Summer adventure in the French Alps: outdoor activities and natural adventures
The French Alps draw people who love nature and want adventure. In summer, the valleys plus peaks give clear air, green slopes and snow caps. A visitor chooses either quiet rest or fast action - both stay in memory.
Walkers find paths for every level. The Tour de Mont Blanc loops 170 km through France, Italy besides Switzerland but also needs several days. The Bildon Trail, close to Grenoble, stays flat, passes lakes, waterfalls and meadows as well as suits parents with children or first time hikers.
Mountain bikes roll on wide lifts and marked tracks. Les Deux Alpes or Morzine in Portes du Soleil rent bikes, repair them or show maps. Beginners ride gentle slopes - experts drop down rock and root.
Recommend
Climbers aim for Mont Blanc, the tallest summit in Western Europe at 4,810 m. July next to August give the safest snow bridges also the longest daylight - yet storms still strike and lungs still strain. Shorter rock walls wait at every grade.
Rivers next to lakes give cool relief. The Durance River splits into calm sections for novices and rapid channels for experts. Lake Annecy lies mirror smooth beneath peaks - kayaks plus paddle boards glide across it.
To see the Alps from above, a small plane tows a glider or a twin engine carries a skydiver. Chamonix besides Annecy run those flights - passengers look straight down at Mont Blanc and the valley floors.
Below ground, guides fit helmets but also lamps. Oats Cave in Ardèche or Grotte de la Méduse near Grenoble hold stalactites, stalagmites and 20,000-year-old paintings. On high glaciers such as La Grave next to Tignes, lifts still operate - skiers carve summer snow.
Campgrounds in Vanoise besides Ecrins National Parks sit beside cold streams and wildflower fields. Marmots whistle at dawn - stars crowd the sky at night. The French Alps give both loud thrills as well as deep quiet - no other place mixes the two so well.
