Ain: Hotels and Accommodation

Winter activities in the mountainous areas of Ain include cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding and ice skating on frozen lakes.

Booking a hotel in Ain is part of your travel planning.

Activities

The Haute Vallée de l’Ain offers fishing, swimming, climbing, free flight, canoeing and kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, rowing, horse riding, canyoning and caving.

The Gorges de l’Oignin are used for fishing, hiking, mountain biking and playing golf.

In the Monts Jura, summer activities include tobogganing, mountain biking, golf, paragliding and a giant zip line. Hiking is also possible in the Haute Chaîne du Jura nature reserve.

Nature

Ain has 40 designated Espaces Naturels Sensibles covering a total area of more than 15,500 hectares.

A tourist map and an annual activity calendar are maintained for the Espaces Naturels Sensibles of Ain.

Ain’s natural heritage includes lowland and mountain landscapes, wetlands, dry grasslands, high-altitude forests and caves.

The Espaces Naturels Sensibles area of the Gorges de l’Oignin covers 422 hectares. It contains a preserved mosaic of different habitats with exceptional biodiversity.

The Grotte et reculée de Corveissiat is designated as a classified site, belongs to Natura 2000 and is subject to biotope protection.

The Dombes comprises 1,100 ponds and has a diverse range of animal and plant life.

Ain’s hiking landscapes change with the seasons: they range from the wildflower meadows of the Plateau de Retord through the lakes of Haut-Bugey and the Bugey ridges to the winter landscapes of the Jura.

The protected area of the Haute Vallée de l’Ain includes the Cize-Bolozon viaduct, the loop of the Ain and several viewpoints, including the Belvédère des Roches and the Rochers de Jarbonnet.

Geographical Location

The Saône and the Rhône border Ain, while the River Ain crosses the département. These waterways offer routes for exploring by bike and on foot.

The northern section of the ViaRhôna is secured, has only gentle gradients and includes both protected sections and sections on shared roads.

Ain’s tourist offering includes mountain guides who accompany visitors along trails and help them identify animals and landscape features.

Culture

The Royal Monastery of Brou is a flamboyant Gothic building commissioned by Margaret of Austria in the 16th century in memory of her husband.

The Château des Allymes presents seven centuries of history linked to the conflicts between Dauphiné and Savoie.

At Fort l’Écluse, a via ferrata and an adventure course complement the visit to the cultural heritage site.

Cuisine

Bresse poultry is produced according to strict traditional breeding requirements; Bresse chickens are raised for 120 days.

The cuisine available to visitors in Ain includes Bresse poultry, quenelle with Nantua sauce, Galette de Pérouges, Comté, Bleu de Gex, Morbier and Bugey wines.

Places

More pages about places: Péron, Échallon, Chézery-Forens, Mijoux, Segny, Hauteville-Lompnes, Giron, Châtillon-En-Michaille, Versonnex, Chanay, Lélex, Ardon, Gex, Cormaranche-En-Bugey, Bellegarde-Sur-Valserine, Aranc, Divonne-Les-Bains, Thoiry, Saint-Genis-Pouilly, Échenevex, Crozet.

Back to the main travel overview: Rhône-Alpes.