In Focus - Discover France: Experience the Best of France - page 747

'green ways') that have been developed spe-
cifically for cycling, often along the course of
old bridleways or disused railway tracks.
Road-cycling is the most popular form in
France, although VTT ( vélo tout-terrain , or
mountain biking) is rapidly catching up, espe-
cially in the Alps, Pyrenees and Massif Cent-
ral. Bikes are a great (and green) way of ex-
ploring flat regions such as the Dordogne,
Burgundy, the Loire Valley and the Lubéron in
Provence. Local tourist offices can supply
route suggestions and information on bike
rental.

Natural Wonders

1 THE DUNE DU PILAT ( CLICK
HERE ) NEAR ARCACHON IS
EUROPE'S HIGHEST SAND
DUNE

2 MONT ST-MICHEL ( CLICK
HERE ) IN NORMANDY HAS
EUROPE'S HIGHEST TIDES

3 MONT BLANC NEAR
CHAMONIX ( CLICK HERE ) IS
EUROPE'S HIGHEST PEAK

Skiing & Snowboarding
France has around 400 ski resorts, all of
which offer a range of groomed runs suitable
for both novice and experienced skiers; some
also have dedicated snowparks that have
been specifically designed for snowboarders.
The ski season in France lasts from mid-
December to late March or April. The slopes
get very crowded during the February-March
school holidays.
The biggest (and busiest) resorts are loc-
ated in the Alps. Smaller resorts in the Pyren-
ees tend to be quieter and cheaper. The Jura
is the centre for ski de fond (cross-country
skiing). Usually, the cheapest way to ski is to travel on a package deal that includes
flights, lift passes and accommodation.

4 THE GOUFFRE DE PADIRAC (
CLICK HERE ) IS FRANCE'S
DEEPEST NAVIGABLE
UNDERGROUND RIVER

5 THE GORGES DU VERDON (
CLICK HERE ) IS EUROPE'S
LONGEST CANYON SYSTEM

Hiking
The French countryside has over 120,000km of sentiers balisés (walking paths).
The best-known trails are the sentiers de grande randonnée (GR), long-distance
paths marked by red-and-white-striped route markers. The trails wind through every