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Outdoor sports paradise
Grab your hiking boots because the Ain is a rambler’s paradise! The terrain is incredibly diverse with flat marshland giving way to high mountains and fertile agricultural plains. All types of sport are readily available - from the extreme, such as sky diving, to the relaxing, such as golf. The department, located in the north of the Rhône-Alps, was created in 1790 out of land originally belonging to Burgundy. The north-eastern tip of the Ain forms part of the French/Swiss border.
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Bourg-en-Bresse - chickens galore!
Bourg-en-Bresse is the capital of Ain, located 32km east of Mâcon. If you happen to be eating chicken in a French restaurant or overtaking a lorry on one of the country's roads then there’s a chance that they both came from this town. Chickens far outnumber humans on the flat plains that surround the town while Peugeot make their lorries here.
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The village of Brou
The village of Brou, in the suburbs of Bourg-en-Bresse has made a name for itself owing to its early 16th century chapel. The chapel was commissioned by Margaret of Austria and intended as a mausoleum for herself and her husband.
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Vineyards in the west
The west of the department is the place to be if you want to try the produce from the local vineyards. The border with the Rhône department is marked by acres of vines, planted around small picturesque villages. Amongst the best villages to seek out are Chiroubles, Fleurie and Julienas.
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Getting there by air
There’s a lot of choice when it comes to flying to Ain. British Airways flies to Lyon Airport from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester. Air France has services from Heathrow to Lyon Airport. Both airlines also fly to Geneva airport just over the Swiss border. There are also a whole host of budget airlines flying to the Alps. Ryanair flies to Chambery, Lyon and Geneva from Stansted and EasyJet flies to Geneva from Manchester, Gatwick and Liverpool. BMI Baby, Virgin Express and Aer Lingus also all fly into Geneva from the UK.
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... and by train
If taking to the skies is not for you then there is an easy alternative. The TGV service will take you all the way to Lyon or Grenoble from the Channel Tunnel (changing at Paris) in comfort and speed.
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What about Ain property prices and availability?
Property prices rise the closer you get to the larger towns. The west of the department is ideally positioned between Mâcon and Lyon, while the very east borders Geneva.
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