French Alps vacations

Notice that when you write it in French, the word Alpes has an ‘e’ on the end, which can stand for enormous, exquisite, ethereal and many more possibilities. Indeed, some may even say they induce ecstasy. They may also have an ‘e’ because, quite simply, the word ‘mountain’ in French is a feminine noun and the highest peak, Mont Blanc is given the nickname ‘La Dame Blanche’ or the White Lady.

Mont Blanc reaches all the way up to an elevation of 4,810m and is part of the Mont Blanc Massif which is shared with Switzerland and Italy. Otherwise, the French Alps are spread over two French regions: the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and within those there are 15 massifs. The most notable of these are, from north to south, Haut-Giffre, Ecrins and Mercantour, the latter two protected by national parks.

Not surprisingly, given its world renowned stages in the Tour de France, there are plenty of cycling opportunities in the French Alps. Some are challenging, but there is something for everyone here with mountain magnificence at every turn. Starting off with the serious Lycra brigade, try out a week’s tailor made French Alps cycling vacation based in the Champsaur valley near Gap, which has been a host town for the Tour de France on many occasions. From here you have access to cols galore including Col du Noyer, Mont Colombis, Col de Manse, Col du Moissiere, Orcieres and Chaillol. Or another option is to cycle from the shores of Lake Geneva to the world famous resort of Alpe d'Huez in a guided small group. This 21 hairpin bend cycling crown is also an option on a small group road cycling vacation that starts in the stunning town of Aix-en-Provence and ends in the medieval Alpine town of Chambery.