FRENCH ALPS & THE JURA is allabout:life thatlittlebitclosertonature. swimming.and lake Life onafarmslowstheclockandthat’swhere yourealise whatthis away fromthemad,trendy circusdeepinsidethenationalparksorJuraforests. andspa-chalethotelsoutbid eachotherinoutlandishactivities, rivalinobsceneluxuries. Get Somuchfortheoldclichéthatyoucan’thave itall. cities boastingworld-classart. heritage, auniqueplaceinFrench cuisine(cheese,more cheese!),andsomevery happening tocanyoning,butalsoavasthistoricalandarchitectural ranging for activities fromskiing under outdoorplayground Mont Blanc’s4810m ofrawwildernessliesthemostspectacular forapieceofAlpinewonder.comforts The summitbugisincurableandterribly infectious. payanarmandalegforliftpassgivefour-hour bustripsfromtheairport, upcreature power hasnever beensostrong. andnotahintofflagging:So manymythicalnames,soexpectations, theAlps’pulling and Les TroisVallées foradrenalin Vanoise, junkies. Vercors andJuraforgreat-outdoors fans. Mont Blanc,GrandesJorassesandBarre desÉcrins for mountaineers. Val d’Isère, Chamonix Jurathe & Alps French 522 © LonelyPlanetPublications Summer tooprovides somerespite, wildlife-spotting awild-flower infusionofwalking, Celebrity chefs andDJsridethe popularitywave andcompete forthebestspots,resorts What issoenticingabouttheAlpsandJuratheiralmostbeguilingrangeofqualities: intheirsoaringpopularity:peoplewilltake Their magneticbeautyhasplayednosmallpart
HIGHLIGHTS
POPULATION: 3,313,000 Make sure Make you enjoyoneoftheAlps’ Gogreen andlearntheropesofeco-living Experience life (nottomentionafeast ofa Gomountaineeringorheaddownthe SwiminbeautifulLacd’Annecybefore ( p537) Annecy namesake,strolling initschiclakeside supreme cheese and eatingat and fourregional parks( p524 ) Trek dinner) ona before adrinkorthree atthetown’s mythical Vallée Blanchein inoneoftheAlps’twonationalparks (p541) Jurassien farm La Juliane raclettes (p569) or Chamonix ( p574 ) fondues bars (p532) (p551)
AREA : 210,000 SQKM Annecy Regional Park Vercors National Park Les Écrins Pelvoux Lavans-Vuillafans National Park La Vanoise Chamonix
FRENCH ALPS & THE JURA
e
n
ô
h
523 Y R
L 50 km A
D Pinerolo
N T I
Sion A L
25 miles R Aosta S
Savoie (73) Savoie
E
Col de
Z
l'Iseran
T
I
W Susa
S Martigny
Bessans P
Grandes Jorasses (4208m)
Courmayeur
Lac du Chevril
Chamonix– Mont Blanc
Argentière
Vallorcine
St-Bernard Pointe Helbronner (3466m) Col du Petit Aiguille du Midi (3842m)
Bonneval-sur-Arc
départements,
Col du Val d'Isère Val
Tignes L Mont Mont Cénis Blanc
de la Vanoise
Parc National (4810m)
Séez Les Les Arcs
Col Col des
Fréjus Tunnel Montets
Avoriaz
Lanslebourg
d'Izoard
e
Servoz
(2525m) s
Mont Blanc i
Houches
Tunnel Briançon
a
t la-Vanoise
La Plagne Le Brévent
n Termignon- Châtel
Le e Col de
0 0 A Bourg r Courchevel
Fayet N205
a Le Praz T Bains Montgenèvre St-Maurice Val Modane
Brides-les- N90 Les Menuires Cluses Megève Évian- se Thorens les-Bains i Morzine les-Bains a t ALPES St-Gervais- n ey
y HAUTES- les-Bains La Chapelle
Bains l
Les Gets e
l la-Salle
d'Abondance r e a a l
l Le Monêtier- Col du Galibier Chantemerle
T V Villeneuve- La Tania Y Méribel a German and Italian forces occupied the The Industrial Revolution bombarded The Industrial Revolution bombarded Sallanches Thonon-les- V
N212 e
Albertville
Draillant n
Moûtiers late 19th century. late Alps during WWII, while the mountains be- the main strongholds for the came one of Modern industry, the resistance. French hydroelectric huge energy, development of tourism urban development and large-scale turies were marked by successive wars and wars by successive marked turies were side swapping and occupations, with each This cycle ended with territories. reoccupying with France in 1860. Savoy Savoy the union of was split into two (74). Haute-Savoie and made their way to the area holidaymakers around Chamonix and Mont Blanc in the the region with heavy industry. The first industry. The first with heavy the region
n Gap (78km)
St-Martin e SAVOIE
HAUTE- i
de Belleville
Bonneville
SAVOIE r va u
Bout du Lac Nature Reserve a
urien M Pelvoux (25km); To
a Col du (Lac Léman) (Lac ne O M Bornand Lautaret Le Grand
Roc de Chère Nature Reserve
Yvoire (4103m) N6
N5 La Bérarde
La Clusaz La Grave A40
Lake Gene Lake
Talloires Annemasse Barre des Écrins
École Nyon St-Pierre
V d’Albigny
des Écrins Lac d'Annecy N91 Parc National Le Châtelard Alpe d'Huez
Vaujany Venosc
N1 Duingt DAUPHINÉ Semnoz
Savoie Grand Revard Alpes N201 Gex Genève
(Geneva) A Les Deux Faucille Col de la La Féclaz Annecy
Le
Voltaire Ferney- N508 Bourg
A41
d'Oisans
e e
Revard r
h
è
s
Lélex c Chambéry I
n Lajoux a
S La Mure
Mijoux
Chamrousse m o St-Pierre de St-Pierre Chartreuse
R N6 Le Sappey du Massif des Bauges Bains Parc Naturel Régional Chartreuse Régional de N85
Aix-les-
Parc Naturel
Lac du Grenoble a r St- c D St-Georges Bourget de Commiers Claude (40km) Haut-Jura St-Martin de la Cluze Régional du To Sisteron To Parc Naturel Porte Col de A40 A43 Nantua Oyonnax Bellegarde- sur-Valserine de FRENCH ALPS & THE JURA •• History
Lans
Montagne
Belley
Villard
Moirans-en- n i St-Égrève A St-Nizier N75 Voiron Vercors Lans-en- Lac de AIN Vouglans e n A49 hô Autrans R Méaudre Régional JURA du Vercors
en-Vercors A48
Corrençon- Parc Naturel ISÈRE
The 13th and 14th centuries saw the feudal The 13th and 14th centuries saw the feudal During the Roman conquest the Alps were During the Roman conquest the Alps were FRENCH ALPS FRENCH DRÔME To Valence To (42km) To Lyon To (45km)
To Lyon To (70km) History History fiercely contesting the Alps. The ensuing cen- fiercely contesting houses of Savoy, the Dauphiné and Provence the Dauphiné and Provence Savoy, houses of Alps with their distinctive dialects, traditions dialects, traditions Alps with their distinctive and cultures. control during Augustus’ reign. The Frankish control during Augustus’ reign. and Carolingian Merovingian the kings of laid the foundations for the modern empires a strategic stronghold, falling under Roman a strategic of Geneva, Bourget and Annecy, and the Geneva, and Annecy, and the of Bourget Valleys. Maurienne and Tarentaise time of Christ, permanent communities were Christ, permanent communities were time of well established, especially around the lakes Migrant tribes of Celtic, Gaulish and Teutonic Celtic,Migrant tribes of Gaulish and Teutonic and by the Alps first, in the origin arrived lonelyplanet.com