RV Rental Chambéry, ARA

Just outside of Grenoble is Parc National des Ecrins. Named for its Ecrins massif, this is one of France’s best known and most loved national parks. Pure mountain lakes, massive glaciers, and glacier-etched, evergreen-studded valleys are a few of the vistas you can take in from over 400 miles (700 kilometers) of trails. The village of La Grave, within the park, is often considered the most beautiful village in France. Around the park are endless recreation opportunities, including skiing, mountain biking, and dogsledding. Keep in mind that there are no sizeable towns within the park, so plan accordingly.

Also not far from Chambéry is Vanoise National Park. Vanoise is a beautiful place to hike. Hikes range in length from short, child-friendly walks to weeks-long treks. The Via Alpina and the GR 5 both wind through Vanoise. You can summit peaks, cross burbling blue streams, and gaze up at snow-capped mountains from the hundreds of miles of trails. The park even offers a web portal where visitors can plan their hiking adventures. Note that the trails are only passable in the summer and early fall due to the alpine weather. A few other sports available are climbing, horseback riding, and canoeing, as well as, of course, alpine and cross-country skiing. Because Vanoise is dedicated to preserving the environment and the culture, it’s home to several interesting museums and exhibitions.

Just down the highway from Chambéry and Lyon is Parc Naturel Regional de la Chartreuse. This huge natural park truly has everything. Here, you can roam over 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) of trails on foot, snowshoe, horseback, or bike. You can enjoy caving, climbing, paragliding, and skiing from within. This park is ideal for winter sports enthusiasts and runners. Like the other natural parks of France, people still live and work here. That means it’s a great place to explore local food, wines, and markets. You may also spot golden eagles, lynxes, or other rare creatures.

Several other natural parks are near Chambéry, including Parc Naturel Régional Haut-Jura near Mâcon, Parc Naturel Regional du Pilat near Saint-Étienne, and Parc Naturel Régional du Queyras and Parc National du Mercantour near Nice. Just across the Italian border is Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso. No matter which one you're heading for, Chambéry is the perfect place to find a luxury RV rental in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and start your journey.

The town is surrounded by popular outdoor destinations, so you’ll find plenty of places to park your camper rental near Chambéry. Campgrounds are concentrated around Lac d’Aiguebellette outside of Chambéry. Bellevue Camping is an RV-friendly campground on the lake that offers access to all kinds of water sports.

If you're visiting Park Naturel Regional de Chartreuse, Camping Ourson may be a good campground to consider. It has a foot in both worlds – it’s within the park and near RV rentals in Chambéry. It’s a smaller campground with a family feel, but it has all the standard amenities and more. Campsites have water and electricity as well as picnic tables. You’ll also have access to many outdoor activities from here.

If you’re bringing your RV rental from Chambéry to Parc Naturel Regional du Massif des Bauges, you may like L’Île du Chéran. It’s inside the park but easily accessible from Chambéry. The campground offers sites with electricity and water, a drainage point, and three accessible, child-friendly shower houses. It’s on a lake, so you can swim, tan on the beach, and even fish. Other fun activities include basketball, beach volleyball, and tennis courts. It’s a good choice for families because it offers playgrounds and trampolines too.

Don’t forget to fill up your motorhome rental in Chambéry. There are over a dozen gas stations in the city; most are along the highways. If you're headed for a park, consider filling up before you go. Most of the parks are surrounded by gas stations but don’t have many within.

Chambéry is a great place to rent an RV and springboard into the surrounding natural wonder. But there's also plenty worth seeing in the city. This town is at least 1,000 years old, and many of its medieval buildings remain. Chambéry and the surrounding area didn’t become part of France until 1792. Before that, they were part of the Duchy of Savoy for 500 years. This history gives the region much of its charm and culture.

You may enjoy strolling through the streets of Ville Ancienne, the medieval quarter. Peek into secluded courtyards, sneak down narrow alleyways, and gaze up at the colorful, centuries-old buildings. There are plenty of cafés along the way — pop in and enjoy a traditional snack.

One sight worth seeing on your stroll is the Fontaine des Éléphants. It’s a huge, elaborate fountain with, you guessed it, elephants, built in honor of one of Chambéry’s benefactors. The four elephants are marching out of the fountain, which is why they’re nicknamed “les quatre sans culs” (the four buttless ones).

While you’re visiting the old town, you can check out Château des Ducs de Savoie. This grand and imposing building was the home of the Dukes of Savoy for hundreds of years before this region was annexed by France. Parts of this building are almost a millennium old.