Alps
For 6 or 7 months of the year in Savoie, in the Haute-Maurienne Valley, Bonneval-sur-Arc quilts its stone-built houses with their stone-slab roofs in a thick snowy mass from which only the typical chimneys and church spire emerge.
Themes
- By the waterside : The river Arc
- Gastronomy : Charcuterie, salt meats and cheeses
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The village of La Grave has settled its stone and slate houses on a sunny slope in the heart of the Massif des Ecrins, facing the impressive Peak de la Meije that rises to an altitude of 3,983 m. La Grave is a Mecca for mountain climbing and also a key venue for skiers seeking thrills who come from all over the world to challenge each other on a 2,150 m vertical drop for the yearly Derby de la Meije.
Themes
- Panoramas : Panorama from the top of La Meije reached by cable car
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In the heart of the "Parc Naturel Régional du Queyras" Nature Park, at a height of 2042 m, Saint-Véran prides itself on being the highest inhabited village in Europe. In the village, which is made up of several quarters, the wood and stone chalets tiled with slate, the fountains, bread ovens and sundials are all typical of "everyday" local heritage, while the many chapels and mission crosses bear witness to the inhabitants’ beliefs.
Themes
- Panoramas : View from Notre Dame de Clausis chapel
- Unusual sights :
The Mission Cross and traditional houses
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This is a strange name for a village but it hasn’t stopped it from being labelled a Grand Site ! Although the Cirque du Fer à Cheval has made Sixt famous, it is not its only treasure. The Cascade du Rouget waterfall, nicknamed Queen of the Alps, and the nature reserve that covers most of the district add to the site’s exceptional character. The architectural heritage is not to be left out either as shown by the priory and church stemming from the former abbey founded by Ponce de Faucigny.
Themes
- Abbeys and churches : 13C church and priory
- By the waterside :
River Giffre
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Yvoire’s stone houses with wooden balconies and its narrow streets decked with wisteria and geraniums are just two of the reasons that have earned it the name of "pearl of Lake Geneva" (Lac Léman in French). The village was once a fishing and boatmen’s port overlooked by a square keep which today is one of the relics of Yvoire’s medieval past. In 2006, Yvoire celebrated the 700th anniversary of its fortifications that were built by Amédée V the Great, Count of Savoy.
Themes
- By the waterside : Lake Geneva
- Castles and ramparts : The castle, ramparts and Rovorée and Nernier gates
- Unusual sights : The Garden of the Five Senses
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 Eglise _ D. Grillet.jpg "Grave (La) Eglise _ D. Grillet.jpg")
The Villages
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