqueur is known to only three of the monks who make it! Tour of the largest liqueur cellar in the world and distillery. 3D film. Liqueur tasting.
Reblochon cooperative, Thônes
See Reblochon and Tomme cheeses being made and visit the maturing cellars at this cheese dairy in the pretty town of Thônes.
www.reblochon-thones.com
Valrhôna School of Grand Chocolat, Tain l'Hermitage
A treat for chocoholics! Gourmet chocolate-making courses and learning how to taste the finest chocolate like a professional.
Paul Jaboulet Vineum, Châteauneuf-sur-Isére
Dedicated to the fine wines of Côtes du Rhône: Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Condrieu, Côôte-Rôôtie, Saint-Joseph… A series of underground galleries where the wines are kept at the perfect temperature and humidity. Includes tasting of the top Côtes du Rhône wines with a sommelier.
Paul Bocuse Halles market, Lyon
A temple to French gastronomy, the crème de la crème of France's top producers.
Soubeyran nougat factory, Montélimar
A fascinating slice of French history, producing the country's most famous sweetmeat.
Château de Montmelas
The best preserved castle in the region. Owner Comtesse Delphine D'Harcourt
serves her Beaujolais Villages wines.
Leisure and Sightseeing
Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix
This cable car, opened in 1955, travels up to the summit of snow, ice and rock at 3,842 m in 20 minutes for a unique view of Mont Blanc and the Swiss and Italian Alps. Open all year.
www.compagniedumontblanc.fr
Villars les Dombes Bird Park
Surprisingly close to Lyon is a vast area of lakes or étangs home to over 400 bird species in France's largest ornithology park. Gift shop, restaurants, guided tour in sightseeing train.
Aven d'Orgnac, Ardèche
One of the biggest caverns in the world, a Grand Site de France®, one of France's top sustainable tourist attractions. The Museum of Prehistory has tableaux of life in the prehistoric Ardèche, home to man's ancestors for 350,000 years.
The Palais Idéal, Hauterives
Ferdinand Cheval was a postman who spent 33 years building his Ideal Palace entirely alone. A stunning example of naïve art inspired by everything from the Bible to Hindu mythology.
www.facteurcheval.com
Grande Chartreuse Museum, St Pierre de Chartreuse
The monastery, consecrated in 1133, is not open to visitors, but a short walk leads to a viewpoint over the entire complex. Museum about the life of Charterhouse monks.
www.musee-grande-chartreuse.fr
Route des Grandes Alpes
The French Alps in their entirety, from Thonon on lake Geneva to Mediterranean Menton: 684 km and 16 mountain cols among the highest in France. Follow the route by car, motorcycle, bicycle and even on foot!
www.grande-traversee-alpes.com
Les Plus Beaux Villages de France
The villages perchés of the Drôme and Ardèche, bucolic idylls in Alpine valleys, the stunning honey-coloured stone of Les Pierres Dorées in the Beaujolais vineyards. Pérouges, Balazuc , lavender-scented Poët-Laval, Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (horseshoe cirque) and medieval Yvoire.
Château de Grignan
One of the finest Renaissance châteaux in France. Fêtes Nocturnes evening event in summer.
www.dromeprovencale.fr
Terre Vivante, Mens
Ecology park with an eco-friendly home and nature trail, with lots for kids to do.
www.terrevivante.org
Charlieu and La Bénisson Dieu
A gorgeous town of half-timbered houses. The Abbey has treasures of Burgundian Romanesque art.
www.leroannais.com
Sports and Outdoor Activities
Snowsports
Snowboarding and skiing are still king here, with destinations tailored to every discipline, or just enjoying the snow in winter.
Gorges of the Ardèche
France's best-known spot for canoeing and river water sports. Everything from gentle family floating to extreme kayaking. Plenty of rock climbing and hiking on offer too.
Chamonix
World capital of mountaineering and extreme ski Mecca. The classic Tour of Mont Blanc, through France, Italy and Switzerland offers a blend of stunning scenery, meadows, glaciers and high cols. Whatever your sport, the Chamonix Guiding Company will look after you.
Vercors
A moderate-altitude plateau ideal for walking, pony trekking, mountain biking, and dog sledding (with bags carried for you), plus some great climbing and caving spots too!
Lake Annecy and the Aravis
The peace and quiet of Lake Annecy (the cleanest in Europe) plus the cool excitement of the Aravis Mountains less than an hour away! Lake Annecy Watersports Centre: sailing, water skiing, wakeboard, surfing... and paragliding in the Aravis.
Megavalanche
Alpe d'Huez, one of France's premier mountain biking destinations, holds a week-long international mountain biking event in early July every year. The exciting, high-octane Megavalanche features one of the longest downhill runs in the world in the main men's race. To take part is to enter mountain biking legend.
'4-star' hiking in the Vanoise National Park
Luxury at 2,000m. Bar, restaurant, sauna, steam bath and jacuzzi. Open all year.
Dog sledding in the Vercors
Snowy plateau perfect for dog sledding. An amazing atmosphere away from the crowds.
Downhilling in the Portes du Soleil
24 ski lifts serving a vast mountain biking area. With the Pass'Portes du Soleil MTB event in June.
Cities and Culture
City passes - Lyon City Card & Pass Grenoble
Grenoble Pass Découverte: visitor's voucher book for more than 40 cultural and popular attractions. Available from Grenoble Tourist Office for just €13:
www.grenoble-tourisme.com
Lyon City Card: 28 free admissions and 11 discounts for exploring the best of Lyon's heritage over 1, 2 or 3 days:
www.lyon-france.com
Grand Tour of Lyon
On an open-top double-decker bus. Buses leave Place Bellecour every 45 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5.15 p.m. on a 1¼ -hour tour of all the best bits of the city. Passengers can get off at any of the 9 stops to explore and hop back on a later Grand Tour bus!
Institut Lumière in Lyon
A fascinating look at the history, science and aesthetics of film and the story of the Lumière brothers, inventors of the cinematograph and fathers of cinema.
Medieval and Renaissance centre of Chambéry
Spread around the château of the Ducs de Savoie. Le Grand Carillon, in the chapel, with its 70 bells, is the largest clock tower in Europe and one of the most beautiful in the world.
Cité du Design in Saint Etienne
A centre for design, business and economics in a concept unique in France, opened in 2008. Three restored 19th century factory buildings alongside two modern constructions: the stunning metal and glass of the vast La Platine building and the 32-metre Observation Tower, for an amazing view of both the Cité and the city. Guided tours for groups only by arrangement with the Tourist Office.
www.citedudesign.com
The Murals of Lyon
Eye-catching and unexpected murals all over the city. Trompe l'oeils of imagination and colour.
www.lyon-france.com
Annecy Old Town and canals
The Little Venice of Savoie, arcaded streets with the Alps behind. Cruises on Europe's cleanest lake.
www.lac-annecy.com
The Grenoble Bubbles
Famous city-centre cable car to the Bastille fortress. Views to Mont Blanc.
www.bastille-grenoble.fr
