Ain
Ain is a French department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Eastern France.
Named after the Ain river, it is bordered by the Saône and Rhône rivers. Ain is on the country's eastern edge, on the Swiss border, where it borders the cantons of Geneva and Vaud. In 2023 it had a population of 679,344.
Getting to Ain
See the Lyon article for more information on getting to the main city in the region. Lyon's Saint-Exupéry Airport LYS IATA, some 25 km east of Lyon, hosts few intercontinental flights (Dubai, North Africa), but can easily be reached via a European hub (Paris, London, Frankfurt). Air France serves most airports in France and major European airports.
Worth seeing
Espace Pierres Folles in St-Jean-des-Vignes, south of Villefranche-sur-Saône, is a geological and viticultural museum and botanic garden. La Maison Des Beaujolais, 441 Avenue de l'Europe, Saint-Jean-d'Ardières. Wine tasting and restaurant. €7.90 for 1-hour tasting. See detailed article on Lyon.
Things to do
Hiking The Rhône offers a multitude of opportunities for hiking, walking, cycling, mountain biking and horse riding. Beaujolais: circuits in the heart of the vineyards, through the villages of the region of the Golden stones or on the hills of the Monts du Beaujolais, including: the circuit peaks : golf 40 km through the Beaujolais wine the Green Route : footpath of 11 km of Belleville-sur-Saône in Beaujeu,…
Where to eat
Lyon has been described as the world capital of gastronomy. There are many authentic "bouchons" (typical Lyonnais restaurants).
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.