The French Alps are the portions of the
Alps
The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.
...
mountain range
A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have aris ...
that stand within
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, located in the
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (; AURA) or ; or ; . is a Regions of France, region in southeast-central France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions; it resulted from the merger of Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes. The new region came into e ...
and
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. While some of the ranges of the French Alps are entirely in France, others, such as the
Mont Blanc massif, are shared with
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
and
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
.
At ,
Mont Blanc, on the
France–Italy border, is the highest mountain in the Alps, and the
highest Western European mountain.
Notable towns in the French Alps include
Grenoble
Grenoble ( ; ; or ; or ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of the Isère Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region ...
,
Chamonix,
Annecy
Annecy ( , ; , also ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of the Haute-Savoie Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, regi ...
,
Chambéry
Chambéry (, , ; Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Chambèri'') is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of the Savoie Departments of France, department in the southeastern ...
,
Évian-les-Bains
Évian-les-Bains (), or simply Évian (, , or ), is a Communes of France, commune in Eastern France, by the border with Switzerland. It is located in the northern part of the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
A high-m ...
and
Albertville.
Ranges and summits
Ski areas
The largest connected ski areas are:
#
Les Trois Vallées (
Courchevel,
Méribel,
La Tania,
Brides-les-Bains,
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville,
Les Menuires,
Val Thorens and
Orelle): 338 slopes, 600 km of
pistes.
#
Portes du Soleil (
Avoriaz,
Châtel,
Morzine,
Les Gets,
Saint-Jean d'Aulps,
La Chapelle d'Abondance,
Abondance,
Montriond, Swiss resorts): 288 slopes, 650 km of slopes not entirely connected.
#
Paradiski (
La Plagne,
Peisey-Vallandry,
Les Arcs),
Champagny-en-Vanoise: 239 slopes, 420 km of slopes.
#
Via Lattea (
Montgenèvre, Italian resorts): 214 slopes, 400 km of slopes.
# Évasion Mont-Blanc (
Combloux,
Megève
Megève (; ) is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Southeastern France with a population of more than 3,000 residents. The town is well known as a ski resort near Mont Blanc in the French Alps. Co ...
,
Saint-Gervais,
Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce,
Les Contamines Monjoie): 183 slopes, 420 km of slopes not entirely connected.
#
Espace Killy (
Tignes,
Val-d'Isère
Val-d'Isère (, literally ''Valley of Isère (river), Isère'') is a Communes of France, commune of the Tarentaise Valley, in the Savoie Departments of France, department (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region) in southeastern France. It ...
): 137 slopes, 300 km of slopes.
# Grand Massif (
Flaine,
Les Carroz,
Morillon,
Samoëns,
Sixt): 134 slopes, 265 km of slopes.
# Les Aravis (
La Clusaz
La Clusaz (; , ) is an alpine commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Southeastern France.
Overview
Hosting a ski resort in the French Alps near the Swiss border, the commune is part of the Haute-Savo ...
,
Manigod,
La Croix Fry,
Merdassier,
Le Grand-Bornand): 133 slopes, 220 km of slopes not entirely connected.
# Les Grandes Rousses (L'
Alpe d'Huez
L'Alpe d'Huez () is a ski resort in Southeastern France at . It is a mountain pasture in the central French Western Alps, in the Communes of France, commune of Huez, which is part of the Isère Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-R ...
,
Vaujany,
Auris-en-Oisans,
Oz-en-Oisans,
Villard-Reculas): 117 slopes, 236 km of slopes.
#
Serre Chevalier: 111 slopes, 250 km of slopes.
# La Forêt Blanche (
Risoul,
Vars): 104 slopes, 180 km of slopes.
# Les Sybelles (
Le Corbier,
La Toussuire,
Les Bottières,
Saint-Jean-d'Arves,
Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves,
Saint-Colomban-des-Villards): 96 slopes, 310 km of slopes.
#
Valloire and
Valmeinier: 83 slopes, 150 km of slopes.
# Grand Domaine (
Valmorel,
Saint-François-Longchamp): 82 slopes, 150 km of slopes
# Espace San Bernardo (
La Rosière,
La Thuile - Italy): 73 slopes, 150 km of slopes.
#
Les Deux Alpes and
La Grave: 69 slopes, 220 km of slopes. (+ Freeride Zone)
The other large ski areas are:
* Le Val d'Arly (
Praz-sur-Arly,
Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe,
Flumet): 150 km of slopes.
* L'Espace Cristal (
Les Saisies,
Crest-Voland): 80 km of slopes
* L'Espace Diamant is a combination of Espace Val d'Arly and Espace Cristal with 185 km of slopes
*
Villard-de-Lans et
Corrençon-en-Vercors: 125 km of slopes
*
Valberg -
Beuil les Launes: 90 km of slopes
* Espace Lumière (
Pra-Loup,
Val d'Allos): 170 km of slopes
*
Superdévoluy -
La Joue du Loup: 100 km of slopes
*
Orcières-Merlette 150 km of slopes
Activities
A range of winter and summer activities are available in the French Alps. In the winter, these include skiing and snowboarding as well as alternatives such as snowshoeing, sledging. There is a range of other activities that happen such as gliding which most happens during the summer months. Summer activities include hiking, mountaineering, biking and rock climbing.
Gallery
Image:Mont Blanc oct 2004.JPG, Mont Blanc (4,810 m)
Image:Aiguille du Dru 3.jpg, Aiguille du Dru (3,754 m)
Image:Aiguille Verte ateabutnoe2.jpg, Aiguille Verte (4,122 m)
Image:Mer de Glace, Aiguille du Géant et Grandes Jorasses.jpg, Mer de Glace, Dent du Géant (4,013 m) and Grandes Jorasses (4,208 m) in Chamonix (c. 1890)
Image:00 Saint-Gervais-les-Bains - TMB - JPG2.jpg, Tramway du Mont-Blanc, at Bellevue Station (1,794 m) in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
Image:00 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc - JPG1.jpg, Jacques Balmat at the side of Horace-Benedict de Saussure, "The Father of Alpinism", in a monument erected at Chamonix
Image:Grand Capucin, 2010 July.JPG, Grand Capucin (3,838 m) and its 400-meter vertical face
Image:Vanoise.jpg, Vanoise National Park
Image:Olan Ecrins National Park.jpg, Écrins National Park
Image:Bouqetin male.jpg, Alpine ibex in Aussois, Savoie
Savoie (; Arpitan: ''Savouè'' or ''Savouè-d'Avâl''; English: ''Savoy'' ) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Southeastern France. Located in the French Alps, its prefecture is Chambéry. In 2019, Savoie had a population o ...
Image:YvoireFlowers.JPG, Chalet in the medieval city of Yvoire
Image:Palais de l'Isle - prisons.jpg, Palais de l'Isle in Annecy
Annecy ( , ; , also ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of the Haute-Savoie Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, regi ...
See also
*
La Grande Odyssée
*
1924 Winter Olympics
The 1924 Winter Olympics, officially known as the I Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Chamonix 1924 (), were a winter multi-sport event which was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France. Originally held in association with the 1924 Summer ...
*
1968 Winter Olympics
*
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Albertville '92 (Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Arbèrtvile '92''), were a winter multi-sport event held from 8 to 23 February 1992 in and aroun ...
*
2030 Winter Olympics
*
List of highest paved roads in Europe
*
List of mountain passes
*
List of national parks in the Alps
*
List of ski areas and resorts in Europe
References
Bibliography
* Raoul Blanchard (1938–1956), ''Les Alpes Occidentales''. Paris: Édition Arthaud.
(French)
* Roger Frison-Roche (1964), ''Les montagnes de la terre''. Paris: Flammarion.
(French)
* Sergio Marazzi (2005), ''Atlante Orografico delle Alpi. SOIUSA''. Pavone Canavese (TO): Priuli & Verlucca editori.
(Italian)
* Sergio Marazzi
''La "Suddivisione orografica internazionale unificata del Sistema Alpino" (SOIUSA)''- article with maps and illustrations, PDF
(Italian)
{{Authority control
Mountain ranges of the Alps
Alps
The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.
...
Mountain ranges of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Mountain ranges of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur