Alps & Pyrenees

France boasts the highest peaks in Western Europe and two of the continent's major mountain ranges.

French Alps

The Mont Blanc (4,808 m) is the highest mountain in Western Europe and towers over Chamonix — one of the world's legendary mountaineering and ski resorts. The Aiguille du Midi (3,842 m), accessible by cable car, offers a breathtaking panoramic view. Annecy, located on the crystal-clear lake of the same name, is known as the "Venice of the Alps".

The major ski resorts — Les Trois Vallées (the largest connected ski area in the world with 600 km of slopes), Tignes/Val d'Isère, Alpe d'Huez, La Plagne — make France the most popular ski destination in the world. In summer, the Alps transform into a paradise for hikers, mountain bikers, and climbers. The Tour du Mont Blanc — a 170 km circuit of the massif through France, Italy, and Switzerland — is one of the most famous trekking routes in the world.

The Route des Grandes Alpes from Geneva to Nice over 16 Alpine passes is one of the most spectacular roads in Europe — only passable from June to October.

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees form the natural border with Spain and are wilder, less developed, and more pristine than the Alps. The Pyrenees National Park protects a unique wildlife: brown bears (reintroduced since 2000), bearded vultures (Gypaète barbu, wingspan 2.8 m), chamois (Isard), and marmots.

The Cirque de Gavarnie — a massive rock amphitheater with France's highest waterfall (423 m) — is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a breathtaking natural spectacle. Hikers love the Haute Route Pyrénéenne (HRP), which traverses the entire range in 45 days.

Skiing in the Pyrenees is cheaper and more family-friendly than in the Alps: Font-Romeu, Cauterets, and Grand Tourmalet offer solid ski areas without Alpine prices.