Climbers on the snow ridge below the Aiguille du Midi, with the high peaks of the Mont Blanc massif beyond

France · Alps · Pyrenees

France

Mont Blanc, the highest summit in the Alps, towers above Chamonix, while the Pyrenees hold the vast rock amphitheatre of Gavarnie. Summer is for hiking, winter for skiing.

Best months: Jun–Sep · Dec–Mar
Signature peak: Mont Blanc, about 4,806 m
Fly into: Geneva (GVA)
Destinations: 12

Explore France Best time to visit

Destinations in France

Where to go in France

12 of 12 destinations · Main season Jun–Sep · Dec–Mar

The Aiguille du Midi lit orange against a deep blue sky

Best Jun–Sep · Dec–Apr

Haute-Savoie, Alps

Chamonix & Mont Blanc

The Alps' mountaineering capital, with glaciers, a cable car to 3,777 m and the Tour du Mont Blanc on the doorstep.

4,806 m · Jun–Sep · Dec–Apr · Moderate

Good for: Trekking · Snow & ski

Stays Flights Tours

The Cirque de Gavarnie, a wall of rock above a green Pyrenean valley

Best Jun–Sep

Hautes-Pyrénées, Pyrenees

Cirque de Gavarnie

A vast glacial amphitheatre with a 422 m waterfall, reached on an easy valley walk from the village of Gavarnie.

1,350 m · Jun–Sep · Easy

Good for: Scenic views

Stays Flights Tours

Lake Annecy beneath green mountains and a dramatic sky

Best May–Sep

Haute-Savoie

Annecy

A medieval old town of canals beside one of Europe's cleanest lakes, ringed by the Alps.

448 m · May–Sep · Easy

Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Villages & culture

Stays Flights Tours

The Grande Casse above green slopes in the Vanoise National Park in summer

Best Jun–Sep

Savoie

Vanoise National Park

France's first national park, with glaciers, high lakes and plenty of ibex and marmots on long walking routes.

3,855 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate

Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Lakes

Stays Flights Tours

La Meije and the glaciers of the Écrins massif seen from a ridge above La Grave

Best Jun–Sep

Hautes-Alpes

Écrins and La Grave

A small village beneath the jagged Meije peak in the Écrins National Park, with huge views and big off-piste skiing.

3,983 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate

Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Snow & ski

Stays Flights Tours

Best May–Oct

Provence

Mont Ventoux

A bare, white-topped mountain rising above the lavender and vineyards of Provence, famous for cycling.

1,912 m · May–Oct · Moderate

Good for: Trekking · Scenic views

Stays Flights Tours

The observatory domes and cable car on the summit of the Pic du Midi de Bigorre

Best Jun–Oct

Hautes-Pyrénées

Pic du Midi de Bigorre

A Pyrenean peak with an observatory and a cable car, famous for its dark skies and its panoramic terraces.

2,877 m · Jun–Oct · Easy

Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski

Stays Flights Tours

The turquoise Verdon river below the limestone cliffs of the Gorges du Verdon

Best May–Oct

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Gorges du Verdon

A limestone canyon of up to 700 m deep, with a turquoise river, circular roads and viewpoints above the water.

700 m · May–Oct · Moderate

Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Trekking

Stays Flights Tours

A mountain stream in the Marcadau valley above Cauterets

Best Jun–Sep

Hautes-Pyrénées

Cauterets and Pont d'Espagne

A spa town on the edge of the Pyrenees National Park, with waterfalls, lakes and high trails.

932 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate

Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Lakes

Stays Flights Tours

A high green valley and mountains above Val d'Isère in summer

Best Jun–Sep

Savoie

Val d'Isère and Tignes

Two of the highest ski resorts in the French Alps, sharing the Espace Killy ski area and a wide summer playground.

1,850 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate

Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Trekking

Stays Flights Tours

Best Apr–Oct

Auvergne

Puy de Dôme and the Auvergne volcanoes

A line of extinct volcanic cones in central France, with the Puy de Dôme as its best-known summit.

1,465 m · Apr–Oct · Easy

Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Villages & culture

Stays Flights Tours

Mont Aiguille rising above the Vercors plateau meadows

Best May–Oct

Isère and Drôme

Vercors

A vast limestone plateau ringed by cliffs, with deep gorges, caves and high pastures near Grenoble.

2,341 m · May–Oct · Moderate

Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Snow & ski

Stays Flights Tours

About France

France at a glance

France's mountain travel centres on the Alps in the east and the Pyrenees along the Spanish border. Chamonix, beneath Mont Blanc, is the mountaineering capital of the Alps, while Gavarnie in the central Pyrenees holds one of Europe's grandest glacial amphitheatres.

Cable cars, rack railways and a dense network of marked trails make the mountains easy to reach, and mountain huts (refuges) allow multi-day walks such as the Tour du Mont Blanc. Many Alpine resorts are open in both summer and winter.

The main hiking season runs from late June to mid-September, with ski resorts open from December to April. Mountain weather changes quickly, so check the forecast and lift timetables, and book accommodation early for July, August and the school holidays.

Getting there

Geneva (GVA) in Switzerland is the usual airport for Chamonix, about an hour and a half away by road or shuttle. Paris (CDG) and Lyon (LYS) have fast rail links to the Alps, and Toulouse (TLS) is the main gateway for the Pyrenees.

Getting around

France has an extensive rail network and mountain buses, but remote valleys, especially in the Pyrenees, are easiest by car. Lift passes and mountain railways are usually priced separately.

Entry and safety

France is part of the Schengen Area. Entry rules depend on your nationality and are being updated across the Schengen Area, so check the official government information before you travel.

Mountain weather can change quickly, and high routes and glaciers need equipment, experience or a guide. Check the local mountain forecast and conditions, carry layers and water, and call 112 in an emergency.

Official sources

Last reviewed October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

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