Great Girlfriend Getaway: Ten Things To Do In France’s Rhone-Alps Region | Great Escapes

This past month, a few ladies and I spent a week exploring the food, wine and spas of France’s famed Rhone-Alps region, home of Cote de Rhone and Beau­jo­lais wine, Evian water, the world’s most famous moun­tain range, and more than 65 Michelin-starred restau­rants. Like many people, I originally thought of the Alps as a primarily winter destination – known for skiing and scenic mountain towns where I’d snow bunny it up by day and eat fondue by evening. What I didn’t know? France’s second most  popular tourist region has a wealth of experiences to offer all year round, and the northern part of the region is the perfect place for a girlfriend or romantic getaway. Whether you’re planning a long weekend as part of a trip in France, Switzerland or somewhere else in Europe or you’re using this as the bulk of your destination, the region has a lot to offer.

Here are 10 of our favorite things to do in the area:

1.    Lyon. Start your trip in Lyon, a city of vibrant arts, cul­ture, and of course, food. Shop for Her­mes (their scarf fac­tory is in Lyon), stroll the wind­ing streets, and walk the scenic Rhone river­side. It’s your first day, and you must be tired.

2.    Daniel et Denise. This traditional Bou­chon in Lyon has a cozy ambiance – think red checked table­cloths and vin­tage posters on the wall – as well as a lively, local-filled atmos­phere.

3.    Go Wine Tasting. Taste your way through the Beau­jo­lais vine­yards with the help of the Beau­jo­lais wine app – free in the Apple app store. You can search by vine­yard and city name. We’d sug­gest a visit to theChateau de la Chaize in Ode­nas and the Chateau de Mont­melas in Mont­melas, both of which boast friendly staff and beau­ti­ful vineyards.

4.    Visit a luxury hotel built in 1030. The Chateau de Pizay, one of the area’s most lovely lux­ury hotels boasts a large spa with a vari­ety of vinother­apy treat­ments.

5.    Try a bed and breakfast with a Michelin-starred chef. Visit the tiny town of Clochemerle and the  Auberge de Clochemerle, a seven-room inn owned by a husband-and-wife team. The restaurant just got its first Michelin star this year and serves contemporary French cuisine with a local and sustainable twist.

6.    Visit a true French Love story.  Stop at the Royal Monas­tary of Brou, built by Mar­garet of Aus­tria for her deceased hus­band, Philbert of Savoy, a gor­geous medieval monastery and spectacularly-preserved his­toric specimen.

7.    Take a Resort Vacation at the Georges-Blanc Parc & Spa.  Don’t miss the gor­geous spa, with treat­ments by names like Carita, as well as the three pools. We’d sug­gest a leisurely meal at L’Ancienne Auberge, which serves the famed Bress Chicken, a dish invented by Blanc’s fam­ily. If you’re in the mood for some­thing truly spe­cial, book a table at the gas­tro­nomic restau­rant, a Miche­lin three-star experience.

8.    Experience one of the “Most Beau­ti­ful Vil­lages in France” in Yvoire, a small town along the banks of Lake Geneva. Stroll the cob­ble­stoned streets before feast­ing on a lunch of fried perch – a lake del­i­cacy – and pomme frites at the Hotel-Restaurant du Port.

9.    Sample the real Evian. Don’t miss a visit to Evian-les-Bains, home of the famed Evian water. This lake­side town is bustling with warmth and charm. Stroll along the lake­front, visit a local mar­ket, or play the famed golf course at the Evian Royal Resort, which also offers the Evian Spa Source.

10.  Visit Buddha Bar – the Spa. You’ve been to Buddha Bar, the restaurant. Now try the spa. The only spa by the famed chain, Buddha Bar spa is located in the Hilton Evian and offers treatments that mix Asian sensibility and relaxation.

Get­ting There

Fly direct to Paris from more than a dozen US gate­ways on Air France.  Serv­ing up some of the sky’s best ser­vice, you’ll enjoy tra­di­tional French fare and clean, updated planes, plus a vari­ety of con­nec­tions once you arrive at Charles de Gaulle. We’d highly rec­om­mend upgrad­ing to their Pre­mium Econ­omy (Pre­mium Voyageur) or Busi­ness (Affaires) class, as you’ll enjoy much bet­ter seat­ing, upgraded din­ing, fine French wines and cham­pagne as well as great Clar­ins amenity kits. To get to the Rhone-Alps region, you’ll con­nect in Paris to Lyon or take the train from the airport.

Don't miss this great video series from one of our travel companions, Travel Therapy's Karen Schaler.