Walking Tours
Where to go in Switzerland,Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Slovenia

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Countries:
If the mountains are just one aspect of a bigger tour of Europe you will probably find yourself hiking in from one particular country, otherwise pick an area based on language ability, food preferences and budget, remembering that there is a lot of cultural overlap in the region.

France [Provence-Alpes, Rhone-Alpes, Franch-Comte, Alsace] - the western part of the Western Alps, running along the border with Italy from Mediterranean warmth in the south and climbing to some of the most dramatic and highest parts of the range around Mont Blanc in the north.
The French range is nearest to the Pyrenees if you want to do two walking tours back-to-back, and the French Riviera is a stone's throw away.
Get there via Nice or Lyons in France or Geneva, Switzerland.
Language: French.
Food: Excellent, varied.
Costs: Middling.
Also see: France Travel Hiking

Italy [Valle d' Aosta, Piemonte, Lombardia, Trentino Alto Adige, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulla] - the eastern side of the Western range running along with France but claiming the tallest peak at Mont Blanc, then continuing to the borders with Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia, with the Dolomites being of particular unique interest in this area.
The Italian mountains generally get the best weather of the range as they border the Mediterranean climate.
Get there via Venice or Milan in Italy.
Language: Italian, German.
Food: Good, lotsa pasta.
Costs: Low.

Germany [Baden-Wurttemberg, Bavaria] - the country runs only a little into the Alps so before you know it you could be walking in Austria or Switzerland.
Get there via Munich in Germany.
Language: German, but many speak good English.
Food: Heavily into meat and potatoes.
Costs: High.

Austria, picture top right [Vorarlberg, Tirol, Salzburger Land, Osttirol, Karnten, Steiermark, Oberosterreich] - renowned for their splendid beauty with the Alps here lower and broader with more greenery in general than other sections, which is more to some hikers tastes.
Get there via Innsbruck, Salzburg, Graz, Linz, Klagenfurt or Vienna in Austria or Ljubljana in Slovenia.
Language: German, but many speak good English.
Food: Heavily into meat and potatoes.
Costs: High.
Also see: Austria Travel Guide

Slovenia - not usually the first country to be associated with the Alps, and a politically problematic past, nevertheless it has some of the best scenery in the range, meeting Italy in the west and Austria in the north.
Get there via Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.
Language: Sign language [for you]
Food: Mediocre
Costs: Low

Geographical Regions:
Other than political divisions, the range itself has three distinct geographical divisions.

Western - running from the Mediterranean Sea northwards to the Great St. Bernard Pass in Switzerland and following the border between Italy and France the region includes the Maritime, Dauphine, Savoy, Cottian, Ligurian and Graian sections.
The most mountainous part of the whole range is the Mont Blanc massif.

Central - almost entirely within Switzerland including the Bernese, Pennine, Lepontine, and Rhaetian sections.
Generally high, steep and with narrow valleys.

Eastern - east of Switzerland and popping out of Germany and Austria as well as Slovenia.
It includes the Bavarian, Noric, Carnic, Hohe Taurn, Niedere Tauern, Radstadter Tauern, Salzburg, Zillertal, Northern Tyrol, Dolomite, Julian, Kamnik-Savinja and Karawanken sections.
These mountains are generally lower and broader than the western and central regions.

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Also, see New Zealand, Canada, and UK walking pages.