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FRENCH MOUNTAINS
Galibier, Izoard and others along the famous Route des Grandes Alpes (Great Alpine Road). Mountain bike enthusiasts are spoilt for choice here, with classified French Cycling Federation routes, 217 miles within the Grande Traversée des Hautes-Alpes, numerous bike parks accessible via the ski lifts and many major events.
HIKING
With 5,600 miles of trails combining peaks and glaciers with dizzying footbridges and viewing platforms, Isère’s mountain landscape is a big draw for hikers of all abilities. It isn’t hard to feel the raw magic of the great outdoors here, along five long- distance trails with eight staffed mountain refuge huts, plus the option to bivouac (camp) beneath the stars. The Great Crossings are multi-day hiking trails traversing Isère’s major mountain ranges. Most of France’s mountain hikes
cross nature reserves or incorporate local cuisine. In Méribel’s Tuéda reserve between the Tuéda lake and Gébroulaz glacier, you can stop off at Robert Perret’s dairy for a cheese- tasting session – make sure you try his Beaufort des Alpages! Local
guides also organise half-day hikes to find edible and medicinal plants, to learn about their properties and how to use them in cooking. The Hautes-Alpes boast 1,118 miles
of Grandes Randonnées. Footpaths are varied and champion biodiversity as they cross the Queyras and Baronnies Provençales Regional Parks and Écrins National Park, as well as fields of lavender, orchards and glaciers. A guide can help you spot fauna such as marmots and chamois. Don’t miss the via ferrata, a rock-climbing route with steps, ladders and ziplines that’s popular with adrenaline hunters.
WATERSPORTS You can’t have the mountains without water. Rivers abound in the Hautes-Alpes: Durance, Guil, Guisane and Drac make up almost 1,242 miles of rivers crossing the area. The white-water facility on the Durance in L’Argentière-la-Bessée sets the standard in Europe, with rafting, kayaking, hot-dog canoeing and even swimming. The Serre- Ponçon Lake is an excellent spot for kitesurfing and windsailing, not forgetting traditional boating, kayaking and paddleboarding.
FRENCH MOUNTAINS Isère’s best-known lakes are
Laffrey and Paladru, which offer swimming, sailing and fishing. Paladru boasts a 25C water temperature in the summer months, and beaches and campsites give it a real holiday atmosphere. Monteynard Lake attracts kitesurfers, who skim beneath two dizzying Himalayan bridges. What’s more, the great lakes of Isère are all less than an hour’s drive from the major towns. Canyoning is one of the most
popular activities in Méribel. Participants love the combination of jumps, abseiling down waterfalls and gliding into the water on natural slides. Two local sites offer half and full-day sessions, and the first dip comes after just 10 minutes’ walk – so there’s no need to wait long for adventure!
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