Rhone Valley Tours Gourmet cuisine, wine and rolling landscapes beckon the traveller in the Rhone Valley. Lyon, the epicentre of French gastronomy is home to scores of reasonably priced restaurants known as 'bouchons'.
Lyon is also home to museums, shopping, antique markets, lively nightlife, art-house cinema and music festivals. Vieux Lyon is a delightful labyrinth of cobbled alleyways, Renaissance palaces and two Roman amphitheatres.
Nearby in the vineyards of the Beaujolais, wine makers enthusiastically welcome visitors. Here you learn the secrets of wine making. Tasting the different “crus“, you will learn the nuances of great Beaujolais wines and even discover ideal dishes to accompany them. Cote-de-Brouilly, Fleury, Julienas and Morgon are famous, but don’t ignore the simple local Beaujolais or Cotes du Rhone. You won’t be disappointed!
Aix-les-Bains, Divonne and Evian offer interesting combinations of spas and casinos and for yet more variety, visit the Dombes "land of a thousand lakes," the medieval village of Pérouges, and the Roman ruins of Vienne with its yearly jazz festival. | Alpine Sports in Rhone-Alps To the east of the Rhone Valley rise the Alps, dominated by the magnificent Mont Blanc. There is action for “kids” of all ages in this fabulous mountain area all year round.
Chamonix Valley, only sixteen kilometers long, boasts five renowned ski stations: Le Brevent, La Flegere, Grands-Montent, Le Tour and La Vallee Blanche.
Most famous of the towns and villages at the foot of Mont Blanc is Chamonix, although Megeve still has the cachet of older elegance. Argentiere is a favorite for snow touring and “haute route” skiing.
Val d’Isere contains three main skiing areas: Bellevarde, Fornet/Iseran/Pisaillas and Solaise, with slopes to match all levels of technical ability.
Part of the Espace Killy, named for the French Olympic champion, this vast area opens up 300 kilometers of trails opportunities for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers.
Snowboarders are welcome at the excellent snowpark at Bellevarde/La Daille, and boarders can enjoy half-pipe, hips, jumps, two quarter-rails, hand rails, and a boarder cross.
Cross-country ski, ice climbing, snowshoe and dog sledding are also available. |
 Alps SportsThe end of the ski season doesn’t signal the close of fun things to do. Relaxation and enjoying the warm sunshine is still a great vacation pastime. But a great menu of options is still available if you have something more active in mind.
Walking and hiking are perennially popular, while golf, tennis, fishing, horseback riding, mountain and road biking, canyoning and white water rafting are all available. Some local providers offer specialist training for children.
Mountain streams mean that you are spoiled for white water adventure. Kayaking and rafting are the typical choices, and white water swimming and canoe-rafting are growing in popularity.
For something a little different, try a walk among the treetops in the Mont Blanc Forest, where there are programmes for kids and adults. You might enjoy a visit to the nearby Merlet Park to see the mountain animals, or, even, the St. Bernard Kennels.
Famous for its cuisine, even within the region, there is variety as you travel from the Rhône Valley up towards the Alps. Garlic and olive oil are staples in the Rhône dishes. Herbs which are found in abundance are skillfully blended to please the palate. Vegetables and fruits are abundant, fresh and delicious.
Gratin Dauphinois is a mouth-watering combination of cheese, potatoes and smoked ham, and is not to be missed. The French of Savoie argue with their Swiss neighbours about who invented fondue and raclette, cheese dishes to be enjoyed with a cool, crisp white wine.
Now that you haved sorted out your accommodation in Lyon, making it your centre point, you can take that lovely walk in Vieux Lyon. On your way toward the Alps stop by for Cote du Rhone wine tasting and Beaujolais wine tasting at one of the many vineyards in Rhone. Head for higher altitude and try white water rafting on the Rhone River followed by snowbarding in Bellevarde/La Daille, or if you prefer, skiing in Chamonix. Thank you for reading the Rhone Valley Tourist Information Guide. |
