The French Alps are the portions of the Alps mountain range that stand within France, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 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 and Italy.

At 4,808 metres (15,774ft), 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, Chamonix, Annecy, Chambéry, Évian-les-Bains and Albertville.

The French Alps will host the 2030 Winter Olympics, marking the fourth occasion when the Winter Olympics were held in the region. The games were previously held in Albertville in 1992, Grenoble in 1968, and the very first in Chamonix in 1924.

Ranges and summits

ChainRangeHighest summitElevation (m/ft)
Graian AlpsMont Blanc MassifMont Blanc4,807.45 metres (15,772ft)
Graian AlpsBeaufortain MassifRoignais2,995 metres (9,826ft)
Graian AlpsLauzière MassifGrand Pic de la Lauzière2,829 metres (9,281ft)
Graian AlpsVanoise MassifGrande Casse3,855 metres (12,648ft)
Graian AlpsGraian Alps central groupPointe de Charbonnel3,752 metres (12,310ft)
Dauphiné AlpsBelledonne MassifGrand Pic de Belledonne2,977 metres (9,767ft)
Dauphiné AlpsGrandes RoussesPic Bayle3,465 metres (11,368ft)
Dauphiné AlpsArves MassifAiguilles d'Arves3,514 metres (11,529ft)
Dauphiné AlpsTaillefer MassifLe Taillefer2,857 metres (9,373ft)
Dauphiné AlpsÉcrins MassifBarre des Écrins4,102 metres (13,458ft)
Cottian AlpsMassif du Mont-CenisPointe de Ronce3,612 metres (11,850ft)
Cottian AlpsCerces MassifGrand Galibier3,229 metres (10,594ft)
Cottian AlpsQueyras MassifRochebrune Peak3,320 metres (10,892ft)
Cottian AlpsUbaye Massif (Orrenaye)Aiguille de Chambeyron3,411 metres (11,191ft)
Maritime AlpsMercantour-Argentera MassifCime du Gélas3,143 metres (10,312ft)
Maritime AlpsPelat MassifMont Pelat3,050 metres (10,007ft)
Maritime AlpsMassif des Trois-ÉvêchésTête de l'Estrop2,961 metres (9,715ft)
Ligurian AlpsLigurian AlpsPunta Marguareis2,651 metres (8,698ft)
Savoy PrealpsChablais AlpsHauts-Forts2,464 metres (8,084ft)
Savoy PrealpsHaut-Giffre MassifHaute Cime3,257 metres (10,686ft)
Savoy PrealpsAiguilles RougesAiguille du Belvédère2,965 metres (9,728ft)
Savoy PrealpsBornesPointe Blanche2,438 metres (7,999ft)
Savoy PrealpsAravis RangePointe Percée2,750 metres (9,022ft)
Savoy PrealpsBaugesArcalod2,217 metres (7,274ft)
Savoy PrealpsChartreuse MountainsChamechaude2,082 metres (6,831ft)
Dauphiné PrealpsVercors MassifGrand Veymont2,341 metres (7,680ft)
Dauphiné PrealpsDiois MountainsMont Jocou2,051 metres (6,729ft)
Dauphiné PrealpsDévoluy MountainsGrande Tête de l'Obiou2,789 metres (9,150ft)
Provence PrealpsBochaineMont Céüse2,016 metres (6,614ft)
Provence PrealpsDigne PrealpsLes Monges2,115 metres (6,939ft)
Provence PrealpsBaronniesMont Mare1,603 metres (5,259ft)
Provence PrealpsVaucluse MountainsSignal de Saint-Pierre1,256 metres (4,121ft)
Provence PrealpsLuberon MountainsMourre Nègre1,125 metres (3,691ft)
Maritime PrealpsCastellan PrealpsPuy de Rent1,996 metres (6,549ft)
Maritime PrealpsNice PrealpsPointe des Trois Communes2,080 metres (6,824ft)
Panorama of Chamonix Valley

Ski areas

NASA photograph of the French Alps (26 October 2002).

The largest connected ski areas are:

  1. Les Trois Vallées (Courchevel, Méribel, La Tania, Brides-les-Bains, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Les Menuires, Val Thorens and Orelle): 338 slopes, 600km of pistes.
  2. Portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Châtel, Morzine, Les Gets, Saint-Jean d'Aulps, La Chapelle d'Abondance, Abondance, Montriond, Swiss resorts): 288 slopes, 650km of slopes not entirely connected.
  3. Paradiski (La Plagne, Peisey-Vallandry, Les Arcs), Champagny-en-Vanoise: 239 slopes, 420km of slopes.
  4. Via Lattea (Montgenèvre, Italian resorts): 214 slopes, 400km of slopes.
  5. Évasion Mont-Blanc (Combloux, Megève, Saint-Gervais, Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce, Les Contamines Monjoie): 183 slopes, 420km of slopes not entirely connected.
  6. Espace Killy (Tignes, Val-d'Isère): 137 slopes, 300km of slopes.
  7. Grand Massif (Flaine, Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoëns, Sixt): 134 slopes, 265km of slopes.
  8. Les Aravis (La Clusaz, Manigod, La Croix Fry, Merdassier, Le Grand-Bornand): 133 slopes, 220km of slopes not entirely connected.
  9. Les Grandes Rousses (L'Alpe d'Huez, Vaujany, Auris-en-Oisans, Oz-en-Oisans, Villard-Reculas): 117 slopes, 236km of slopes.
  10. Serre Chevalier: 111 slopes, 250km of slopes.
  11. La Forêt Blanche (Risoul, Vars): 104 slopes, 180km of slopes.
  12. Les Sybelles (Le Corbier, La Toussuire, Les Bottières, Saint-Jean-d'Arves, Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves, Saint-Colomban-des-Villards): 96 slopes, 310km of slopes.
  13. Valloire and Valmeinier: 83 slopes, 150km of slopes.
  14. Grand Domaine (Valmorel, Saint-François-Longchamp): 82 slopes, 150km of slopes
  15. Espace San Bernardo (La Rosière, La Thuile - Italy): 73 slopes, 150km of slopes.
  16. Les Deux Alpes and La Grave: 69 slopes, 220km of slopes. (+ Freeride Zone)

The other large ski areas are:

Activities

A range of winter and summer activities are available in the French Alps. In the winter, these include skiing and snowboarding; alternative activities include snowshoeing and sledging. There is a range of other activities that happen such as gliding, which is more popular during the summer months. Summer activities include hiking, mountaineering, biking and rock climbing.

Gallery

See also

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. ISBN978-88-8068-273-8 (Italian)
  • Sergio Marazzi, - article with maps and illustrations, PDF (Italian)