Tourism - Rhône-Alpes

Rhône-Alpes is a region of France that has eight departments: Ain, Ardèche, Drôme, Isère, Loire, Rhône, Savoie and Haute-Savoie. Main cities are Bourg-en-Bresse, Privas, Valence, Grenoble, Saint-Étienne, Lyon, Chambéry and Annecy.

Located between Paris and the Côte d’Azur, at the borders of Switzerland and Italy, the Rhône-Alpes region has 8 natural parks of which 2 are national parks such as Vanoise and Ecrins, and 6 regional parks such as Vercors, Pilat, Chartreuse, Haut-Jura, Bauges and Monts d'Ardèche.

Some unique sites such as Mont Blanc and the Ardeche Gorges are major tourist attractions as the region offers very diversified landscapes such as high mountain, vineyards, valleys, lavender fields and olive tree groves and the vast fluvial plain.

In Rhône-Alpes, water takes many shapes such as snow, glacier, rivers, streams and lakes. The region has 3 of the 5 largest lakes in France that are Lake Leman, Bourget Lake and Annecy Lake.

All outdoors activities are possible here with hiking, cycling, paragliding, canoeing and many more. The region also possesses the largest ski resorts in the world with the ‘Portes du soleil’, the ‘Trois Valleys’, ‘Paradiski’ and ‘Espace Killy’.

Finally, several cities with architectural interests are Lyon that is listed world heritage by UNESCO, Valence, Grenoble, Chambery, Annecy and Saint-Etienne.

Top tourist cities in Rhône-Alpes

Tourism Lyon : Capital of gastronomy

Built in almost 2000 years, Lyon is one of the rare french cities that could keep the traces of its history, making it one of the most famous historical city around the world. The respect of the numerous periods the city travelled allowed it to appear in the UNESCO ...

Must : Primatiale Saint-Jean, Château de La Motte, Musée des Beaux Arts

Tourism Saint-Etienne

Saint-Étienne is located in eastern central France. It is 60 km away from the southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region and is the chief town of the Loire departement and it is located in the Massif Central area. The city was named after Saint Stephen and ...

Must : Musée de la mine

Tourism Valence

Valencia is the capital of the Drôme in the Rhône-Alpes. This city of art and history is a sunny, vibrant and welcoming nicknamed "the south gate of France." Valencia has a rich built heritage due to an intense story, enhanced by the sun. In the ...

Must : Maison des Têtes , Le Pendentif

Tourism Annecy : The Savoy venice

Annecy is also called the "Savoy Venice" because of the mixture of old buildings, canals and clrystal clear water. Annecy was built at the edge of a magnificient lake, next to snowy mountains. This magical setting has also attracted Rousseaun who worked part ...

Must : Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, Eglise Saint-François de Sales d'Annecy, Château d'Annecy

Tourism Chambery

Chambery is a city of the department of Savoie, located in the Rhone-Alps region in south eastern France. It is the capital of the Savoy and is the historic capital of Savoy since the 13th century when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city's seat of power. The old town ...

Must : Chateau des Ducs de Savoie, Cathédrale Saint-François de sales

Tourism Grenoble: The capital of the Alpes

Grenoble is located in the French Alpes, prefecture of Isère, in the heart of the Rhône-Alpes region, unique position that makes it the capital of the Alpes. Mountain sports are an important part of tourism Grenoble. The city is indeed surrounded by twenty ...

Must : Musée de Grenoble, La Bastille, Musée archéologique Grenoble-Saint Laurent

Tourism Bourg-en-Bresse, the capital of the Bresse

To Bresse confluences, to Dombes and to Revermont, Bourg-en-Bresse is human-size prefecture, paradise for nature sports lovers. Discover the comercial center of the city, measure the numerous flowery places, the outdoor cafés and let the rythm of the city seduce ...

Must : Monastère royal de Brou, Apothicairerie de l'Hôtel-Dieu

Tourism Privas

Privas is the main city of the Ardèche department with currently 8692 inhabitants. Located in the heart of the department of Ardèche, Privas is a great base for discovering all the Ardeche. Built on a rocky outcrop overlooking two valleys, Privas ...

Must : Pont Louis XIII, Chapelle des Récollets