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Czechia has the most per capital Ukrainian refugees with temporary protection status in the whole of the European Union, the Czech Ministry of the Interior said on Thursday, citing Eurostat. Temporary protection visas give the refugees access to health insurance, education and the labour market.
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The Czech minister of foreign affairs, Jan Lipavský, says Russia must withdraw unconditionally from the whole of Ukraine. In an address to the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday, Mr. Lipavský said Russia’s aggression, which has now been going on for a year, had caused unimaginable suffering both in Ukraine and elsewhere.
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In 2021, the housing share of disposable income in the EU was on average 19%, while for people at risk of poverty, it was 38%, show the most recent findings of the European Statistical Office Eurostat. People at risk of poverty are defined by Eurostat as “those living below the poverty threshold set at 60% of the national median disposable income.”
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A total of 71 percent of respondents of the February public opinion poll expect Petr Pavel to be a better head of state than current president Milos Zeman. Pavel receives a positive evaluation also from one-third of supporters of his unsuccessful rival in the presidential runoff vote Andrej Babis, the senior opposition ANO head and former PM.
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President of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met Czech Republic’s Prime Minister Petr Fiala in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. They talked about co-operation in various fields that will serve the interests of both countries.
Prague Morning is the new media partner for the Prague Lions as they enter the 2023 European League of Football (ELF) and Czech American Football League seasons.
We will be your English-language news source to keep you up to date with what is going on with Prague’s newcomer to the European scene of American football!
The Prague Lions are the reigning Czech champions, having defeated the previous champions Vysočina Gladiators in the final last July. It was the sixth championship for the Prague Lions in the top-level Czech American Football League.
Starting this season, the Prague Lions will play in the European League of Football (ELF). In September at the ELF Final in Klagenfurt, Prague was announced as the new franchise location. ELF is a professional European league in American football.
The league, founded in November 2020, started its first season on June 19, 2021. The Prague Lions start the European project when the new season starts on June 4th with a home game against the Leipzig Kings.
Our new cooperation expands our sports portfolio with an attractive regional sports club and at the same time opens up a greater reach for the Prague Lions within the Expat community in Prague.
In addition to advance and game reports, we will provide you with further background information and interviews. You can also look forward to competitions with attractive prizes.
Data provided by the Czech National Tourist Board reveals that a total of 19.5 million tourists visited the Czech Republic last year, thus marking an increase of 71 per cent compared to 2021.
In spite of such an increase, the number of tourists is still 12 per cent less than before the pandemic.
Compared to 2019, the Czech Republic welcomed nine per cent more domestic tourists in 2022. At the same time, amongst the number of travellers that the country hosted 12.1 or 62.2 per cent of Czech were female tourists, and 7.3 million or 37.8 per cent were foreign visitors. Aside from Czechs, the largest number of tourists consisted of Germans, Slovaks and Poles.
In this regard, the director of the Czech National Tourist Board Jan Herget said that as far as internal tourism is concerned, it was led by local tourists, where last year 12,109,732 of them traveled around the country, which means nine per cent more than 2019.
“Last year, Germans, Slovaks and Poles visited us the most. However, tourists from Asia were still missing. We are working on long-distance direct flight connections with Asia, the first “swallow” means the resumption of direct flights Prague – Seoul from March 27, 2023,” he also added.
Data show that in 2022, Germany sent 1.8 million tourists to Czechia, followed by Slovakia with 780,000 and Poland with 615,000.
In addition, the fourth greatest tourist market was the United States of America, with 372,000 tourists, followed by Great Britain, with 316,000 visitors.
Based on data from the Czech National Tourist Board, the cities most visited by tourists last year were Prague and the region of South Moravia. The same source said that last year was successful for Prague after more than ten years since, during these years, it has also held first place in terms of population.
Further data shows that foreign tourists chose to visit the Karlovy Vary region, while domestic tourists were more interested in the Hradec Králové region.
At the beginning of this year, in order to promote inbound tourism in countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Germany, Poland, Austria, Spain and Sweden, an online campaign was launched with the theme of ski holidays, winter cities and Valentine’s Day.
Moreover, a campaign for the local market has been launched, which should encourage visitors to visit the health resorts in the mountains.
The Czech Republic has disclosed the amount and type of military aid provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
The assistance includes tanks, light armored vehicles, artillery, and ammunition.
According to the Czech government, military aid provided to Ukraine totals 10 billion Czech crowns, with an additional 30 billion crowns worth of arms and equipment transferred from the Czech defense industry. This marks the first time the government has reported in such detail on the amount of military aid given to Kyiv, including cooperation between the state and private companies.
“The first delivery we organized took place 14 days after the invasion began, and in this way, we showed others that it is possible and that this is the right way,” stated Fiala, a Czech politician.
The list of military aid provided to Ukraine includes 89 tanks, 226 other armored vehicles, and 38 howitzers. About a third of this weaponry came from the country’s military stockpiles. In addition, six air defense systems and four helicopters were handed over to Ukraine.
The Czech defense industry also supplied Ukraine’s Defense Forces with 33 multiple rocket launchers (MLRS), and half a million units of ammunition, including 60,000 missiles for MLRS.
The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic decided to reveal information about Czech aid to Ukraine as the first anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion approaches, as it is now possible from a security point of view.
On Wednesday, Fiala attended a meeting with US President Joe Biden and representatives of the Bucharest Nine, a group of NATO countries from Central and Eastern Europe, in Warsaw.
As previously reported, the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic reported that the total amount of weapons transferred from the warehouses of the Czech Armed Forces and exported by Czech arms manufacturers amounts to over 54.8 billion Czech crowns.
Do you live in Prague or are you a frequent visitor? Are you looking for new places to visit outside Prague’s bustling locations?
Here are our tips on hidden gems around Prague for you to discover when you are in the mood for some peace and quiet.
Vestecký rybník
This beautiful pond is located on the outskirts of Prague, Jesenice to be precise. The pond’s quiet surroundings are beautifully landscaped, with wooden walkways for you to cross the pond. This pond is recommended if you are looking for a calm location, and don’t be afraid to come here with children or pets.
Prosecké skály
The natural monument of Prosecké skály is located in Prague 9. It’s a beautiful place for walking, and you will find two viewpoints that provide an amazing panoramic view of Prague. An educational trail from Vysočany, through Prosek to Střížkov leads through the Prosecké skály, which we highly recommend if you want to learn something new and interesting.
Gabriel Loci
In Prague’s Smíchov, next to the Kinsky garden, you can find a former religious house, the monastery of St. Gabriel. This is an amazing building that few people know about. It is a cultural monument that feels grand; some would say it makes you feel like you’re in Harry Potter. The surroundings of the monastery are open to the public and events are regularly organized on the inside.
Čihadla
Are you looking for a slightly more challenging walk? Go to Klánovice’s nature park. The area is about 970 hectares, which is quite a lot of space for walking. Here you will find a flooded sand pit, Martiňák pond, Kyjský and Velký počernický ponds and severalother bodies of water.
Doubravka observation tower
The observation tower in Prague in Černý most was built relatively recently, in 2018 to be exact. The observation tower is built in a modern style, with 98 steps leading up the 20 meter height. An interesting fact is that this observation tower is located in the aforementioned Čihadla park. It won the National Award for Architecture in 2019.
Hradiště Děvín
Do you like peace, nature and views? Then Hradiště Děvín is the place for you. Go to Zlíchov and climb up on the left side of the Vltava river. The place is located at an altitude of 310 meters. The view is breathtaking. If you want some peace and calm, you will surely find your place here.
Monastery on Bílá Hora
You probably know Bílá Hora, located in Prague 6. But did you know that there is a beautiful pilgrimage site with the Church of Our Lady Victorious? It is built in Baroque style. Take a walk in the pilgrim’s garden and go on a guided tour. It is definitely worth a visit, and perfect for all seasons.
Czech housing transactions dropped by 50% last year to a 10-year low, as soaring inflation, high-interest rates and the war in Ukraine scared buyers, data from the Czech Banking Association (CBA) and Dataligence showed on Wednesday.
Dataligence CEO Milan Rocek said demand culminated in late 2021, with the market short of apartments on offer, but the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 brought an abrupt change.
“Higher energy prices, a sharp rise in inflation, that all changed people’s mood,” he said. “This was multiplied by the growth of mortgage interest rates. The real estate market practically froze in the second half because of that.”
The number of new mortgages fell to a 20-year low last year while the volume was the lowest in a decade, the survey said.
New mortgage volumes for the full year, excluding refinancing, dropped by 57%, CBA had reported earlier, as official interest rates soared to 7% last year from 0.25% the year before.
The CBA has reported an 82% year-on-year drop in new mortgages in December alone.
Despite the drop in volumes, prices gained as supply continued to be tight.
Prices of older apartments reached a peak around mid-2022 but still showed a 3.4% year-on-year rise in the fourth quarter, the survey said.
Newly-built units recorded an 11% year-on-year increase in the fourth quarter, with prices in the capital Prague reaching CZK 151,643, per square metre.
Czech house prices grew at the fastest rate in the European Union over the past three years, the survey said, up by 54% over the period, versus 24% in the EU as a whole.
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The Regional Development Ministry is planning to release 1.6 billion crowns for the construction of new rental apartments, a move aiming to address the social housing shortage, the ctk news agency reported. The program will be open to municipalities, associations, charities and legal entities.
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Many Czech theatres, including the Prague National Theatre (ND), will join the support for Ukraine on Thursday, day before the first anniversary of the start Russian invasion of Ukraine, thus meeting the appeal of the Czech Professional theatre association (APD), ND spokesman Tomas Stanek told CTK today.
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Data provided by the Czech National Tourist Board reveals that a total of 19.5 million tourists visited the Czech Republic last year, thus marking an increase of 71 per cent compared to 2021. In spite of such an increase, the number of tourists is still 12 per cent less than before the pandemic.
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Czechia’s annual Muriel Awards for best comic book of the year went to a comic diary by the respected Czech comic author Lucie Lomová. The book, called Každý den je nový or Every Day Starts Anew, also won the prize of the Czech Academy of Comics. I discussed the book with the academy’s director Pavel Kořínek:
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The head of Czechia’s Military Police, Otakar Foltýn, has requested to be relieved of his position by the end of February, Defence Minister Jana Černochová told news site Ekonomiky denik on Tuesday. She has asked the Committee on Defence of the Chamber of Deputies to meet as soon as possible and discuss the decision.
Fresh from his visit to Ukraine, US President Joe Biden will rally NATO’s eastern allies in Poland on Wednesday (22 February), a group of countries in which most – but not all – are strong supporters of military aid to Ukraine.
Biden used the trip to rally support for Ukraine as the war enters its second year, with no end in sight, and it came on the same day as a speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin in which he accused the West of seeking Russia’s destruction and dangled the threat of nuclear war.
Before returning to Washington on Wednesday, Biden will meet leaders of the Bucharest Nine, the countries on NATO’s eastern flank, to reaffirm support for their security.
The ‘Bucharest Nine’ (B9) was founded on 4 November 2015 in Bucharest, at the initiative of the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis and the President of Poland Andrzej Duda during a bilateral meeting between them. It gathers the Presidents of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
All joined the Western military alliance after being dominated by Moscow during the Cold War, and most, with the notable exceptions of Hungary and Bulgaria, are now among the strongest supporters of military aid to Ukraine.
While Hungarian strongman Viktor Orbán openly opposes military aid to Ukraine, Bulgaria has been hardening its anti-war position under its president Rumen Radev, who controls a caretaker government appointed by him.
On Tuesday, Biden disputed Putin’s assessment that the West was a threat to Russia, but vowed again to defend “every inch” of NATO territory if it was attacked.
While Biden was in Kyiv on Monday, the US State Department announced more support for Ukraine comprising $450 million of artillery ammunition, anti-armour systems and air defence radars, and $10 million for energy infrastructure.
Putin, meanwhile, in his long-awaited address, defended his decision to go to war and vowed to prevail. He also hailed Russia’s nuclear arsenal, announced the suspension of the New START arms control treaty with the United States, declared new strategic systems had been put on combat duty, and warned that Moscow could resume nuclear tests.
Leaders in Prague 5 are seeking to collaborate with neighboring municipalities and the town hall to address the drug problem in Smíchov.
The town hall is advocating for equal distribution of drug addiction services across the metropolitan area, while simultaneously increasing patrols in problem areas and strengthening cooperation with police and officers.
A new field worker has been hired, and officials are now searching for suitable locations for ambulances providing services to drug addicts. Mayor Jaroslav Pašmik and Deputy Mayor Monika Shaw Salajová held a press conference to discuss the issue.
“Drugs are one of the major problems that we must address. Unfortunately, when individuals seek to buy drugs in Prague, they often go to Anděl. While we can solve the situation in the short term, we cannot do so in the long term. We must work together with the municipality and the mayors of neighboring districts to find a solution,” stated Pašmik.
In addition to the Anděl intersection, the mayor identified Plzeňská, Husovy sady, and Skalka neighborhoods as problematic areas. The issue of drug addicts injecting drugs and leaving syringes on the ground is also a concern.
One potential solution, according to the town hall, is the creation of centers for drug addicts in other parts of Prague. A network of addiction services is proposed in the municipality’s drug policy concept.
“We are in touch with non-profit organizations that deal with drug-related issues, but there is no city-wide system. Currently, the burden is primarily on Prague 5,” said Shaw Salajová.
Another issue is that the Progressive Center in Prague 5 closed at the end of last year. However, Mayor Pašmik stated that the addicts have merely relocated. “They moved from Mahenova Street to Brožíkova Street, nothing has changed, the problem has not disappeared,” he explained.
Prague 5 has increased patrols in problematic areas in recent months, hiring its own security guards and negotiating with city and state police.
The town hall funds a mobile center for drug addicts in an ambulance that operates on Wednesdays and Fridays. “That didn’t work out, so now we are identifying new locations for it,” said Pašmik. The town hall is not currently pursuing the creation of a new permanent center but will focus on promoting outreach work.
Both Prague 1 and Prague 5 have long voiced concerns about the high concentration of drug addicts and homeless people in their areas.
Czech crowdfunding initiative Gift for Putin (Dárek pro Putina) started a campaign to collect money for a mobile rocket launcher and 365 rockets to help Ukraine prepare for the spring counteroffensive.
The campaign has already collected CZK 2 million in donations just hours after its start.
“You sent CZK 2 million in four hours from the start of the collection for Přemysl. No previous collection had such a massive start. Thank you very much. Every koruna helps kick those murderous scoundrels in the backside,” the fundraising organizers said on Twitter.
The money is newly being collected by the Gift for Putin group, which will pass it to the Ukrainian embassy after the whole required sum is collected.
In the past, a tank and an air defence system were bought within the Gift for Putin campaign launched by entrepreneur Dalibor Dedek last May and held under the aegis of the Defence Ministry.
Za 4 hodiny od spuštění sbírky na Přemysla (raketomet RM-70) jste poslali 2 000 000 korun.😍 Žádná předchozí sbírka neměla takhle masivní začátek… 👏Moc děkujeme. 🫡 Každá koruna pomáhá, těm …… lůmpům vrahounskejm nakopat ….. pozadí. 🇨🇿❤️🇺🇦 https://t.co/RyCyPqJczC pic.twitter.com/HAqtj32hmB
— Dárek pro Putina (@DarPutinovi) February 20, 2023
According to the Ukrainian embassy in Prague, the “Gift for Putin” campaign has raised millions of dollars for the wider weapons-purchase program. Donors can specify what they put their money towards – whether tanks, ammunition, or drones.
The guarantor of the project is the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic.
How ‘Gift for Putin’ came about
After the full-scale invasion of Russia, the Ukrainian embassy in the Czech Republic created a special account for donations for the purchase of weapons for the Armed Forces. At the beginning of April, after seeing footage of the crimes committed by the Russian occupiers in Buch, one of the richest Czech businessmen, Ivo Lukačovych, donated 100 million Czech crowns.
Another Czech businessman, Dalibor Dedek, co-owner of Jablotron, contributed the second largest amount – 50 million crowns. A total of 977 million crowns from 115,000 donors were transferred to the embassy’s special account.
When donations began to decrease, Dedek called one of the promoters of the campaign, Martin Ondracek. ‘He knew that I was working on an initiative to support the elderly in the Czech Republic, and offered to invent something to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine,’ recalls Ondracek.
The idea of a virtual online store ‘A gift for Putin’ came to Ondracek’s mind. ‘I was angry and wanted to call it ‘Bullet for Putin’ at first. But I consulted with friends from the field of marketing, and we decided that there should be an element of humor,’ recalls Martin.
How the virtual store works
- A person chooses a product that he wants to “buy”. Virtual javelins, rifle cartridges, combat first aid kits are in the highest demand, Ondracek says.
- You can donate any amount.
- Obviously, the buyer does not receive the selected product. But after donating at least 1,968 crowns, the volunteers offer a T-shirt with the illustrative inscription “Fuck You Putin” as a bonus.
All collected funds go directly to the account of the Ukrainian embassy and are used under the auspices of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic to purchase equipment for the Ukrainian army.
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Czech people collected the first two million crowns for a Premysl rocket launcher in the record-short time of four hours yesterday, which is the quickest start of a Czech public campaign of raising money to buy weapons for the Ukrainian military, the Gift for Putin project’s co-author Martin Ondracek has told CTK.
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War in Europe is not impossible and there will not be enough time to react unless Czechia prepares for it in the long-term also during peacetime, the Chief of the Czech Army’s General Staff Karel Řehka said at a meeting of commanders at the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday, adding that membership in NATO is the best possible deterrent that lowers the possibility of such threats occurring in the first place.
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President-elect and former high-ranking army and NATO official Petr Pavel has been definitively acknowledged the winner of the presidential election as the Supreme Administrative Court (NSS) decided on all election complaints, the court announced in a press release today.
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The regional governor of Moravia-Silesia, Ivo Vondrák, has left the ANO party’s club in the Chamber of Deputies, the head of the grouping, Alena Schillerová, announced at a press conference on Tuesday. The vote was unanimous.
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A special paper for Ukrainian refugees, issued by the National Institute of Mental Health (NUDZ), that is to help with their psychological support will be available online on the website www.nudz.cz as of Thursday, NUDZ spokesman Jan Cervenka told journalists today. The readers can also find the paper in assistance centres, branches of state institutions and other organisations working with refugees
The French Alps – Introduction
With several majestic mountains, verdant forests, and crystal-clear lakes, the French Alps are one of the best holiday locations in France for those who enjoy being in nature. Europe’s largest mountain chain has a surface area of 35,000 square kilometers, extending just about 1000 km.
Being a part of the larger Alps mountain range, the French Alps span seven nations—Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, and France — stretching 700 miles or 1,200 kilometers from Nice to Vienna.
The French Alps are popular among travelers for their breathtaking natural splendor and alpine lakes. The major alpine lakes in the region are Lac d’Annecy, Lake Geneva, and Lac du Bourget. These lakes are popular tourist destinations all year round due to their beauty and abundance of water sports opportunities.
Image Resource: unsplash.com
In the French Alps, some of the most popular resort towns are St. Gervais, Chamonix, Grenoble, Albertville, and Annecy. Mont Blanc, the Alps’ tallest mountain at 4808 meters, is also an attraction here.
There are several airlines offering flights to the French Alps. You can find Air France Airlines offering flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Paris on leading travel websites, which help you check the best deals for an AirFrance booking in First Class, La Premiere, Business Class, or Economy Class. These sites help you find low airfares and make one-touch bookings to Paris from the UAE.
Best Time to Visit the French Alps
The best time for a tour of Mont Blanc is between June and September. However, attractive and desirable places are mostly visited by tourists in July and August. September is ideal because the trails are vacant and the weather is still warm. The mountain huts are open from June to September, when the majority of Mont Blanc summit tours take place.
Temperatures during this period range from 5 to 15 degrees Celsius on higher passes, 15 to 25 degrees Celsius in the valleys, and -20 degrees Celsius at the peak. The Alps often have a white covering from December to March, but temperatures can drop below -10 degrees centigrade.
Popular Destinations Within the French Alps
Some of the best places to visit in the French Alps are the cities situated between beautiful lakes and magnificent mountains. The nature around is stunningly beautiful, as is the architecture of the cities.
- Scenic Annecy Town
The largest city in France’s Haute-Savoie is Annecy. It has been dubbed the “Pearl of the French Alps.” Beautiful Annecy is a lakeside city with stunning vistas and a quaint ancient town.
- Saint-Gervais-Mont- Blanc, a Thermal Park Village
Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc is a popular place to go on vacation since the early 1900s. It is in the French Alps, in the Haute-Savoie region. This picturesque mountain village is easily accessible in both winter and summer from Annecy and Chamonix.
- Grenoble City
The city of Grenoble is near the magnificent French Alps in southeast France. Despite having a rich and lengthy history, Grenoble is now known as the “city of sports.” The city is split into two distinct sections. The oldest part is found between the snow-capped mountains and the river.
Today, this city is teeming with activity and is unquestionably one to visit. Grenoble is a city of sport as well as culture and art, owing to its vibrant cultural life.
Outdoor Activities in the French Alps
1. Hiking and Trekking
When it comes to a lengthy Alpine journey, the Haute Route is one that any serious walker should have on their bucket list. It is a traditional long-distance hike that calls for a lot of effort and determination. Throughout this trek, you will encounter glaciers and cold temperatures.
Several of France’s most stunning Alpine pathways will be available for you to walk. These are the locations that provide the body and spirit with true delight. In the summer, you can go on a hike to explore the national parks because the scenery is so beautiful and lush.
2. Mountain Climbing
Some mountaineering locations in the French Alps are Mont Blanc, Chamonix, La Meije, and Ecrins. In these beautiful mountaineering areas, you can go on an amazing mountain climbing expedition led by trained guides to see the most amazing peaks.
3. Winter Sports (Skiing and Snowboarding)
Image Resource: unsplash.com
There are numerous world-class resorts located throughout the French Alps that are renowned throughout the world for skiing and snowboarding. As snowboarding has become more popular over the years, resorts and ski towns are making changes so that both skiers and snowboarders can enjoy their time there.
Cultural experiences in the French Alps
The French Alps have a plethora of historical and cultural treasures. The culture is intricately linked to farming practiced by the people in villages for centuries.
- Exploring the local villages
You can find some of the world’s loveliest villages in the French Alps. These historic towns are hidden from typical tourist attractions and hence, you can enjoy calmness, peace, and beauty there. Some of them to mention are:
- Route du Galibier
The location is ideal for those searching for the best panoramic views possible because it provides the most magnificent panoramas imaginable. The place looks very attractive during summer.
- Megève
Image Resource: unsplash.com
This authentic village is one of the oldest in the French Alps and it offers stunningly beautiful views. It has cobblestone streets, a major plaza with a historic French church, and the appearance of a typical mountain village.
- Thonon-les-Bains
It is believed to be the best spa destination, especially in the summer, and its main draw is a 17th-century chateau that offers magnificent panoramic views.
Tasting the traditional cuisine
The Savoie region of the French Alps is where some of the most well-known meals referred to as Alpine Cuisine originate! These Savoie specialties are a must-try while visiting the French Alps.
Tartiflette – Tartiflette is a delicious gratinated potato dish that is one of the most well-known meals from the Alps.
Image Resource: en.wikipedia.org
Croziflette – A classic French meal called Gratin de Crozets is cooked with a mixture of lardons, onions, chicken stock, crème fraîche, and shredded cheese like Gruyere.
Fondue Savoyarde – One of the most well-known dishes is fondue savoyarde, which is cooked using a mixture of melted cheeses—typically Beaufort, Gruyére, Comté, and Emmental.
Accommodation options in the French Alps
You need first-rate lodging that will give you comfort and rest if you want your trip to the French Alps to be ideal and complete. Here are some best hotels to try with:
- Hôtel Vauban Briançon Serre Chevalier
- Western Plus Excelsior Chamonix Hôtel
- Mercure Chamonix Centre
- Le Chamoniard Volant
- Allobroges Park Hôtel
Conclusion
It is time that you should pack your bags, do your Air France booking in advance for the best deals, book your accommodation and carry the best ski equipment to visit the French Alps, which is waiting for you.