Editing Rhone-Alpes

{{France}}
{{State
    |name       =Rhône-Alpes
    |country    =France      
    |group      =198
    |wikipedia  =Rhône-Alpes
    |wikivoyage =Rhône-Alpes
    |hitch      =Rhône-Alpes
    |image      =Rhône-Alpes map.JPG
    |imagetext  =
    }}

[[File:Rhonesalpes.jpg|800px|center|]]

== Map of the Region ==
[[File:Cartera.gif|500px|center]]

== The Main CS Cities of the Region ==

=== Lyon ===
[[File:Pente Croix Rousse.JPG|thumbs|250px|right|Pentes de la Croix Rousse]]
[http://couchwiki.org/en/Lyon Lyon] is the capital of the region Rhône-Alpes , the préfecture of the Rhône département, with a total population of about 1,8 million (city + suburbs). It's the second biggest city in France (when including the suburbs) after Paris. Lyon is a major centre of business and has a big student population. Situated between Paris and Marseille, the city is perfectly located 2 hours from the French Alps ski resorts and 3 hours from the Mediterranean sea. Lyon is also well known as the French capital of gastronomy and has a significant role in the history of cinema. For more general information about Lyon, you can check out the Lyon Wikipedia page [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon].
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=== Grenoble ===

[[File:Grenoble2008.jpg|thumbs|250px|left|Bulles de la Bastille]]

[[Grenoble]] is surrounded by mountains. This is the the préfecture of the Isère département, witch 560,222 inhabitants at the 2007 estimate. This is a big student's city.
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=== Chambéry ===
[[File:ChamberyElephant.JPG|thumbs|250px|right|Fontaine des éléphants]] 
[http://couchwiki.org/en/Chambery Chambéry]is a middle town, the préfecture of the département of Savoie. The metropolitan area has more than 125,000 inhabitants.
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=== Saint-Etienne ===


[[File:Cathédrale Saint-Charles.jpg|thumbs|250px|left|Cathédrale Saint Charles]]

[http://couchwiki.org/en/Saint-Etienne Saint-Etienne] is a city of about 180 000 inhabitants 45 minutes from Lyon by train and we love to pretend there is a war-like atmosphere between the two cities. This is the préfecture of the département Loire.
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=== Annecy ===
[[File:Annecy1.jpg|thumbs|250px|right|Annecy]]

[http://couchwiki.org/en/Annecy Annecy]is the préfecture of the département Haute-Savoie.
Close to Geneva, Lyon and Grenoble, the town is located between its lake and mountains.
Annecy has a preserved medieval old town often known as the Venice of Alps. It's a quiet and peacefull city with 52000 inhabitants during most of the year (140 000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area). However, in summer and winter, population is growing a lot because of the tourism. 
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=== Valence ===
[[File:kiosquevalence.jpg|thumbs|250px|left|Valence]]

[http://couchwiki.org/en/Valence Valence] is the préfecture of the département Drôme, situated on the left bank of the Rhône, 65 miles south of Lyon on the railway to Marseille.
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=== Aix-les-Bains ===

[[File:Aix-les-bains.jpg|thumbs|250px|right|Aix-les-bains]]

[http://couchwiki.org/en/Aix-les-Bains Aix-les-Bains]
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== How to get there ? ==

=== Getting to The Rhône-Alps - By Road ===
There are a lot of motorways in Rhône-Alpes, so it's quite easy to come by car.

=== Getting to The Rhône-Alps - By rail ===
Main train stations in Rhône-Alpes, with TGV (High speed train) 
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Lyon Part Dieu,
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Lyon Perrache, 
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Lyon Saint Exupéry airport,
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Saint Etienne, 
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Chambéry, 
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Annecy, 
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Grenoble, 
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Valence TGV, 
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Montélimar, 
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All info, schedules and bookings on [http://www.voyages-sncf.com/ voyage SNCF]

=== Getting to The Rhône-Alps - By air ===

- Lyon-Saint-Exupéry international airport (25 km from Lyon ) : [http://www.lyon.aeroport.fr/]

- Geneva Cointrin international airport (in Switzerland) : [http://www.gva.ch]

- Grenoble airport (35 km from Grenoble and 80 km from Lyon). The closest option to LES 2 ALPES and ALPES D'HUEZ ski resorts 
[http://www.grenoble-airport.com] 

- Chambéry airport (10 km from Chambéry) The closest option to Savoy world's top ski resorts (3 VALLEYS, ESPACE KILLY, etc.)
[http://www.chambery-airport.com]

=== Getting to The Rhône-Alps - By bus ===

Main cities are served by coach : [http://www.eurolines.fr/ Eurolines]

== Couch Surfing in the Region ==
Look at the groups to see what are the differents CS activities : 
[http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=198 Rhône-Alpes group]

[http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=2796 Grenoble's group]

[http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=8991 Chambéry and Aix-les-Bains's group]

[http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=1432 Annecy's group]

[http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=472 Lyon's group]

[http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=8712 Saint-Etienne's group]

[http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=13274 Valence, Drôme Ardèche group]


=== The CS Activity in the Region ===

If you don't want to miss a CS meetings in Rhône-Alpes, check at the [http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=calendarrh%40gmail.com&ctz=Europe/Paris&pvttk=d06e52c072dcd350bb240e11c3b9edda CS Calendar]!

====<FONT COLOR="#333399">'''Family Welcome'''</FONT>====
[[File:FrenchFamily2.JPG|thumb|250px|left|[http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=16134 Click here to join the French Family's Group]]]
[[File:Rhone Alpes2.JPG|thumb|250px|right|[http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=111108041083507430561.000455631b07e074b6178&ll=45.494796,5.284424&spn=2.248735,5.822754&z=8 Click here to see the map]]]

[[File:Children Welcome.jpg|70px]] In the region, there is a very nice, active and developped CS Families network. If you travel with your children, if you would like to be hosted by a family, if you are searching for a host who accept a family, meeting other families making to your children more different cultural friendship, you are welcome to join the [http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=16134 French Family's group] !

A tool exists to localise easily where you can find the CS families' in the region, please check the [http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=111108041083507430561.000455631b07e074b6178&ll=76.016094,3.515625&spn=147.966727,360&z=1 Family Welcome Map of the area].
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[[File:CS Rural Map Rhone Alpes.JPG|thumb|250px|right|[http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=p&msa=0&msid=113144055528929546446.0004605cd5254b0b0620c&ll=45.321254,5.625&spn=3.537983,9.887695&z=7 Click here to see the Map]]]
==== Rural Couchsurfing ====
[[File:RCSIcon2.gif]] In Rhône-Alpes you have the chance to have the possibility to couchsurf a bit everywhere, even in the countryside !
[http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=p&msa=0&msid=113144055528929546446.0004605cd5254b0b0620c&ll=45.321254,5.625&spn=3.537983,9.887695&z=7 Check the map of the Rural CSers in Rhône-Alpes], you can find them easilier on this way ! There is also a [http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=15039 CS group called "Rural CS France"] where you can talk with all Rural CSers in France.

But not all Rural CSers appears on the map or are members of the group "Rural CS France". To find the others, join [http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=198 the Regional CS group of Rhône-Alpes] !

=== Regional Contacts on CS ===

== What to visit in the Region ==

== Regional Media Mentions ==

[[File:Article CS Zoom d'Ici 29 Juillet 2011 St Etienne.png|thumb|700px|center|Zoom d'Ici, Local Webmedia, July 29th 2011]]

== Links ==
Rhône-Alpes tourist informations in many languages : [http://www.rhonealpes-tourisme.fr/ Informations]

[[Category:France]]
[[hitch:Rhone-Alpes]]