At 82 million travelers a year, France is the most highly-visited country in the world.  The cultural and historical sites such as Versailles, Notre Dame and the Louvre are what most travelers are visiting, but France offers fantastic options for adventure sports.

A traveler seeking adventure in France gets much more than they expect.  The French Alps are located in the southeast corner of the country and contain Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the entire Alps Mountain Range.  Chamonix, at the base of Mont Blanc, is one of the adventure sports capitals of the world.  Skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, rock climbing, mountain climbing, rafting, paragliding, mountain biking and hiking are all options in Chamonix.  For the avid adventurer, try backcountry skiing or kite skiing, two activities for the extreme sports lover.  Besides Chamonix, other fantastic ski regions in France include Pores Du Soleil (shared with Switzerland), Trois Vallées and Val d'Isère.

Road biking, or cycling, is another adventure activity that is not only a passion, but an obsession in France.  The Tour de France is the largest cycling race in the world and many adventure trips follow routes taken during the race.  The Loire Valley, Provence, Burgandy, the French Pyrenees and the French Alps all offer fantastic road biking adventures.  Many bicycle tours stop in beautiful villages for wine tours and culinary delights; make sure to plan these into your vacation for a post-biking treat.

Other adventure options such as hiking, horseback riding and bungee jumping are available throughout France.  Horseback riding is especially popular in the Loire Valley and the Camargue, where you can ride through beaches and marshlands.  France also has a network of 37,000 miles of marked hiking trails called the Grande Randonnée.  Look for the G-5 or G-10 trails or travel to Provence, Languedoc, or the Cevennes Mountains for the perfect hiking adventure.

Water adventures in France are less well known but certainly still worth exploring.  Sailing in the English Channel and the Cote D’Azur is a worthy challenge for any nautically inclined traveler. Wreck diving and scuba diving in the area from St. Tropez to the Porquerolles lets divers discover unique flora and fauna.  Kayaking and rafting on the Ardèche River, canoeing on the Ill River and freshwater fishing in Brittany or the Midi-Pyranees will give an adventure traveler plenty to do.

When recovering after an adventure trip, try exploring the archeological finds in the Caves at Lascaux or the historical parts of Normandy.  These two locations will give you a unique finish to your trip.

Find an adventure trip in France below.