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The French

Alps

5 Fun Things to Do and See in the French Alps

The French Alps is a beautiful and colorful area, full of high mountains with green forests, bright blue lakes, colorful alpine flowers and white peaks.

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Would you like an active holiday? Then the French Alps are the perfect holiday destination for you.

There are countless hiking trails for hiking through the beautiful nature of the French Alps in the summer.

Is cycling more your thing? Then there are plenty of mountains to defy or to make an exciting descent by mountain bike.

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And in winter, the French Alps are of course also a popular winter sports area.

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Read all our travel tips for your holiday to the French Alps.

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The French Alps, the perfect holiday destination for an active holiday

The French Alps are the perfect holiday destination for people that want to have an active holiday.

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This holiday destination is not that far from the Netherlands and yet you are in a completely different environment, surrounded by high, green mountains and white peaks. For hikers you will find endless hiking trails in the mountains of the French Alps. Spicy hikers for the hardened hikers, multi-day hikes, but also simple hiking trails for families or people who just want to take a quiet walk. You will be amazed by the beautiful views on all these hiking trails.

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Cyclists and mountain bikers can also enjoy themselves in the mountains of the French Alps. For cyclists, the landscape is varied with tough climbs. And for mountain bikers, there are routes for exciting descents through the mountains of the French Alps.

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And it doesn't stop there. There is so much more to do. Horse riding, tobogganing, cooling off in the bright blue lakes and of course skiing in the winter months.

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We have listed 5 fun things to see and do in the French Alps for you below. Read our tips for the perfect holiday in the French Alps.

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Aguille du Midi is located in Chamonix. The cable car takes you to an altitude of no less than 3842 meters, making it literally and figuratively the highlight of the French Alps. At least the highest point you can reach by cable car.

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From Aguille du Midi you have the best view of the French Alps on the actual highest point of this mountain range, Mont Blanc. You look out over the mountains of Switzerland and Italy, literally giving you an international view from this high vantage point.

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The cable car will take you to the top of Aguille du Midi in about 20 minutes. This cable car was already opened in 1955. At the time it was the highest cable car in the world. After a thorough renovation, thousands of people go up every day to admire the spectacular view from this mountain.

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Unfortunately, a ride up is quite expensive and not really comfortable. There are no less than 50 people in a gondola and sitting comfortably enjoying the view is not an option.

The ride up is in two parts. The first ride takes you to about 2,300 meters altitude, the second ride takes you all the way to the top. The second ride is also equally uncomfortable. Again you go up with 50 people at the same time.

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Despite the price tag and the not-so-comfortable ride up, getting to the top of Aquille du Midi is definitely a must-do activity in the French Alps in our opinion and really ranks first in our travel blog with fun things to do in the French Alps, France.

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Adress: 100 Pl. de l'Aiguille du Midi, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

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Le Train du Montenvers-Mer de Glace is a red train, which departs from Chamonix, France. This train travels at a leisurely pace through the beautiful scenery of the French Alps, to the heart of the largest glacier in this mountain range; Mer de Glace.

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The Mer de Glace glacier is a glacier of no less than 12 meters wide and has a thickness of no less than 300 meters in some places. The view over this glacier is absolutely fantastic, but there is more to do.

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For example, you can visit an impressive ice cave. You sometimes have to brave 400 steps to admire the ice cave, but it is more than worth it. It is a unique experience to walk through an ice cave.

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You can also visit et Glaciorium. Here you can learn everything about the Mer de Glace glacier. But also about glaciers in general and their melting. In et Glaciorium you will learn all about the fragility of our planet.

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Le Train du Montenvers-Mer de Glace is definitely a unique experience and is one of the most fun activities you can do when you go on holiday to the French Alps.

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Adress: 74400 Chamonix, France

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La Grave is one of the most beautiful villages in France. It is located at the foot of La Meije, one of the highest peaks in the Écrins. And that is exactly why  La Grave is one of the most beautiful villages in France. La Meije gives La Grave a spectacular background and appearance.

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Of course the village itself is also very beautiful. Picturesque streets with cute houses form the entire streetscape of this village, with the church as the highlight. Because few modern houses and buildings have been added, La Grave is still a very authentic French village in the French Alps.

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From the village of la Grave there is also a cable car to the top of the glacier La Meije, where there is a lot of snow even in summer. La Grave is also a good base for exploring the area on foot or by bicycle.

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La Grave is definitely one of the must-see sights in the French Alps, as well as the surroundings of one of the most beautiful villages in France.

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4. Pic Blanc I A panoramic view over the most beautiful mountains of the French Alps

We are once again looking for one of the impressive peaks of the French Alps, at number 4 of our favorite places in the French Alps.

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El Pic Blanc is located at an altitude of no less than 3330 meters in the mountain massif Les Grand Rousses. On a clear day you can see as much as 1/5 of the French territory from this impressive mountain top.

 

El Pic Blanc is located in the popular Alpe d'Huez mountain area. Cable cars run from several villages to this popular peak in the French Alps. We took the cable car in Oz-en-Oisans, From here you go with 3 different cable cars to the top of Pic Blanc. The stops along the way in the Alpe d'Huez also offer many opportunities to explore the mountains of the French Alps.

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There is a beautiful mountain lake to cool off and there are several hiking trails. In the summer months you will also encounter many downhill mountain bikers on the Alpe d'Huez, who follow the spectacular routes to descend into the Alpe d'Huez.

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Adress: 38114 Oz, France

5. Annecy I One of the most lively and fun towns in the French Alps

In the middle of the French Alps, in the Haute-Savoie, lies the lively and beautiful city of Annecty. Annecy is a popular holiday destination and is visited by many tourists every year. Annecy has everything for a wonderful holiday in the French Alps.

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Of course, the location in the middle of the French Alps is already one of the biggest attractions of Annecy. But Annecy's location on Lake Annecy makes this city a top destination and a wonderful place for a summer holiday.

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Annecy is also called the Venice of the Alps because of the many canals and bridges in this city. You should not miss a visit to the famous Pont d'amour, the bridge of love, when you are in Annecy.

But also the beautiful center of Annecy is definitely worth exploring. Here you will find nice shops, cozy restaurants and nice markets.

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Around Lake Annecy you will find several small beaches, where you can cool off in Lake Annecy. The lake also lends itself to other water activities, such as pedal boats or paddle boards.

But this city in the Alps is also the right place for an active holiday, because you will find countless hiking routes in the mountains around this city.

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The city of Annecy is therefore a perfect destination for a holiday in the French Alps with some of the best attractions in the French Alps within easy reach.

All our articles about the French Alps

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