Sited between the Monts du Chat and La Chambotte, the Lac du Bourget (the largest natural lake in France) is home to the fish and crayfish which were the staple product on which the region was developed.

To the east of the lake, Aix-les-Bains has a little pleasure port and a long beach. It has been known, from ancient times, for its thermal sulphur and alum springs which were frequented by Henry IV and Lamartine.

Further to the south, between the massifs of Les Bauges and La Chartreuse, Chambéry, the ancestral home of the House of Savoie, has a fine historical heritage including the old town (St-François-de-Sales Cathedral, the castle), place St-Léger and the Museum of Fine Art.