The land that lies between the tumultuous Rhône—a river the historian Michelet called “a raging bull”—and Europe's loftiest peaks, a land that embraces glaciers and olive trees, ancient cities and untamed wilderness, is still in the process of forging its modern identity. Comparable in size to Switzerland or Belgium, Rhône-Alpes is France's second-largest region. It forms a counterweight in the nation's southeastern sector to Paris--Ile-de-France in the north. Though it is swiftly becoming a major European crossroads, Rhône-Alpes is more a political construct than a coherent cultural or geographic entity—the Région Rhône-Alpes is a very recent creation. Paradoxically, perhaps, the stunning diversity of the region's topography counts among its prime assets, and is surely its primary attraction for travelers. Read more...

For more information, visit the official website of Maison de la France

Left image of the alps courtesy of La Maison de France; Middle image of wine tasting courtesy of www.vins-rhone.com; right image courtesy of www.france-rhonealps-tourism.com.

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