Rhône-Alpes, just north of Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur.The Rhone Alps
region lies nestled beneath the impressive flanks of Mont Blanc, Europe's
highest peak at 15,771 feet, and protector of the regions borders with
Switzerland and Italy. The area of the region enables the body and the spirit to
rest. Hydrotherapy is present here in prestigious surroundings, between lakes
and mountains, here are, appreciated all over the world, the waters of Evian,
universally known for its slimming virtues.
The region presents an extraordinary natural environment: stunning mountains
offering some of the finest skiing areas in the world, valleys filled with
orchards and vineyards, great river ways and scores of crystalline lakes. The
two thousand-year history as a cultural crossroads left a rich blend of customs,
architecture and sights of interest. The city of Lyon boasts an especially
diverse architectural heritage dating from Gallo-Roman remains to stylish modern
buildings, with a magnificent Renaissance old city, 27 museums and a multitude
of shops specializing in everything from silk to antiques to marionettes.
Not all the region is quite as dramatic as its eastern departments. The
Beaujolais area north of Lyons is a land of pastures and forests. This area is
mostly famous for its wines. The vineyards are found along on a 60km narrow
strip of terraces on the right bank of the River Saône. Beaujolais also
produces many oils - not just olive oil, but pecan nut, almond and pine kernel
oil. The Parc Naturel du Pilat, south of Lyons, offers stunning panoramic views
across the Rhône Valley. The less explored Ardèche department is a great place
for outdoor enthusiasts, especially walkers, cyclists and cannoeists. Here is a
land of deep chestnut forests, where eagles nest in the cliffs of steep gorges
sliced by the tributaries of the River Saône.
The Massif Central, which is located to the west of the generally mountainous
Rhône-Alpes region, covers the western part of the department of Ardèche.
The plain is separated from the Alpes, in the east, by are series of deep
valleys that include the middle Rhône valley. The region covers most of
the French Alpes. The peaks of the Jura Mountains, to the north, cover the
eastern part of the department of Ain. The northern part of the Rhône
department, together with the department of Isère, is a part of the lowlands of
the Saône River basin.
Gastronomy is one of the most famous characteristic of the region thanks to
the local productions : wines such as Beaujolais and Côtes-du-Rhône, local
cheeses, typical dishes, Bresse chicken, etc, and owing to its famous
restaurants and chefs, such as Bise, Blanc, Bocuse, Chapel, Chavent, Gagnaire,
Orsi, Pic, Point, and so on.