The French Alps border Switzerland and Italy. They boast Mont Blanc and the Vercors, historic site of the French Resistance during the Second World War. They have the largest ski runs in the world, with nearly 200 ski resorts, vast or intimate, sophisticated or family orientated, located over 15 different mountain areas. The summers strip the lower mountains of their snow and offer nature lovers the beauty of seven natural parks.
Hiking, fly-fishing, wilderness watching, kayaking and canoeing are daily and accessible activities. The Rhône-Alps include well known towns such as Annecy, Chamonix, Megève and Grenoble. Lyon, the region's capital, is the second largest city in France and has been registered by Unesco as a world heritage site. After the Côte d'Azur, international property buyers prefer the Alps to any other region.
How to get there
The Rhône-Alps region is easily accessed by motorway or rail from Paris, Nice and Marseille. There are also several airports, including Lyon, Grenoble, Chambery, Annecy and of course, Geneva just across the Swiss border.
Alpine charm and the price to match
Elegant stone chalets nestle on green hillsides, overlooking lakes or valleys. Charming wooden alpine homes with great stone hearths and balconies offer impressive mountain views. The Alps, summer or winter, are at your doorstep.
| Region |
Old |
New |
| Reported average price for homes |
€ 2413 per m2 |
€ 287,300 |
| Reported average price for flats |
€ 2686 per m2 |
€ 3110 per m2 |
Average price for Rhône-Alps
Source: - FNAIM / 2007
- Ministère de l'Écologie, du Développement et de l'Aménagement durables / 2006