| Sitting high in the southern French Alps, the third or | | | | bringing a flood of painters and those who find the |
| fourth largest ski area in the country is an amazingly | | | | summer months just a little bit too hot, but as the |
| well kept secret, arguments rage as to the size of | | | | season ebbs from August into September the days |
| the ski station itself, however it is agreed to have | | | | cool and the temperatures become more balmy |
| 250 kilometres of groomed pistes and an amazing | | | | during the day. |
| variety of snow, especially for the intermediate to | | | | The area sits between the main cities of Grenoble in |
| expert skier. | | | | France and Turin in Italy, with these places both |
| Situated in the south west corner of France on the | | | | being served by international airports. The fast TGV |
| border with Italy the area is on the crossroads to | | | | train from Paris calls in at Oulx 40 kilomteres away in |
| everywhere, whether it be north to Austria, west to | | | | Italy and there is a sleeper service available from |
| Italy or south to the Mediterranean. | | | | Paris all the way to the old fortified town of |
| The scenery is breathtaking, fantastic alpine peaks | | | | Briancon, designed and built by Vauban in the 19th |
| and a climate that has given rise to the claim the | | | | century. |
| area sees 300 days of sun a year, it has to be a | | | | But it is perhaps by road that it is most rewarding to |
| place to visit, but it's not just for winter activities the | | | | climb into the mountains, taking in the peaks at your |
| area is famed. The summer draws hikers, nature | | | | own pace and stopping whenever and wherever you |
| lovers, white water canoeists and those who just | | | | feel like it. There are countless campsites to pull in at |
| want to bask in the sunshine at an altitude of up to | | | | and enjoy what has to be one of the most breath |
| 1600 metres. | | | | taking regions of France, if not the world. |
| In the autumn the larch forests change colour | | | | |