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French Alps
Questions/Answers about traveling in French Alps
For hiking in the Northern Alps, we recommend the period from May to early October. For high-mountain areas, departures are generally possible from June 15 to September 15, to reduce the risk of snow and bad weather. Summers are generally pleasant, despite the risk of thunderstorms, and temperatures regularly reach 30 degrees in the sun. Summer is the best season for hiking, with livelier villages and valleys, good weather, rivers and long days. In winter, from November to early April, it's obviously the queen of winter sports, in the heart of the Alps. Beyond the resorts and ski lifts, the Northern Alps are also an exceptional terrain for snowshoeing and ski touring, surrounded by some of Europe's highest peaks and most beautiful scenery. Of course, the lower the altitude of your itinerary, the more flexible the hiking period. In the valleys or on the shores of lakes such as Grenoble, Annecy, Aix-les-Bains or Thonon-les-Bains, some hikes are possible all year round, weather permitting.
From the Maurienne valley, near the Vanoise National Park, to the shores of Lake Geneva, facing the Swiss mountains, to the inevitable Alpine summit: Mont Blanc (4808 m) and the marvellous Chamonix valley, here high-mountain environments outdo themselves. Each massif boasts countless hiking trails. The GR 5, from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean, crosses the Northern Alps via the Chablais, the Aiguilles Rouges, the Mont Blanc massif, the Beaufortain and the Vanoise. The GR Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the best-known, most prestigious and most beautiful. A balcony around Mont Blanc, through France, Italy and Switzerland, this itinerary is a must for high-mountain trekking in France. There's also the GR 55 around the Vanoise glaciers. Others include the GR 9 (crossing the Chartreuse), the GR 96 (Aravis-Bauges), the GR 57 (Tour du mont Thabor), the Tour du Beaufortain and the Tour du Vercors. This mountain region is home to three regional nature parks: Vercors, Chartreuse and Bauges. There's also the Parc national de la Vanoise, between the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys, and the Parc national des Écrins, further south. Last but not least, there are the region's great lakes: Léman on the Swiss border, Lac du Bourget and the superb Lac d'Annecy.
