The French mountain regions have
been transformed from 'demographic
deserts' to the world's winter
sports capital in only 50 years. And alpine
skiing does not reign supreme: the mountains
are now considered as all year round
destinations thanks to their rich range of
leisure activities.
Superlatives overflow in the land of the
white gold: France has the Europe's highest
ski resort and the longest black run, it has
the largest surface area of ski slopes, the
greatest number of ski-lifts and the biggest
number of foreign tourists...in the world.
And these are not the only strengths that
'High France' can boast about.
To explore the gentle forms of forest
covered mountains, head for the Vosges,
the Jura or the Massif Central. The Northern
Alps remain the leader in terms of visitor
numbers thanks to their high peaks, their
gigantic ski slopes and their many ski
resorts.
The Southern Alps resound with the
sing-song and sun-kissed accents of the
Mediterranean. And as for the Pyrenees,
they challenge the traditions and are
renowned as the place for trying the most
avant-garde mountain activities...
Finally, France has one more exclusivity:
the 'skis aux pieds' system operating in its
ski areas that means visitors can go from
one area to another during the same day -
without having to remove their skis.