The biggest regional park in mainland France is located in the heart of the Auvergne, extending across close to 400 000ha around Riom-ès-Montagnes. The park is made up of five separate regions: the Puys de Dôme chain; the Dore mountains in the Massif..

After the Col de la Machine, the road, which is carved into the extraordinary limestone rock face, begins to curve vertiginously over the upper valley of Cholet, which you ultimately tower over from a height of 600m. At the far end of the cirque is t..

Once you have taken the Jandri Express cable car, you have to take a tracked minibus to the Dôme de la Lauze. This trip, whose means of transport makes it the only one of its kind in France, will give the uninitiated quite an introduction to high-mou..

You can reach this glacier by taking the Jandri Express cable car from the centre of the Deux Alpes resort. At 2 600m, you have to take a different cable car up to 3 200m. Then you take the lift and the funicular railway up to the Dôme du Puy Salié..

At the Col de l’OEillon, climb as far as the television relay station. At the summit, walk around the station's surrounding wall until you get to the viewpoint indicator. The panorama is one of the most grandiose in the Rhône Valley. In the foregroun..

There are two possible approaches from Estables, but the most frequented and best signposted is the Croix de Boutières path. At the summit an immense panorama opens up to you: to the north, the Meygal massif and the Forez Mountains; to the west, the ..

Orgnac sinkhole was discovered by Robert de Joly in 1935 and is located on the plateau of the same name. It is one of the region's most interesting places to visit. It would seem that an earthquake turned these underground caves upside down, during t..

Orgnac sinkhole was discovered by Robert de Joly in 1935 and is located on the plateau of the same name. It is one of the region's most interesting places to visit. It would seem that an earthquake turned these underground caves upside down, during t..

Because of its stunning viewpoints, the Haute Corniche is the most impressive section of the Gorges de l'Ardèche . From Saint-Remèze, drive past the Cathédrale and La Madeleine belvederes, stopping along the way to visit the cave of the same n..

After admiring the unspoilt setting of the ruined Château de la Tourette, which once marked the gateway to the States of Languedoc, leave Vernoux and head for Boffres . Built on an outcrop, this village dominates a rural landscape of chestnut gr..

This 10 000ha forest on this private estate straddle the boundary between the Berry and Bourbonnais. Famed for its oak trees, it once supplied most of the French naval fleet, in accordance with Colbert’s wish to keep the best oaks for the Navy. Today..

Situated on the Crussol mountainside, the ruins of the villette (small town) were a refuge for plain dwellers in times of trouble. Access to the castle dominating the Rhône from a height of 230m is along the side of the fortifications. It offers a re..

Demoted by Mont-Blanc when Savoie was annexed to France, the Oisans range is the second highest massif in France, with some parts reaching over 4 000m. Wilder and more unspoilt than its more famous rival, it nonetheless attracts nature-lovers and c..

The road linking Bourg-d'Oisan and the Col du Lautaret cuts through the wild gorges of the Infernet to reach the bottom of the former glacial valley of the River Romanche. It runs alongside the impressive Chambon dam and skirts the austere Combe de M..

Heading out of Le Bourg-d'Oisans towards La Bérarde, the road enters the extensive glacial Le Vénéon valley beyond Les Clapiers. To the right, the Pont-Escoffier power station is fed by the Le Plan du Lac dam. The Tête de la Muraillette peak (altitud..

The 92 000ha of the Parc des Ecrins boast a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes. Edelweiss, lavender, glacial buttercups and peonies are among the 1 800 species of plants found here. On the wildlife side, nearly 210 animal species live within its..

The two portals of the North façade are among the major attractions of this Benedictine abbey. The stunning sculpted decoration of the great portal dates from the 12C. Particularly remarkable is the tympan depicting Christ, enthroned and surrounded b..

A marvellous Romanesque-style building whose originality owes much to its oriental influence: inside, the nave is crowned by a series of cupolas. The cathedral’s main features are its steep site, which appears to defy the laws of balance, its multico..

The episcopal city is reached from the Place de Tables via rue des Tables, the latter’s flights of steps lined by old houses. A majestic staircase and the multicoloured lava-stone façade of the cathedral lie ahead, opening onto a well-preserved distr..

Treasure Island was the name given to the old episcopal city overlooking the upper town. From Place des Tables, via streets lined with old houses, you reach the magnificent Romanesque cathedral of Notre Dame , which shows distinct oriental influence..