The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region
Ranked among one of the largest tourist regions in Europe, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is the world’s leading region for winter sports, the main French region for outdoor sports and the second largest national tourist region after Paris Île de France in terms of consumption.
The area stands out for its vast array of unique and varied destinations. These include the city of Lyon - the gastronomic capital, the Alps and Mont Blanc - the peak of Europe, Drôme and the Ardèche - evocative of Provence, and Auvergne with its volcanoes. Not forgetting the Vallée de la Gastronomie®, a tourist destination in its own right from Dijon to Marseille, that crosses the rich regions of Beaujolais and the Rhône Valley.
Annecy, Evian, Vichy, Courchevel, Megève, The 3 Valleys, the Vercors, The Gorges de l’Ardèche… all are emblematic and mythical destinations of the area. In addition to these, there are the major international tourist sites such as the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix, with almost a million visitors a year, and the UNESCO listed sites such as Old Lyon, the Chauvet 2 cave and the Chaîne des Puys-Faille de Limagne. The region is also home to more than twenty of the “Most Beautiful Villages in France”, jewels in the French heritage. Pérouges, Grignan, Montpeyroux, Yvoire, Salers, Vogüé … each has its own distinctive features and history.
Lastly, its 14 cycle routes, legendary Tour de France passes, and 33,000 km of marked hiking trails make Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes a paradise for outdoor activities.
In winter, the famous ski resorts of the French Alps attract tourists from all over the world, from December to the end of April. There are over 175 winter sports resorts in the region, providing something for everyone to enjoy, whether skiing or other winter activities.
With a surface area larger than Switzerland or Ireland, the area has 8 million inhabitants, 4 international airports (Lyon, Grenoble, Chambéry and Clermont-Ferrand) and offers a quality service via Geneva airport (TGV - high speed train in 2 hours) or Marseille (1.5 hrs) and the Côte d’Azur (French Riviera).
The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, with over 160 million overnight tourist stays (1), is constantly improving its customer offering. More than 2 billion euros are invested in tourism and leisure annually, including over 1 billion in accommodation.