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, on the France–Italy 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 French Alps will host the 2030 Winter Olympics, marking the fourth occasion when the Winter Olympics were held in the region. The games were previously held in Albertville in 1992, Grenoble in 1968, and the very first in Chamonix in 1924.

Ranges and summits

Ski areas

The largest connected ski areas are:

1. Les Trois Vallées (Courchevel, Méribel, La Tania, Brides-les-Bains, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Les Menuires, Val Thorens and Orelle): 338 slopes, 600km of pistes.

2. Portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Châtel, Morzine, Les Gets, Saint-Jean d'Aulps, La Chapelle d'Abondance, Abondance, Montriond, Swiss resorts): 288 slopes, 650km of slopes not entirely connected.

3. Paradiski (La Plagne, Peisey-Vallandry, Les Arcs), Champagny-en-Vanoise: 239 slopes, 420km of slopes.

4. Via Lattea (Montgenèvre, Italian resorts): 214 slopes, 400km of slopes.

5. Évasion Mont-Blanc (Combloux, Megève, Saint-Gervais, Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce, Les Contamines Monjoie): 183 slopes, 420km of slopes not entirely connected.

6. Espace Killy (Tignes, Val-d'Isère): 137 slopes, 300km of slopes.

7. Grand Massif (Flaine, Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoëns, Sixt): 134 slopes, 265km of slopes.

8. Les Aravis (La Clusaz, Manigod, La Croix Fry, Merdassier, Le Grand-Bornand): 133 slopes, 220km of slopes not entirely connected.

9. Les Grandes Rousses (L'Alpe d'Huez, Vaujany, Auris-en-Oisans, Oz-en-Oisans, Villard-Reculas): 117 slopes, 236km of slopes.

10. Serre Chevalier: 111 slopes, 250km of slopes.

11. La Forêt Blanche (Risoul, Vars): 104 slopes, 180km of slopes.

12. Les Sybelles (Le Corbier, La Toussuire, Les Bottières, Saint-Jean-d'Arves, Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves, Saint-Colomban-des-Villards): 96 slopes, 310km of slopes.

13. Valloire and Valmeinier: 83 slopes, 150km of slopes.

14. Grand Domaine (Valmorel, Saint-François-Longchamp): 82 slopes, 150km of slopes

15. Espace San Bernardo (La Rosière, La Thuile - Italy): 73 slopes, 150km of slopes.

16. Les Deux Alpes and La Grave: 69 slopes, 220km of slopes. (+ Freeride Zone)

The other large ski areas are:

• Le Val d'Arly (Praz-sur-Arly, Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, Flumet): 150km of slopes.

• L'Espace Cristal (Les Saisies, Crest-Voland): 80km of slopes

• L'Espace Diamant is a combination of Espace Val d'Arly and Espace Cristal with 185km of slopes

• Villard-de-Lans et Corrençon-en-Vercors: 125km of slopes

• Valberg - Beuil les Launes: 90km of slopes

• Espace Lumière (Pra-Loup, Val d'Allos): 170km of slopes

• Superdévoluy - La Joue du Loup: 100km of slopes

• Orcières-Merlette: 150km of slopes

Activities

A range of winter and summer activities are available in the French Alps. In the winter, these include skiing and snowboarding; alternative activities include snowshoeing and sledging. There is a range of other activities that happen such as gliding, which is more popular during the summer months. Summer activities include hiking, mountaineering, biking and rock climbing.

Gallery

See also

• La Grande Odyssée

• 1924 Winter Olympics

• 1968 Winter Olympics

• 1992 Winter Olympics

• 2030 Winter Olympics

• List of highest paved roads in Europe

• List of mountain passes

• List of national parks in the Alps

• List of ski areas and resorts in Europe

References

Bibliography

• Raoul Blanchard (1938–1956), Les Alpes Occidentales. Paris: Édition Arthaud. (French)

• Roger Frison-Roche (1964), Les montagnes de la terre. Paris: Flammarion. (French)

• Sergio Marazzi (2005), Atlante Orografico delle Alpi. SOIUSA. Pavone Canavese (TO): Priuli & Verlucca editori. (Italian)

• Sergio Marazzi, - article with maps and illustrations, PDF (Italian)