To the North lies the flat marshlands of the Dombes and the rich agricultural Bresse plain.
Here, too, are the world famous Beaujolais vineyards which, along with the Côtes du Rhône, make the region such an important wine producer.
The French Alps are among the most popular year-round resort areas in the world, with internationally renowned ski stations such as Chamonix, Megève and Courchevel, and historic cities like Chambery, capital of the Savoie before it joined France.
Elegant spa towns line the shore of Lac Leman (Lake Geneva).
Grenoble, a bustling university and high-tech centre, is flanked by two of the most spectacular nature reserve in France, the Chartreuse and the Vercors.
To the South, orchards and fields of sunflowers give way to brilliant rows of lavender interspersed with vineyards and olive groves. Châteaux and ancient towns dot the landscape.
Mountains and pretty, old-fashioned spa towns characterize the rugged Ardèche, and the deeply scoured gorges along the river Ardèche offer some of the wildest scenery in France.