The most beautiful natural sites to discover Alpes

To go from Koenig-sur-Méouge to Ribiers, you cross the famous gorges of Méouge. Located 5 km south of Laragne, the Méouge Gorges are classified as a biological reserve and represent a real gem for the department. Designated as a Marvel of the High Alps, the Gorges de la Méouge are bathed in heat and light and are a place for bathing and walking.

Picnic areas and dry toilets available for hikers.

These deep, winding gorges surround a fiery torrent that leapt, tourbillons shape, water holes, polished pebble beaches, natural reservoirs…

Even lovers of the old stones will be happy, admiring an old Roman bridge with three arches, still in very good condition, as well as the remains of a mill that was conquered by a flood in 1901. Grass geologists overlooks huge blocks of rock forming beautiful ivory-coloured strata. The curious will read with profit the explanatory panels of the fauna and flora: you are here in a Natura 2000 site full of Alpine, Provençal, Mediterranean, Iberian and even North Africa plants. So cool in summer, Méouge can also be lowered to kayaking in the spring or flown in plane or paragliding: from the site of Chabre, from where we have a superb panoramic view!

The natural and cultural heritage of the Chartreuse is particularly rich. Shared between Isère and Savoie, the Chartreuse Regional Nature Park, created in 1995, offers fantastic landscapes that are easy to discover. From the limestone mountains with their magnificent perched synclines to the cradle of the Carthusian order founded by Saint Bruno in the ^11th century, it's hard not to be fascinated by this massif. The Chartreuse is all about the water that sings in the many basins in each of the small villages scattered across the mountain, or the water that gushes in cascades and then rumbles in the ravines of the Guiers Mort and Guiers Vif. There are also beautiful forests and the scent of wood cut in sawmills. In fact, Chartreuse wood, used in construction, has been awarded the AOC label. It is produced from fir and spruce trees grown in the Chartreuse mountains. The Chartreuse Regional Nature Park is also home to a few morels lurking on the banks of a shady stream, a sabot-de-vénus lurking at the bend in a path or a black grouse chuckling as it flees the hustle and bustle of hikers. Chartreuse is not for eating: it's for savoring.

Bordered to the south by the cluse de Grenoble and to the north by the cluse de Chambéry, the Chartreuse appears like another limestone fortress. It offers hikers a number of peaks that exceed 2,000 m in altitude, the highest being Chamechaude at 2,082 meters. It is recognizable by its molar-like appearance, and is sometimes nicknamed "Gargantua's tooth". The Chartreuse also boasts a number of caves and galleries, popular with speleologists. In one of these caves, La Balme à Collomb, a little-known historical treasure has been discovered: a natural cave bear cemetery, over 20,000 years old! To date, 10% of the site has been excavated, and 12,000 bones or bone fragments have been found. The remaining areas have been left open to researchers. Of course, it's not possible to visit the original cave, but a reconstruction of the site provides a fascinating insight into the subterranean world where cave bears reigned supreme. It's hardly surprising that, with such an exceptional environment in terms of flora and fauna, the whole massif has the status of Regional Nature Park. This exceptional biodiversity is due in no small part to the great diversity of natural environments found in the massif. Its mountain forests, made up mainly of beech and spruce, are home to deer, chamois, lynx and owls, while its mountain meadows are home to numerous insects such as butterflies and beetles that thrive on the grasslands.

The Chartreuse, which Stendhal dubbed "the Emerald of the Alps", is a necklace whose every pearl must be admired. At its heart, the cirque de Saint-Même is one of the highest points in the Entremonts. The Cirque de Saint-Même is wild and unspoilt, offering a unique experience of nature, crowned by sheer rock faces and the sound of the wind running through the tall trees. Several hiking possibilities on site. At the heart of the cirque, right on the cliffs, the waters of the Guiers Vif escape from the bowels of the Earth and tumble down in a succession of great waterfalls. The most impressive of the passages leading over the cliffs to the upper plateaus is the Pas de la Mort, with its evocative name and long, overhanging ledge. It's the ideal place to hear the heartbeat of the Chartreuse! Another gem is the Grottes de Saint-Christophe (or Grottes des Échelles). These two caves, reached via a natural route, are home to thousand-year-old limestone rocks sculpted by water over time. The visit lasts an hour and a half. For the full experience, you can also try your hand at caving (from age 6) or acrospeleology (from age 12) in this unique setting.

And if you're looking for a bit of height, the Chartreuse also offers some breathtaking lookouts, such as the Sangles lookout overlooking the Guiers Mort gorges and the Grande Chartreuse monastery. But the most impressive viewpoint is undoubtedly at the end of the Petites Roches plateau, on the eastern face of the massif. This is a veritable balcony-belvedere, overlooking the Isère valley upstream from Grenoble by 800 m, and itself dominated by the cliffs of the Dent de Crolles and its northern extensions by 1,000 m. Today, the Plateau des Petites Roches is a world-famous venue for hang-gliding enthusiasts. Every September, the Coupe Icare brings the sport's greatest champions to Saint-Hilaire. It's another way of seeing the Alps, as you glide gently over them on the wings of the wind, like one of those majestic birds above the Chartreuse. The Chartreuse Regional Nature Park offers a wide range of sporting activities. In summer, take advantage of the many signposted trails to discover the richness of the forests, cliffs and reliefs on foot. In winter, put on your snowshoes or skis and head for the ski resort of Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse.

This site of information on the activities and news of the commune of Talloires-Montmin, at the foot of the Tournette and the Dents teeth, on the east shore of Lake Annecy, addresses both residents and visitors. It also contains information about the protected sites such as the reserve of the Roc de Chère but also on the port of Talloires and its tariffs, events and events scheduled year round with updated details. Everything you need to know about the villages and their natural and cultural heritage as well as the possibilities for accommodation and catering. A very complete site!

There is information from the facilitators and the interactive and interactive exhibitions, including «In my sky, the Barded Gypate», devoted to this fascinating «bone-in», which is seriously threatened with extinction. The wildlife area has a very explicit model presenting animal life strategies in winter and the valley model allows to better understand the topology of the circus, the documentation space. Nature and child entertainment are also organized. In summer, a second welcome point is located at the entrance to the reserve at the Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval circus.

The Maison de la Vallée du Champsaur, located in Ancelle, France, is a natural site offering information and documentation on the region. It also presents temporary exhibitions and sells products and books from the Ecrins National Park. A permanent exhibition entitled "Entrez dans la haie" is open to the general public. The Maison de la Vallée is a joint reception area for the Ecrins National Park and the Champsaur-Valgaudemar Tourist Office. Admission is free.

Nature lovers can stroll along the largest freshwater lakes in Western Europe. The quays are dotted with presentations explaining the formation and the life of Geneva. Beyond that, only around 50 % of the shore is easily accessible, the law there requests it though not respected… In Vongy, under a large viaduc railway, you will find a pass and scale that allow trouts to reproduce upstream.

Municipal authority of 1997. On Lake Geneva, naturism on a portion of the beach of La Pinède.