Rhône-Alpes Sales Manual

SALESMANUALM a n u e l d e s V e n t e s

R h ôn e - A l p e s

Rhône-Alpes Tourisme

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Lake Geneva

Valloire

Les Deux Alpes

L’Alpe-d’HuezVillard-de-Lans

Les Ménuires

Val-Thorens

CourchevelMéribelTignes

La PlagneVal d’Isère

Les Arcs

St-Gervais

Megève

La Clusaz

ChamonixMont-Blanc

Morzine

Les Gets

Samoëns

Vals-les-bains

Annemasse

Thonon-les-Bains

Évian-les-Bains

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Chambéry

Marseille

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Mâcon

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Avignon

Annecy

Toulon

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Nîmes

Montpellier

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Culoz

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Vallon Pont d'Arc

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Col de Montgenèvre

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Coldu Mont-Cenis

Col de l’Iseran

Col du Lautaret

Col du Galibier

Col du Petit St-Bernard

Col de Cabre

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Manual

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Situated between Paris and the Côte d’Azur, on the border with both Switzerland and Italy, and offe-ring access to two international airports (Lyon and Geneva), impressive rail connections and a vast motorway network, Rhône-Alpes region is literally at the crossroads of Europe.

Boasting 8 natural parks and peerless sites such as Mont Blanc and

the Gorges de l’Ardèche, Rhône-Alpes offers a wide range of different

landscapes: mountains, vineyards and gentle valleys, fields of lavender

and olive groves.

In Rhône-Alpes, water is everywhere: from snow to glacier ice, rivers and

streams to lakes… Rhône-Alpes is where three of France’s biggest lakes

can be found (Lake Geneva, Lac du Bourget and Lake d’Annecy).

Every form of sport is readily available, set against an impressive natural

backdrop: hiking, mountain biking or even paragliding and canoeing…

Rhône-Alpes is not only the second most important golfing region in

France with over 60 courses but it also has the largest ski area in the

world and has hosted the Winter Olympics three times.

Enthusiasts of art and culture will not be disappointed by the region’s

Villes d’Art: Lyon, which is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage

site, Annecy, Grenoble, Chambéry, and Saint Etienne.

And last but not least, connoisseurs of good food and wine will be spoilt

for choice by the range of local specialities available to taste along with

a Beaujolais or a Côtes du Rhône, and by the sheer number of famous

restaurants in the region (with Paul Bocuse at the top of the list).

AIR• Aéroport International de Lyon Saint Exupéry www.lyon.aeroport.fr From August 2010, new express shuttle Lyon Centre / Lyon airport in 30mn. www.rhonexpress.fr • Aéroport International de Genève www.gva.ch • Aéroport Annecy Haute-Savoie Mont Blanc www.annecy.aeroport.fr• Aéroport Chambéry Savoie www.chambery.aeroport.fr• Aéroport Grenoble Isère www.grenoble-airport.com• Aéroport de Saint-Etienne Bouthéon www.saint-etienne.aeroport.fr

RAILInternational services (high-speed trains):• Brussels : Thalys (and Thalys Soleil and Thalys Neige) and TGV Brussels Lyon• London : Eurostar TGV and Eurostar snow train International rail services : www.raileurope.com

National services: national rail services link Rhône-Alpes with many destinations in France, especially with high-speed trains (TGV). www.sncf.com

Regional services : local rail services criss-cross the region for regular connections and link Alpine resorts with country towns. www.ter-sncf.com

RoAdWith more than 1,300 kilometres of motorways, Rhône Alpes is among the best served regions of France for efficient access by road. Info on www.via-michelin.com

Getting here

SalesManual


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Citiesand culture

City passes – Lyon City Card & Pass GrenobleGrenoble Pass Découverte: visitor’s voucher book for more than 40 cultural and popular attractions. Available from Grenoble Tourist Office for just €13.

www.grenoble-tourisme.com

Lyon City Card: 28 free admissions and 11 discounts for exploring the best of Lyon’s heritage over 1, 2 or 3 days.

www.lyon-france.com

Grand Tour of Lyon on an open-top double-decker bus. Buses leave Place Bellecour every 45 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5.15 p.m. on a 1¼-hour tour of all the best bits of the city. Passengers can get off at any of the 9 stops to explore and hop back on a later Grand Tour bus!

www.voyages-nm.com/uk/voyage-autocar-lyon/services.htm

Institut Lumière in LyonA fascinating look at the history, science and aesthetics of film and the story of the Lumière brothers, inventors of the cinematograph and fathers of cinema.

www.institut-lumiere.org

Medieval and Renaissance centre of ChambérySpread around the château of the Ducs de Savoie. Le Grand Carillon, in the chapel, with its 70 bells, is the largest clock tower in Europe and one of the most beauti-ful in the world.

www.chambery-tourisme.com

Unmissable…

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A fascinating heritage and wealth of cultural interest

If you like to be a visitor not a tourist and really get under the skin of a place, the towns and cities of Rhône-Alpes are for you.

Top of the region’s city destinations is Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage city with over 2,000 years of history, from Gallo-Roman remains to unique modern city murals. But the competition is fierce: anywhere else, Chambéry, Grenoble, Saint-Etienne and Vienne would easily take the crown, and then there’s the gem of Annecy on Europe’s cleanest lake.

For culture buffs there’s everything from classical concerts at Vienne’s Roman theatre to modern art and design in Saint-Etienne. If shopping is your thing, check out the famous-name stores jostling for elbow room with stylish, original boutiques.

And where there are people, there’s life! Lyon is a hotspot of events with its famous Opera House, Biennials, Festival of Light and the theatre, dance, music and film of the Nuits de Fourvière, but there’s plenty going on elsewhere too: Jazz in Vienne, the Animation Festival in Annecy, pop and rock in Aix-les-Bains and the Design Biennial in Saint-Etienne.

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Cité du design in Saint-EtienneA centre for design, business and economics in a concept unique in France, opened in 2008. Three restored 19th century factory buildings alongside two modern constructions: the stunning metal and glass of the vast La Platine building and the 32-metre Observation Tower, for an amazing view of both the Cité and the city. Guided tours for groups only by arrangement with the Tourist Office.

www.citedudesign.com

Lyon and Lake Annecy

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day 1Tour of the city, from the ancient theatre to Renaissance Lyon and the modern Peninsula. Lunch in a traditional “bouchon”. Silk workers’ museum and the unique “traboule” passageways. Dinner cruise on the river and overnight in Lyon.

day 2The bits most visitors miss including the famous Murals. Lunch in a famous brasserie. Free time for shopping in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight.

day 3Alps and Lake Annecy. Guided tour of the Old Town, medieval prison and brooding 12th to 16th century castle. Canals, back streets, arcaded houses. Lunch cruise on the lake and free time on the lakeside. Gastronomic dinner in Talloires and overnight.

Four days of events in the city of Light, culminating on December 8th when candles burn in windows all over the city.www.lyon-france.com

The Murals of LyonEye-catching and unexpected murals all over the city. Trompe l’oeils of imagination and colour.www.lyon-france.com

Annecy old Town andcanalsThe Little Venice of Savoie, arcaded streets with the Alps behind. Cruises on Europe’s cleanest lake.www.lac-annecy.com

The GrenobleBubblesFamous city-centre cable car to the Bastille fortress. Views to Mont Blanc. www.bastille-grenoble.fr

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Lyon Festival of Light

For full details of accommodation, sightseeing and events, go to http://traveltrade.rhonealpes-tourisme.com -Tourist attractions in pictures at www.rhonealpes.tv - Photos available at http://phototheque.rhonealpes-tourisme.comResources

And not forgetting…

Our favourites


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Gastronomyand wines

Chapoutier school of wine tasting, Tain-l’HermitageWine-tasting workshops on the famous Chapoutier estate, including the Côtes du Rhône Grands Crus with a sommelier and a ‘bistronomic’ dinner.

www.chapoutier.com

Scook – cuisine with Anne Sophie Pic, ValenceThe only female chef in France to have achieved the ultimate distinction of three Michelin stars has opened her own cookery school called Scook, teaching cuisine in all its forms.

www.scook.fr

Hameau du Vin, Romanèche-ThorinsA theme park with a difference – it’s all about wine! A tasty exploration of the region’s great wine heritage with the King of Beaujolais and friend of Paul Bocuse, Georges Duboeuf.

www.hameauduvin.com

Chartreuse cellars, VoironThe secret recipe of Chartreuse liqueur is known to only three of the monks who make it! Tour of the largest liqueur cellar in the world and distillery. 3D film. Liqueur tasting.

www.chartreuse.fr

Reblochon cooperative, ThônesSee Reblochon and Tomme cheeses being made and visit the maturing cellars at this cheese dairy in the pretty town of Thônes.

www.reblochon-thones.com

Unmissable…

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France’s gastronomic capital, the centre of French food and wine

With 66 Michelin-starred chefs, including Paul Bocuse, Georges Blanc, Michel Troisgros and Anne-Sophie Pic, Rhône-Alpes is the centre of French gastronomy, and no wonder with so much succulent fresh produce coming from the region!

The local markets are crammed with foodie treats: Bresse chickens, chestnuts from the Ardèche, character cheeses from the Alps (Reblochon, Tomme, Beaufort) and fresh vegetables from the market gardens of the Rhône Valley, with a host of products earning star AOC status. Regional specialities include the enticingly different ravioles, pogne and quenelle and the deliciously familiar gratin dauphinois. And for those with a sweet tooth there’s traditional nutty nougat from Montélimar.But what about wine? Rhône-Alpes is home not only to the big-name wines of the Beaujolais and Côtes du Rhône but also the lesser-known discoveries of Savoie, the Bugey, Côte Roannaise and Coteaux du Lyonnais. Spring 2010 sees the opening of the Beaujolais Route des Vins for wine buffs, with no shortage of wine-themed visits and tastings on offer elsewhere too.

Nothing compares with Rhône-Alpes wines to share memories and projects with friends…”

Ms Jae-Sook LEE – SOCURI – Korea

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Valrhôna School of Grand Chocolat, Tain-l’HermitageA treat for chocoholics! Gourmet chocolate-making courses and learning how to taste the finest chocolate like a professional.

www.valrhona.com

Paul Jaboulet Vineum, Châteauneuf-sur-IsèreDedicated to the fine wines of Côtes du Rhône: Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, Saint-Joseph… A series of underground galleries where the wines are kept at the perfect temperature and humidity. Includes tasting of the top Côtes du Rhône wines with a sommelier.

www.jaboulet.com

And not forgetting… From Beaujolais to Côtes du Rhône

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day 1Guided tour of Lyon’s Renaissance district and traboules. Lunch in a typical bouchon. Bocuse Halles market and cookery class with a chef. Dinner in a gastronomic restaurant, overnight in Lyon.

day 2French garden at Château de la Chaize. Lunch in a traditional Beaujolais bistro. Tour of Château de Montmelas and tasting of the château wines. Dinner and overnight at Château de Bagnols.

day 3The Gallo-Roman city of Vienne and a gastronomic lunch Rhône cruise past terraced vineyards. Jaboulet Vineum in Châteauneuf, tasting of Grand Cru wines. Dinner and overnight in Valence.

day 4Richard oil mill in Montoison. Hilltop villages of the Drôme: Cliousclat, Mirmande and Le Poët-Laval. Lunch in Montélimar and tour of the Soubeyran nougaterie, the home of nougat.

3rd Thursday in November. The official opening of the new Beaujolais Nouveau vintage, celebrated the world over. Tastings, awards and torchlight procession at midnight.www.sarmentelles.com

Paul Bocuse Halles market, LyonA temple to French gastronomy, the crème de la crème of France’s top producers. http://halledelyon.free.fr

Soubeyran nougat factory, MontélimarA fascinating slice of French history, producing the country’s most famous sweetmeat. www.nougatsoubeyran.com

Château de MontmelasThe best preserved castle in the region. Owner Comtesse Delphine D’Harcourt serves her Beaujolais Villages wines.www.chateau-montmelas.com

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Les Sarmentelles, Beaujeu

For full details of cookery lessons, wine cellar tours and restaurants, go to http://traveltrade.rhonealpes-tourisme.com -Tourist attractions in pictures at www.rhonealpes.tv - Photos available at http://phototheque.rhonealpes-tourisme.comResources

Our favourites


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Waterand wellbeing

Lake cruises and river tourismCity cruises in Lyon, a gastronomic lunch on the Rhône from Vienne, or cruise the Isère on a Mississippi paddle-boat. For an intimate waterway experience, try a barge along the Roanne-Digoin canal.

www.naviginter.fr, www.route-marine.fr, www.bateau-livia.com, www.bateau-a-roue.com, www.lesmarinsdeaudouce.fr

Evian Royal ResortOpened in 1909 for the gentry, and France’s first 5-star hotel, it still exudes exclusive Edwardian charm. But the jewel in the crown is the luxurious “Spa Evian Source”. The telluric spa at the Hermitage Hotel uses crystals, stones and clay.

www.evianroyalresort.com

Château de PizayA 4-star hotel among the Beaujolais vineyards with a totally new kind of spa. Vast hydrotherapy pool, solarium and brand new vine-extract anti-ageing products by Alice Gatet, exclusive nationwide.

www.chateau-pizay.com

Lyon Plage and Hotel Métropole, This elegant spa offers something different: an open-air hydromassage walking circuit. Kids are welcome too. New for 2010 is the Japanese Iyashi Centre, where the sparse surroundings soothe your senses and lull you into a state of relaxation.

www.lyonmetropole.com

Unmissable…

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Refreshingly different: France’s most abundant source of fresh water!

Rhône-Alpes is the region of blue gold, where water in all its forms abounds. A place of glaciers, lakes and rivers, of water for fun, relaxation and wellbeing, with countless mineral and thermal springs nurturing sumptuous spas.

Three lakes dominate the region: Lake Geneva, the biggest mass of fresh water in Europe, is a landlocked sea on which various cruises operate. Head for Thonon or Evian for the best of the lake.

Lake Annecy is the cleanest in Europe, but it is its location in the heart of the Alps that makes it special: blue water surrounded by a mountain landscape that changes with the seasons. On its north shore is the charming and beautiful town of Annecy.

The Lac du Bourget is France’s largest and deepest natural lake and offers a host of activities: lake cruises with on-board dining, fishing, every kind of water sport, plus beautiful places to visit such as Aix-les-Bains and Hautecombe Abbey.

And where would we be without water to replenish body and soul? With 150 spas around the region, it is the combination of calm and vitality, rest and activity that makes Rhône-Alpes so refreshingly different.

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Spa treatments offer total fulfilment, but why not combine them with something else? Spa plus ski, gastronomy, golf, culture and more…

Gastronomy and Spa in Vonnaswith lunch at the prestigious Auberge Georges Blanc.

www.georgesblanc.com, www.spamosaic.com

Spa and Golf: Chalet du Mont d’Arbois, MegèveThis hunting lodge offers outstanding spa and ritual treatments from all over the world. And with Mont d’Arbois golf course next door, a golf-and-spa package has never been easier.

www.domainedumontdarbois.com

And not forgetting...

Our favourites

Lakes, spa and gastronomy

day 1Transfer from Geneva. Evian and the Cachat spring. Time in the hotel spa. Dinner and overnight (Evian Royal Resort or Hilton).

day 2Thonon-les-Bains and the Château de Ripaille winery. Gastronomic dinner at Le Prieuré (Michelin star). Medieval village of Yvoire, 5-Senses Garden. Dinner and evening at the Casino in Aix-les-Bains.

day 3Aix-les-Bains. Lunch cruise. Afternoon: time in the hotel spa. Dinner at Le Bateau Ivre in Le Bourget du Lac. Overnight in Aix-les-Bains.

day 4Divonne-les-Bains. Tour of the estate: introduction to golf, lunch in La Terrasse restaurant. Departure from Geneva.

First Saturday in AugustA stunning pyrotechnic extravaganza on Lake Annecy, with fireworks and illuminated cruise boats. www.lac-annecy.com

Evening cruise on Lake BourgetFrom Aix-les-Bains: beaver spotting and gorgeous views of Hautecombe Abbey. www.gwel.com

La Baie des VoilesLuxury residence and spa on Lake Annecy with private beach. Institut Voile de Beauté.www.baiedesvoiles.com

Pure Altitude Spas, MegèveSensuous escapism in a poly-sensorial environment with plant active ingredients.www.sibuethotels-spa.com

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For full details of cruises, spas and thermal spa centres, go to http://traveltrade.rhonealpes-tourisme.com -Tourist attractions in pictures at www.rhonealpes.tv - Photos available at http://phototheque.rhonealpes-tourisme.comResources

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Leisureand sightseeing

Aiguille du Midi, ChamonixThis cable car, opened in 1955, travels up to the summit of snow, ice and rock at 3,842 m in 20 minutes for a unique view of Mont Blanc and the Swiss and Italian Alps. Open all year.

www.compagniedumontblanc.fr

Villars-les-dombes Bird ParkSurprisingly close to Lyon is a vast area of lakes or étangs home to over 400 bird species in France’s largest ornithology park. Gift shop, restaurants, guided tour in sightseeing train.

www.parcdesoiseaux.com

Aven d’orgnac, ArdècheOne of the biggest caverns in the world, a Grand Site de France®, one of France’s top sustainable tourist attractions. The Museum of Prehistory has tableaux of life in the prehistoric Ardèche, home to man’s ancestors for 350,000 years.

www.orgnac.com

The Palais Idéal, HauterivesFerdinand Cheval was a postman who spent 33 years building his Ideal Palace entirely alone. A stunning example of naïve art inspired by everything from the Bible to Hindu mythology.

www.facteurcheval.com

Grande Chartreuse Museum, St-Pierre-de-ChartreuseThe monastery, consecrated in 1133, is not open to visitors, but a short walk leads to a viewpoint over the entire complex. Museum about the life of Charterhouse monks.www.musee-grande-chartreuse.fr (See also the Chartreuse cellars in the Gastronomy&Wine section)

Unmissable…

My customers tell me that Rhône-Alpes is an uns-poilt and fascinating region. They love exploring the magnificent countryside there on the themed itineraries and tourist railway journeys...”

Joachim Schweda - TOURENSERvICE - Germany

A region full of surprises...

The northern French Alps are the best-known part of Rhône-Alpes, but this is not just a region of mountains. Variety is the key, with every day so different to the last.

Cross the region and you’ll come across a contrasting range of sights, including 13 of France’s officially designated ‘Most Beautiful Villages of France’, perched high on cliff tops, nestling deep in Alpine valleys, surrounded by lavender fields and set among vineyards, plus countless châteaux, abbeys, monasteries and gardens. There are natural wonders too: the jagged peaks of Savoie, the Dombes lakeland with its rich bird life, thrilling gorges and cavernous caves. Man has lived here since prehistoric times, and the crafts and skills handed down over generations live on today (pottery in Dieulefit, Bressan clogs, coppersmithing in Cerdon). Follow the Route des Grandes Alpes for nearly 700 km and expe-rience the French Alps in their entirety from Switzerland to the Mediterranean, or soak up the history of the Route Napoleon from Provence to Grenoble. Then return to the lavender fields of the Drôme, the gateway to Provence, the vineyards of the Rhône and the traditional farmhouses of the Bresse.

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Villages, caves and cultural discoveries

Chamonix, 15 AugustFour days of events in France’s mountaineering capital with a Son et Lumière show, climbing spectacle and firework display.www.fetedesguides.com/

Château de GrignanOne of the finest Renaissance châteaux in France. Fêtes Nocturnes evening event in summer.www.dromeprovencale.fr

Terre Vivante, MensEcology park with an eco-friendly home and nature trail, with lots for kids to do.www.terrevivante.org

Charlieu and La Bénisson-dieuA gorgeous town of half-timbered houses. The Abbey has treasures of Burgundian Romanesque art.www.leroannais.com

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For full details of accommodation, sightseeing and activities, go to http://traveltrade.rhonealpes-tourisme.com -Tourist attractions in pictures at www.rhonealpes.tv - Photos available at http://phototheque.rhonealpes-tourisme.comResources


Our favourites

Route des Grandes AlpesThe French Alps in their entirety, from Thonon on Lake Geneva to Mediterranean Menton: 684 km and 16 mountain cols among the highest in France. Follow the route by car, motorcycle, bicycle and even on foot! www.grande-traversee-alpes.com

Les Plus Beaux Villages de FranceThe villages perchés of the Drôme and Ardèche, bucolic idylls in Alpine valleys, the stunning honey-coloured stone of Les Pierres Dorées in the Beaujolais vineyards. Pérouges, Balazuc , lavender-scented Poët-Laval, Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (horseshoe cirque) and medieval Yvoire.

day 1Pierres Dorées villages of Beaujolais. Lunch in Clochemerle, then traditional Bresse farmhouse. Dinner and overnight in medieval Pérouges in the Dombes lakeland.

day 2Caves and copperworks of Cerdon. Lunch on the canalside in Chanaz then walnut oil extraction at the oil mill. Dinner and overnight in Aix on Lake Bourget.

day 3Spectacular Fier Gorge at Lovagny. Lunch in the Chartreuse Regional Nature Park. Grande Chartreuse Museum. Dinner and overnight in Grenoble.

day 4Vercors Nature Park and Choranche Caves. Lunch in the clifftop village of Pont-en-Royans. Petrifying Springs gardens in La Sône and medieval St-Antoine-l’Abbaye (Gothic abbey).

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Sportsand outdoor activities

SnowsportsSnowboarding and skiing are still king here, with destinations tailored to every discipline, or just enjoying the snow in winter.

www.france-montagnes.com

Gorges of the ArdècheFrance’s best-known spot for canoeing and river water sports. Everything from gentle family floating to extreme kayaking. Plenty of rock climbing and hiking on offer too.

www.evalys-sejours.com

ChamonixWorld capital of mountaineering and extreme ski Mecca. The classic Tour of Mont Blanc, through France, Italy and Switzerland offers a blend of stunning scenery, meadows, glaciers and high cols. Whatever your sport, the Chamonix Guiding Company will look after you.

www.chamonix-guides.com, www.chamonix.com

VercorsA moderate-altitude plateau ideal for walking, pony trekking, mountain biking, and dog sledding (with bags carried for you), plus some great climbing and caving spots too!

www.vercors.fr

Lake Annecy and the AravisThe peace and quiet of Lake Annecy (the cleanest in Europe) plus the cool excitement of the Aravis Mountains less than an hour away! Lake Annecy Watersports Centre: sailing, water skiing, wakeboard, surfing… and paragliding in the Aravis.

www.takamaka.fr

Unmissable…

Rhône Alpes is one of the French regions with the largest selection of outdoor activities. Whether in Winter or Summer, children and adults alike love it. This is the reason why we decided to send the majority of our clients to this area.”Xavier Schouller, Peak Retreats. Great Britain.

A year-round playground offering everything under the sun

Rhône-Alpes is best known as a top skiing destination, but this belies the wealth of summer sports and activities in both the mountains and lowlands. And you don’t have to be exercise-mad: chilling out comes just as easily as working out!

Three-time hosts of the Winter Olympics (and fingers crossed a fourth for Annecy in 2018!), with 160 winter sports resorts, three of the world’s biggest ski areas (3 Valleys, Paradiski and Espace Killy) and hugely diverse resort types (family-friendly, ski-in ski-out, village-resorts and hard-core Meccas), plus the nordic sports gems of the Vercors and Jura, Rhône-Alps is the winter destination par excellence. But spring, summer and autumn offer even greater variety: walking, sailing, glacier hiking, lake swimming (the water is 25°C!), golf, cycling (the most exciting stages of the Tour de France are here), climbing, caving, mountain biking, kayaking, via ferrata, hot-air ballooning, mountaineering, rafting, equestrianism, the list goes on… And don’t forget the stunning unspoilt countryside: the region is also home to 6 regional nature parks and 2 national parks.

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Alpe-d’Huez One of France’s premier mountain biking destinations, holds a week-long international mountain biking event in early July every year. The exciting, high-octane Megavalanche features one of the longest downhill runs in the world in the main men’s race. To take part is to enter mountain biking legend.

www.megavalanche.com

Aravis sports tour

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September.The biggest Free Flight event in the world, near Grenoble. More than 8,000 daredevils parachute, wingsuit, glide, and hang-glide through the skies. Also equipment fair and International Film Festival.www.coupe-icare.org

‘4-star’ hiking in the Vanoise National ParkLuxury at 2,000m. Bar, restaurant, sauna, steam bath and jacuzzi. Open all year.www.rocdelapeche.com

dog sledding in the VercorsSnowy plateau perfect for dog sledding. An amazing atmosphere away from the crowds.www.kiska-vercors.com

downhilling in the Portes du Soleil24 ski lifts serving a vast mountain biking area with the Pass’Portes du Soleil MTB event in June. www.portesdusoleil.com

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The Coupe Icare

For full details of sporting activities, resorts and ski areas, go to http://traveltrade.rhonealpes-tourisme.com -Tourist attractions in pictures at www.rhonealpes.tv - Photos available at http://phototheque.rhonealpes-tourisme.com. Resources


Our favourites

day 1Water sports on Lake Annecy (the cleanest in Europe). Water skiing in the morning, lunch and then catamaran sailing in Sévrier. Time for a spot of sunbathing too! Explore Annecy and overnight.

day 2Via ferrata (protected rock climbing) in Thônes. Lunch in La Clusaz and mountain biking on the Plateau. Overnight in La Clusaz.

day 3Hiking at the Col des Aravis, spotting the abundant flora and fauna, then an introduction to paragliding at the Col de la Forclaz.

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Businesstourism

Winter sports: the world’s biggest ski area160 ski resorts including the Big Names Chamonix, Val-d’Isère, Courchevel, Megève, Alpe-d’Huez, Tignes and Méribel. Every kind of snowsport and unusual events such as trapper expeditions, igloo-building, dog sledding, skidoo trips, ice climbing…

Summer in the Alps: challenges of every kindMountainous areas like the Aravis, Beaufortain, Tarentaise and Vercors offering every outdoor activity imaginable: paragliding, canyoning, golf, rafting, multi-activity challenges, via ferrata, mountain biking, etc.www.takamaka.fr

LyonFrance’s second city offers more exhibition surface area and facilities than anywhere outside the Paris region (120,000 m2). The historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Lyon is the gastronomic capital of France. Contact: Lyon Convention Bureau

www.lyon-france.com

AnnecyA vibrant town in a uniquely charming, romantic lakeside location at the foot of the Aravis Mountains. Lake cruises and prestigious service providers such as the Imperial Palace and Les Trésoms Lake and Spa Resort.www.hotel-imperial-palace.com, www.lestresoms.comContact: Annecy Convention Bureauwww.annecy-congres.com

Unmissable…Come to Rhône-Alpes: Business Class!

Rhône-Alpes has its finger on the pulse of the latest developments in business tourism and offers the ultimate business tourism experience, with a vast array of options, first-class facilities and helpful, experienced contacts.

Looking for a hotel, a château, an incoming agency (DMC, PCO), a specialist in incentive travel, a convention centre, a golf resort, a prestigious venue for a gala evening? Look no further.

• Easy to reach, with 2 international airports (Lyon and Geneva), high-speed international rail links (TGV, Thalys) and excellent motorway connections.

• A rich and varied MICE offering and a wealth of tourism and cultural interest : - Lyon, the Beaujolais and the Rhône Valley - The Alps (Chamonix, Megève, Val-d’Isère, Courchevel and Grenoble) - The Great Lakes (Annecy, Lake Geneva/Evian, Lake Bourget/ Aix-les-Bains) - Gateway to Provence (Ardèche, Drôme).

• Business tourism facts and figures : 145,000 hotel beds (2nd nationally) - 30 convention and exhibition centres plus convention bureaux - 40 venues for private functions (gala evenings, special events, etc.) - Around 100 incoming agencies, DMCs and activity service providers.

Welcome to Rhône-Alps, where Business Class comes as standard.

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EvianThe Belle Epoque haunt of crowned heads the world over has reinvented itself as a high-end business destination with easy access via Geneva airport and across Lake Geneva from Lausanne. Evian Royal Resort: www.evianroyalresort.comHilton Evian: www.evian.hilton.comPalais Lumière, Contact: Evian Convention Bureau: www.eviantourism.com

GrenobleThis Olympic city offers unusual attractions like the first urban cable car in the world (up to the impressive Bastille Fortress) and is a centre for cutting-edge high-tech industry (Synchrotron and Nanotechnology Technopole).Park Hotel: www.park-hotel-grenoble.fr Contact: Grenoble Convention Bureau: www.grenoble-tourisme.com

Different and unusual ideas

The international fair for environment professionals, Pollutec Lyon showcases all the technology used in pollution prevention and treatment, environmental protection and sustainable development.www.pollutec.com

Beaujolais WineSeminarsWine-making and tasting seminars in the beautiful Beaujolais.www.excelystours.com

I Way in LyonA world exclusive, I way is a unique complex with 18 motor racing simulators, 1 restaurant, 1 spa and 4 conferences rooms.www.i-way-world.com

Sole use of a châteauTake over a château in the Beaujolais or Drôme for an event designed to impress! www.chateaudebagnols.fr, www.chateauderochegude.com

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For full details of congress and seminar venues, incentive agencies and accommodation, go to http://businessclass.rhonealpes-tourisme.com - Venues in pictures at www.rhonealpes.tv - Photos available at http://phototheque.rhonealpes-tourisme.comResources


Our favourites

France’s second golf region, Rhône-Alpes offers more than sixty varied courses in wonderful countryside. In Rhône-Alpes you are in a golfers’ paradise! Golf resort d’Evian (www.evianroyalresort.com), Golf resort de Divonne (www.domainedivonne.com), Golf resort du Gouverneur (www.golfgouverneur.fr), Golf de Chamonix (www.golfdechamonix.com)

Murder mystery, night in an igloo or tepee experienceHost a murder mystery party in a château or build team spirit with a night in an igloo in the winter or a tepee in the summer.

University of Wine at the Château de Suze-la-RousseWine tasting, oenology, sales and marketing courses and more…

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Publisher : Rhône-Alpes Tourisme – 8 rue Paul Montrochet – 69002 Lyon - FranceCover : Le Mont-Blanc, JL. Rigaux – Beaujolais, JB Laissard – Gorges de l’Ardèche, P. Fournier – Drôme Provençale, P. Blanc – OT Lyon, V. Formica ; P2/3 : map by Latitude-Cartagène – Pont d’Arc, JL. Rigaux – Biennale de la Danse, Lyon, F. Mainard – Winter, C. Martelet ; P4/5 : Fête des Lumières, OT Lyon / M. Perrin – Cité du Design, Saint-Etienne, JL. Rigaux – Chambéry, S. Maviel – Grenoble, S. Maviel – Annecy, P. Blanc ; P6/7 : Lac du Bourget, E. Anglade – Glasses of wine, N. Bouchut – Nougat, P. Fournier – Michel Troisgros, Restaurant Troisgros, Roanne, MP. Morel – Beaujolais, R. Schleipman ; P8/9 : Lac d’Annecy, S. Maviel – Spa Georges Blanc, Vonnas, P . Muradian – Fête du Lac, Annecy, C. Martelet – Canal de Savière, M. Rougy – OT Thonon-les-Bains ; P10/11 : Monastère de la Grande Chartreuse, JL. Rigaux – Château de Grignan, P. Fournier – Aiguille du Midi, OT Chamonix / M. Colonel – Aven d’Orgnac, P. Fournier ; P12/13 : Aravis, P. Lebeau – Pont d’Arc, P. Fournier – Rafting, JL. Rigaux – Mont Aiguille, Vercors, P. Blanc – Lac de Barterand, C. Martelet ; P14/15 : Lac Blanc, massif du Mont Blanc, S. Godin – Lyon Cité Internationale, N. Robin / OT Lyon – Château de Bagnols, Beaujolais – Hôtel Impérial Palace, Annecy – Igloo, Mountain Events ; Page 16 : map by Latitude-Cartagène

USEFUL CONTACTS

Rhône-Alpes TourismeFor help organising your stays and packages in Rhône-Alpes http://traveltrade.rhonealpes-tourisme.com

Tourist Boards in Rhône-AlpesAin Tourismewww.ain-tourisme.comArdèche Tourisme www.ardeche-guide.comLa Drôme Tourismewww.ladrometourisme.comIsère Tourismewww.isere-tourisme.comLoire Tourismewww.loiretourisme.comRhône Tourismewww.rhonetourisme.comSavoie Mont Blanc Tourismewww.savoie-mont-blanc.com

France MontagnesThe main website for French ski and summer mountain resortswww.france-montagnes.com

Atout FranceFor help organising your holiday in Francewww.franceguide.com

RESOURCES

• For full details of incoming agencies, coach operators,tourist offices and booking centres, go to http://traveltrade.rhonealpes-tourisme.com

• Subscribe to our separate Travel Trade Newsletter at http://traveltrade.rhonealpes-tourisme.com

• Tourist attractions in pictures atwww.rhonealpes.tv

• Photos available at http://phototheque.rhonealpes-tourisme.com

Documents

Rhône-Alpes Sales Manual