"the summer playground at l'Etape. 1971: Development of Bellevue, La Ruelle and the Col du Joly. Les Contamines Montjoie is located in the French Alps. It is approximately 1 hours from the aeroport of Geneva and 15 minutes from the Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet train station and from the A40 Highway (exit 21). Les Contamines is located in between the well known resorts of Chamonix and Megève, it is close to Mont Blanc which means that it is used for both mountain climbing in the Summer and skiing in the Winter. Its proximitiy to Chamonix means that access to Italy is easy"
"St Gervais encompasses several separate villages, as well as the summit of Mont Blanc. Consequently, the commune has a very large variation in altitudes, ranging from the village of Le Fayet at 570m up to the summit of Mont Blanc at 4810m, with the main town of St Gervais at just under 900m in altitude. St Gervais les Bains (also referred to as St Gervais or St Gervais Mont Blanc) is not a recently purpose built resort, and so has a significant year round population, rather than just seasonal and is full of historical buildings giving it the traditional charm"
"Saint-Gervais-les-Bains Saint-Gervais-les-Bains is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. The village is best known for tourism, and has been a popular holiday destination because of its beauty and location since the early 1900s. It has 450 km of ski pistes, reputed to be the third largest domain exclusively in France, and is one of the least busy ski areas of its size. In 1892, two hundred people were killed when a water pocket in a glacier above the town suddenly burst open, causing destructive flooding. The wider administrative area of the commune of"
"tours of 1996, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008. In the 2011 Tour it was also passed through with about 20km to go on the 18th stage. Le Monêtier-les-Bains Le Monêtier-les-Bains is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France. Le Monêtier-les-Bains is the highest village of the French ski resort of Serre Chevalier at 1,500m. It is situated in the Guisane Valley. Le Monêtier-Les-Bains has two hot-water springs, one at 34°C and one at 38°C, and the village has been a thermal spa since Roman times. The village is on the periphery of the Ecrins National Park."
"Le Monêtier-les-Bains Le Monêtier-les-Bains is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France. Le Monêtier-les-Bains is the highest village of the French ski resort of Serre Chevalier at 1,500m. It is situated in the Guisane Valley. Le Monêtier-Les-Bains has two hot-water springs, one at 34°C and one at 38°C, and the village has been a thermal spa since Roman times. The village is on the periphery of the Ecrins National Park. Monetier's slopes are a part of the extensive Serre Chevalier ski area. There are 7 chairlifts and 4 drag lifts with the highest skiing in the domain at"
"Courmayeur Courmayeur (, ; Valdôtain: ) is a town and ""comune"" in northern Italy, in the autonomous region of Aosta Valley. At an elevation of above sea level, it is located at the foot of the southern side of Mont Blanc, at the highest point in the Alps and western Europe (see Seven Summits), and is crossed by the Dora Baltea river. Courmayeur shares administration of Mont Blanc with its neighboring commune of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in France, and is consequently able to claim the title of highest commune in Italy. Courmayeur also shares access to the glacial ski run of the"
"Megève Megève (; ) is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France with a population of over 4,000 residents. The town is well-known due to its popularity as a ski resort near Mont-Blanc in the French Alps. Conceived in the 1920s as a French alternative to Saint-Moritz by the Rothschilds, it was the first purpose-built resort in the Alps. Originally it was a prime destination for the French aristocracy. It remains one of the most famous and fanciest ski resorts in the world. The town started its development as a ski resort in the"
"Girose and Mont de Lans glaciers above the resort. The summer ski area is open between June and September. On 13 January 2016, 2 children and one Ukrainian tourist died in an avalanche at the resort. Les Deux Alpes Les Deux Alpes (also Les 2 Alpes or Les 2 Alpes 3600) is a ski resort in the French Isère ""département"". The village sits at and lifts run to . It has the largest skiable glacier in Europe and is France's second oldest ski resort behind Chamonix, where the largest mountain in western Europe is located, Mont Blanc. It has the"
"Val Thorens Val Thorens, located in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie, French Alps, is the highest ski resort in Europe, at an altitude of 2300 m. It is located in the commune of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville in the Savoie ""département"". The resort forms part of the 3 vallées linked ski area which, with over 600 km of piste, is one of the largest linked ski areas in the world. In the 1960s the potential of Val Thorens to be transformed from summer pasture into a location for a purpose built ski area was noted. Prior to this the development of Les Menuires at"
"French Alps The French Alps are the portions of the Alps mountain range that stand within France, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. While some of the ranges of the French Alps are entirely in France, others, such as the Mont Blanc massif, are shared with Switzerland and Italy. At , Mont Blanc (Italian: ""Monte Bianco""), on the French-Italian border, is the highest mountain in the Alps, and the highest Western European mountain. Notable towns in the French Alps include Grenoble, Chamonix, Annecy, Chambéry, Évian-les-Bains and Albertville. The largest connected ski areas are: The other large ski areas"
"in its path. In 2010, the rediscovery of a large water pocket deep within the glacier caused alarm and to this day has the potential to threaten another outburst flood. Melt-water pumping, formal evacuation plans and installation of a siren alarm system in 2013 have all been implemented to reduce the threat to life. Saint-Gervais-les-Bains Saint-Gervais-les-Bains is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. The village is best known for tourism, and has been a popular holiday destination because of its beauty and location since the early 1900s. It has 450 km of ski"
"highest peak, Pic Blanc, to Allemont in the valley floor. Since 2006 Cyrille Neveu has organized the Triathlon EDF Alpe d'Huez, which has become a major summer attraction. Alpe d'Huez is twinned with: Alpe d'Huez LAlpe d'Huez () is a ski resort at . It is a mountain pasture in the Central French Western Alps, in the commune of Huez, which is part of the department of Isère in the region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. It is part of the massif, over the Oisans, and is from Grenoble. The Alpe d'Huez resort is accessible from Grenoble by the , which runs along"
"Les Deux Alpes Les Deux Alpes (also Les 2 Alpes or Les 2 Alpes 3600) is a ski resort in the French Isère ""département"". The village sits at and lifts run to . It has the largest skiable glacier in Europe and is France's second oldest ski resort behind Chamonix, where the largest mountain in western Europe is located, Mont Blanc. It has the longest, normally open full on-piste vertical available in the world. It is a drive southeast of Grenoble. The ""two Alps"" in the name do not refer to the two facing mountain-sides that comprise the resort, but"
"Courchevel Courchevel is a French Alps ski resort. It is a part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski areas in the world. Courchevel also refers to the towns of Courchevel 1300 (Le Praz), Courchevel 1550, Courchevel 1650 (Moriond), and Courchevel 1850, which are named for their altitudes in metres. The resort centre of Courchevel is at 1,747 metres (5,732 ft). The somewhat misleading name Courchevel 1850 was chosen for marketing reasons to compete with arch rival Val d'Isère. It is the Jardin Alpin area of Courchevel 1850 (not the centre) which is actually located at 1,850 metres (6,070"
"Chamonix Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, more commonly known as Chamonix (formerly spelled Chamounix), is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924. The commune's population of around 8,900 ranks 1,089th within the country of France. Situated near the massive peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges and most notably the Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix is one of the oldest ski resorts in France. The north side of the summit of Mont Blanc, and therefore a summit half is part of the village of Chamonix. To the south side, the"
"Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (; ), meaning ""White Mountain"", is the highest mountain in the Alps and the highest in Europe west of Russia's Caucasus peaks. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence. The mountain stands in a range called the Graian Alps, between the regions of Aosta Valley, Italy, and Savoie and Haute-Savoie, France. The location of the summit is on the watershed line between the valleys of Ferret and Veny in Italy and the valleys of Montjoie, and Arve in France. The Mont Blanc massif is popular for hiking, skiing,"
"main players in the European film industry. Les Arcs Les Arcs is a ski resort located in Savoie, France, in the Tarentaise Valley town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Initially created by Robert Blanc and Roger Godino, it is a part of the huge Paradiski system which is under ownership by Compagnie des Alpes, a French-listed company owning several other ski resorts as well as theme parks. The five areas—Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 1950, and Arc 2000—are situated at an altitude spanning from 810 to 3226 metres, although skiing is mostly possible above 1200 metres. The ski area consists of 106"
"to the west the French department of Ain, and to the south the department of Savoie. Haute-Savoie has the largest range of elevations of all the departments in France; the lowest point is in the Rhône River Valley, and the highest Mont Blanc at . Some of the world's best-known ski resorts are in Haute-Savoie. The terrain of the department includes the Alpine Mont Blanc Range; the French Prealps of the Aravis Range, the Chablais, Bornes and Bauges Alps; and the peneplains of Genevois haut-savoyard and Albanais (known collectively as ""L'Avant-pays savoyard""). Its mountainous terrain makes mountain passes important to"
"Mont Blanc Tramway The Mont Blanc Tramway or Tramway du Mont-Blanc (TMB) is a mountain railway line in the Haute-Savoie department of France. It is the highest in France and the fourth highest in Europe. The extensive views of Mont Blanc and adjacent mountains of the Mont Blanc massif provided by the tramway make it popular with tourists. Also, mountaineers and hikers use the tramway because its stops provide the jumping off points for many trails, as well as giving access to the Refuge Nid d'Aigle close to the terminus of railway. The normal alpine mountaineering route to climb Mont"
"from Cannes to Menton, while the larger but sparsely populated mountainous area (light green) is fully rural with the exception of the three large resorts of Valberg (created in 1936), Auron (created in 1937), and Isola 2000 (created in 1971). The highest point of the department is the Cime du Gélas (3143 m) on the Franco-Italian border which dominates the Vallée des Merveilles further east. In fact the summit of Monte Argentera is certainly higher at 3297 m above sea level but it is located in Italian territory. There is also Mount Mounier (2817 m) which dominates the south of"
"Saint-Paul-de-Vence Saint-Paul-de-Vence (before 2011: ""Saint-Paul"", in Occitan: Sant Pau) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. One of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera, it is well known for its modern and contemporary art museums and galleries such as Fondation Maeght which is located nearby. Saint-Paul-de-Vence has long been a haven of the famous, mostly due to the La Colombe d'Or hotel, whose former guests include Jean-Paul Sartre and Pablo Picasso. During the 1960s, the village was frequented by French actors Yves Montand, Simone Signoret and Lino Ventura, and poet Jacques Prévert. Saint-Paul is also"
"Barèges Barèges (""Barètge"" in Gascon) is a French commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region of south-western France. It is situated in the valley of the Bastan on the former Route nationale 618 (the ""Route of the Pyrénées"") on the western side of the Col du Tourmalet. Its spa has been known since the beginning of the 17th century and is the highest in the Pyrenees. It is famous also for the ski resort of Barèges, part of the ""Domaine du Tourmalet"", as well as its landscapes. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ""Barégeois"" or ""Barégeoises""."
"Dents du Midi The Dents du Midi (French: ""teeth of midday"") are a multi-summited mountain situated in the Chablais Alps in the Swiss canton of Valais. They are composed of seven distinct summits and reach a height of 3257 metres (10,686 feet). Highest mountain between Lake Geneva and the Mont Blanc Massif, they dominate the Val-d'Illiez and the Rhône Valley, from Martigny down to the lake. Together with the slightly lower Tour Sallière, they form a cirque around the Lac de Salanfe, an artificial reservoir. Geologically it makes up a part of the massif Haut-Giffre. The """"Dents"""", or ""Teeth"" are,"
"nearby resorts. This is due to the area being a protected nature reserve which allows only low impact sustainable development. Its focus is on providing a uniquely family friendly resort while leaving other resorts, like Les Gets, Morzine and Flaine to cater for the Northern European ""package holiday"" and ""youth"" market. Sommand is the closest major ski resort to Geneva. It is a 25 minutes drive to the end of the valley and the start of Geneva district. Its high altitude starting point and the Mont Blanc area micro-climate gives it better snow quality and quantity that many other resorts."
"Mont Tremblant Resort Mont Tremblant Ski Resort (commonly referred to as Tremblant) is a year-round resort in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec, Canada, located about northwest of Montreal. It is best known as a ski destination, but also features Lake Tremblant suitable for swimming and two golf courses in the summer months. The name of the mountain, Mont Tremblant, was derived from the Algonquin indigenous people, who called it the ""trembling mountain."" The summit is at an elevation of , which makes it one of the tallest peaks in the Laurentians. The resort is owned by Alterra Mountain Company. The"
"Évian-les-Bains Évian-les-Bains or Évian () is a commune in the northern part of the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. A high-market holiday resort and spa town on the shores of Lake Geneva (), it has been visited, over two centuries, by royalty such as Kings Edward VII and George V of the United Kingdom and King Farouk of Egypt, and celebrities such as countess Anna de Noailles and Marcel Proust. The springs of Evian were still rather unknown at the time of the French Revolution. But the First Empire's interest for spa towns inspired a scientist"
"Saint-Aventin Saint-Aventin is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. The commune of Saint-Aventin is located in the heart of the Pyrenees, and extends from the Larboust Valley in the north to the Spanish border in the South. The highest point is the Sacroux peek at 2,676 metres. The municipal territory hosts the Luchon-Superbagnères winter sports facilities, accessible only from Bagnères-de-Luchon by road or Cable car. The village of Saint-Aventin, is located in the Larboust Valley, 52 km south of Saint-Gaudens and 5km west of Bagnères-de-Luchon. The population density is 5.3per/km² The Romanesque Church Saint-Aventin dates from the"
"Les Arcs Les Arcs is a ski resort located in Savoie, France, in the Tarentaise Valley town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Initially created by Robert Blanc and Roger Godino, it is a part of the huge Paradiski system which is under ownership by Compagnie des Alpes, a French-listed company owning several other ski resorts as well as theme parks. The five areas—Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Arc 1600, Arc 1800, Arc 1950, and Arc 2000—are situated at an altitude spanning from 810 to 3226 metres, although skiing is mostly possible above 1200 metres. The ski area consists of 106 runs, 54 lifts, and 200 kilometres of"
"Néris-les-Bains Néris-les-Bains is a commune in the Allier department in the Auvergne region in central France. The name Néris comes from the Gaul God Nérios, a deity personifying the local thermal spring (Latinized to ""Nerius""). 8 kilometers southeast of Montluçon, the town is on departmental road 2144, which links Clermont-Ferrand to Bourges via Montluçon, and follows the trail of the ancient Roman way. The town is at 352 meters of altitude, on the first foothills of the Massif central, more precisely the plateau of the Combrailles. At that time, Néris was called Nériomagos (the town of Nérios, the deity personifying"
"Mont Blanc massif The Mont Blanc massif (; ) is a mountain range in the Alps, located mostly in France and Italy, but also straddling Switzerland at its northeastern end. It contains eleven major independent summits, each over in height. It is named after Mont Blanc (), the highest point in western Europe and the European Union. Because of its considerable overall altitude, a large proportion of the massif is covered by glaciers, which include the Mer de Glace and the Miage Glacierthe longest glaciers in France and Italy, respectively. Not only does the massif form a watershed between the"
"for the quality of its architectural heritage, in its historic towns such as Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Nantes, Orléans, Saumur, and Tours, but in particular for its castles, such as the Châteaux d'Amboise, de Chambord, d'Ussé, de Villandry, Chenonceau, and Montsoreau, which illustrate to an exceptional degree the ideals of the French Renaissance. The French Alps are the portions of the Alps mountain range that stand within France, located in the Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. While some of the ranges of the French Alps are entirely in France, others, such as the Mont Blanc massif, are shared with Switzerland"
"Aix-les-Bains Aix-les-Bains (French: , ), locally called Aix, is a commune in the department of Savoie, in the southeastern French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Situated on the shore of the largest natural lake of glacial origin in France, the Lac du Bourget, this resort is a major French spa town, and has the largest freshwater marina in France. It is the second-largest Savoy town in terms of population, having 28,585 inhabitants at the last census, and is part of its own urban area: The . A leading town of the Belle Époque, of international renown, Aix-les-Bains was a vacation destination for"
"and hotel Le Pelvoux are linked by an internal gallery. These front onto the piste, and the ski lifts that link the three valleys network. Les Menuires Les Menuires is a ski resort in the Belleville valley of Les Trois Vallées between Saint-Martin-de-Belleville and Val Thorens. Owned and operated by Compagnie des Alpes, it is in the Savoie ""département"" of France. The resort has 48 restaurants, 39 ski lifts and 62 trails. The resort has advanced ski slopes and beginner slopes. The resort also hosted the men's slalom alpine skiing event at the 1992 Winter Olympics. Its slopes are connected"