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Rhône

Once the second largest Roman city after Rome itself, and capital of Roman Gaul, Lyon lies at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, dominating the Rhône département. For more than 2,000 years Lyon, a successful trading centre, owes its pre-eminence to geography as much as history: a riverside site midway between Paris and the Mediterranean.

Lyon’s Gallo-Roman roots are on Fourvière Hill, near the Notre-Dame Basilica, whose dominating presence provides a backdrop throughout the city. Its 14th century astronomical clock, in the north nave, was the technological masterpiece of its age. The remnants of the Roman theatre and the Odéon, a kind of popular opera house, bear comparison with Roman ruins anywhere outside Rome. In the centre of the city is the Presqu’île, stretching like a digit finger between the rivers, barely six blocks wide. This is where the heart of modern Lyon beats strongest: art galleries, antique dealers, chic restaurants, bars and theatres all vying for custom. Old Lyon has narrow cobblestone streets, lavish mansions dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, and intriguing little patios everywhere. And beneath the streets are traboules, passageways once used by silk weavers to deliver their latest fashions direct to the houses of the gentry, a way to beat the pandemonium above ground. The traboules and connecting stairways lead back to Croix-Rousse Hill through the district of the Canuts, where the silk weavers had their looms; today it remains a hotbed of artistic creativity.

The people of Lyon have always known how to enjoy themselves. Some of their restaurants, diverse and full of flair, are internationally famous: it was here that Paul Bocuse established his reputation as a brilliant chef. Citizens of Lyon lead an intense cultural life. They are part of a fashion scene that surpasses itself every year in fresh creativity. They can ring the changes in entertainment, from the lazy ambience of the pubs to a live cabaret at a café-théâtre.

To the north of Lyon stretch the vineyards of the Beaujolais, where charming little villages seemingly pop out of nowhere in the rolling hillsides.

Ain

Although the Ain is a département named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France bordering Switzerland, the river has its origins in Celtic mythology: Ain and her sister were supposed to have written the first laws to protect the rights of women.

Be they men or women, this is a region for the energetic. It offers an unrivalled opportunity to explore nature, by bike, on a horse, or on foot and to enjoy superb scenery, especially in the Pays de Gex, in the north east of the département, which has panoramic views across the Alps. Another area enjoyed by hikers is the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut Jura, a natural reserve between high mountain passes.

Many of Ain’s most interesting sites consist of natural phenomena. The Grotto of Cerdon is like entering some vast undiscovered continent, following the course of a fierce underground river long disappeared into unknown depths, leaving extraordinary stalactites and stalagmites behind. The vast impenetrable forest of Seillon, which stretches to the gates of Bourg-en-Bresse takes the visitor back to the Europe of the Middle Ages. Its dominant tree is oak, used in many parts of Ain to make magnificent church stalls, such as at Brou, a suburb of Bourg. The church also has three exceptional mausoleums with marble effigies of Marguerite of Bourbon, Philibert le Beau, and Marguerite of Austria, beautifully carved, with rich ornamentation.

Ain’s biggest tourist attraction is Voltaire's château and estate at Ferney-Voltaire. Ferney was home of the great French anti-establishment writer and philosopher from 1758 to 1778, while Voltaire was forbidden to live in the rest of France. Voltaire's influence on Ferney was profound. He paid for the rebuilding of the local church and financed cottage industries that produced some of France’s most skilled potters and watchmakers. After his death, the town was renamed Ferney-Voltaire in his honour.

Haute-Savoie

Parts of the Haute-Savoie were occupied by France after the Revolution but were later restored to the Italian pocket kingdom of Savoy, and it was not until 1860 that Haute-Savoie had an opportunity to become French on a permanent basis. Earlier, much of it was part of the old fiefdom of the Counts of Geneva, stretching across mountain pasture and limestone spurs from Geneva to the hinterland of Annecy. Here, agricultural villages with sturdy stone farmhouses embellish the rolling countryside, with its views of Lake Léman, the Jura and the Mont Blanc chain. Lac Léman (or Lake Geneva) is virtually an inland sea, bordered by ports, hills, vineyards, ski and spa resorts.

On its doorstep, the Vallée Verte or Green Valley is an ideal centre for hiking and activity holidays. Possessing many high-altitude and village resorts, the Portes du Soleil region offers a vast ski area between Lake Léman and Mont Blanc. With its large expanses of forest and mountain pasture, four valleys, fourteen villages, glaciers, granite peaks and legendary summit, the Mont Blanc region is a firm favourite with visitors.

Far fewer find their way to the secluded Morzine and Abondance valleys, fashioned by two fast-flowing rivers. The villages in the Val d’Abondance contain many traditional wooden chalets, while those in the Vallée de Morzine are distinguished by their slate-covered rooftops.The Vallée de l’Arve, the historical heart of the Faucigny, has many hill-top villages, the home of the famous Swiss watchmaker, sadly in these days of automation and mass-production, a dying cottage industry.

Beyond the Faucigny, the Vallée du Giffre and the Grand-Massif are full of hikers in summer exploring the limestone ranges of the High Alps, with their fertile valleys, lakes, waterfalls and mountain streams. Inhabited since prehistoric times, the shores of Lac d’Annecy offer a huge range of aquatic activities, in what is probably the cleanest lake in Europe. The nearby Montagne du Semnoz has many cycle paths with memorable views of the mountains. Spruce trees, still the staple product of a thriving forestry industry, fill the valleys between the Col de la Colombière and Col des Aravis, while charming little villages nestle at the foot of the Aravis chain.

Isère

Dominated by fierce mountain ranges, the département capital Grenoble lies at the turbulent meeting point of the Isère and Drac rivers and the centre of the city forms a crescent around the south side of a bend of the Isère. Three squares, St-André, Notre-Dame and Victor Hugo, provide its vibrant night-life. Avenue Alsace-Lorraine, barred to traffic, is an affluent and highly popular shopping centre. The Musée Stendhal traces the life of Grenoble’s greatest writer, whose real name was Henri Beyle. The Bastille fort, best reached by cable car, offers exceptional views.

A little way to the north, the 11th century Grande Chartreuse abbey and distillery still produces its famous sweet and green liqueur, whose secret formula devised by the Carthusian Fathers is known only at one time to three living monks, handed down over the centuries. The Chartreuse region is a peaceful land of forests that crowd the edge of winding roads, whose barriers hang precariously over rushing torrents.

The Belledonne range, the backdrop to Grenoble, can be reached from the city centre in less than an hour via a high-level balcony road that runs through picturesque hamlets and has panoramic views across the Grésivaudan Valley. Chamrousse, in the Belledonne, is noted for its après-ski in winter and is also a thriving summer resort.

In the foothills of the Chartreuse, Lake Paladru is famous for its archaeological excavations of two sunken villages. One, known as the Village of the Bathers, dates back to the end of the Neolithic period, 2,700 B.C. A lakeside museum at Charavines shows off the most important findings.

In south Isère, the countryside is wild and unspoilt. Its principal landmark, Mont-Aiguille, was one of the birthplaces of mountaineering. L’Alpe du Grand Serre is a cheerful, friendly little mountain village while St-Honoré is a new resort on the edge of a forest with outstanding views across the Matheysine plateau.

The Crémieu plateau region has many deep lakes and even deeper underground caves. The ancient town of Crémieu retains much of its ramparts, built during the Middle Ages, and a 15th century market hall. Morestel, perched on a hill, has picturesque old houses and a medieval tower.

Savoie

The changing scenery of the Savoie is part of its charm. It starts with rolling hills interrupted from time to time by old castles, crumbling churches and adobe houses. Then, as the altitude rises and the temperature drops, mountain pastures appear against a dramatic backdrop of the Alps. The Parc Naturel Régional de la Chartreuse has a large limestone plateau thickly covered with forest, at one time, and perhaps still, the home of fierce cave bears.

Its capital, Chambéry, the home for a while of the greatest French philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, has a delightful old quarter with narrow cobbled streets and quaint courtyards. Many of its grandest houses have an Italianate air, a reminder that this was once the capital of Savoy before the dukes left for Turin. To the north, the spa centre of Aix-les-Bains lies on Lac Le Bourget, the largest natural lake in France, ideal for water sports. Mont-Revard, its paths a haven for hikers, overlooks the town, which also has a casino, a racetrack and a demanding golf course.

The Savoie also includes Aigubelette, the third largest natural lake in France. Like Le Bourget, its calm waters can reach more than 25 degrees in summer, and both are in strong demand among boating enthusiasts.

Hautes-Alpes

Gap is the capital of the Hautes-Alpes département, standing at the crossroads between huge alpine mountain ranges and the more gentle rolling landscape of Provence. It was here that Napoleon I arrived from exile in Elba with less than fifty men in March 1815 and received a rapturous welcome, leading to his return to Paris and eventual defeat at Waterloo.

Above the town, the Domaine de Charance is a country park of meadows, waterfalls, forest paths and a lake overlooking Gap at an altitude of 1000m, the gateway to the Parc des Ecrins, a nearby national park. Converted stables now house the National Botanical Conservatory, entrusted with the conservation of alpine flora. This "conservatoire botanique" has a vast collection of rare plants, including 1,500 types of rose and 500 varieties of apple trees. The Gap-Tallard aerodrome, nine miles to the south, is a popular para-gliding and hang-gliding centre.

To the north, Briançon, the highest town in Europe, is a great fortress, walled and fortified by the famous French siege engineer, Vauban. The lower town lies at the junction of the Durance and Guisane rivers and has many cafés and restaurants and a daily market. However, the walled area of the upper town is much more interesting, with the Fort du Château at its peak. Park at the top, enter the fortified town through one of two drawbridged entrances and visit Vauban’s fortifications, complete with eerie underground passages.

Briançon is one of only two towns in France with gargouilles, small canals that run along the centre of the street. Find one in the central Rue Grande, also called Grande Gargouille. The second runs down Rue Mercerie, also known as Petite Gargouille.

Saint-Véran, more than 2,000 metres above sea level, claims to be the highest village in Europe. Its permanent population is around 270 but this is increased enormously by tourists throughout the year. The village is named after Saint-Véran, the sixth-century Bishop of Cavaillon in Provence, who is credited with driving away a dragon.

Tourist offices and related websites

www.rhonealpes-tourism.co.uk www.savoie-tourisme.com

www.ardeche-guide.com www.drometourisme.com

www.vallon-pont-darc.com www.chambery-tourisme.com