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An aerial view of the Swiss alpine resort of Crans-Montana
Image: Jean-Christophe Bott/KEYSTONE/picture alliance

Alps

The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe. They have become a popular tourist and holiday destination.

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All Content on this topic

Schweiz Matterhorn Alpinismus

150 years of Matterhorn

Following the ascent on July 14, 1865, the Matterhorn has became the epitome of mountaineering.
July 13, 201514 images
Watzmann

Enjoy nature in Berchtesgaden National Park

A tour between the Watzmann and Lake Königssee in Germany's only Alpine national park.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 11, 201505:13 min
Hans Stanggassinger

Three travel tips for Berchtesgaden

Discover Berchtesgaden: Three travel tips from a local resident.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 11, 201504:47 min

Adrenaline Rush in the Austrian Alps

Adrenaline junkies are flocking to what's been billed as the biggest adventure playground in Europe.
SportsJune 13, 201504:20 min
Deutschland Ostseestrand von Kühlungsborn in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Controversial - holiday homes a contentious subject

Experts speak of profits running into the millions, but resistance to holiday rentals is growing.
June 12, 2015
French prosecutor of Marseille Brice Robin (C) speaks as French Col. Francois Daoust (L), head of the criminal research Institute of the French Gendarmerie, and French Col. Simon-Pierre Delannoy, head of the research section of the The Air Transport Gendarmerie listen during a press conference on the March 2015 Germanwings plane crash, on June 11, 2015 in Paris.

Germanwings co-pilot feared losing his eyesight

Andreas Lubitz was afraid of losing his sight, and had seen more than 40 doctors in the years leading up to the crash.
June 11, 2015
US-Außenminister John Kerry hat sich bei einem Fahrrad-Unfall ein Bein gebrochen und liegt in einem Genfer Krankenhaus (Foto: EPA)

Broken leg cuts short Kerry's Europe trip

US Secretary of State John Kerry will head home on Monday for treatment after breaking his leg in a cycling accident.
June 1, 2015
Filsenberg near Mössingen, Source: imago

Rambling fun on Germany's Swabian Alps

A landslide that has become a tourist attraction.
April 23, 2015
Frankreich Absturzstelle Airbus Germanwings Trümmer Bergungsmannschaften

Germanwings wreckage salvage completed

The operation to recover debris of the Germanwings plane in the French Alps has ended, according to police.
April 20, 2015
Germanwings memorial service

Germanwings memorial: 'You are not alone'

"Love is stronger than death," the congregation heard at Cologne's remembrance service for the Germanwings tragedy.
April 17, 2015
Germanwings / Absturz / Wrackteil

Germanwings crash: chronology of events

Four weeks after 150 people died aboard 4U9525, many questions remain. Our chronology sums up the facts.
April 17, 2015
Lufthansa logo

Lufthansa 'not required' to inform about Lubitz's depression

Lufthansa denies it withheld information about the mental health of Germanwings copilot Andreas Lubitz.
April 6, 2015
Helper examining debris from the crash. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Alps crash was deliberate: investigators

Investigators say data from the second black box of a crashed Germanwings plane confirms that the crash was intentional.
April 3, 2015
Frankreich Absturzstelle Airbus Germanwings Trümmer Bergungsmannschaften

Second Germanwings black box found

French prosecutors have confirmed that the second black box from the Germanwings flight 4U9525 has been found.
April 2, 2015
Dorfansicht - Seyne les Alpes

France: A village offers its help

The village of Seyne-les-Alpes is located not far from Germanwings crash site in the French Alps where 150 people died. Local residents are offering accommodation for recovery workers and families of the victims. It’s a show of solidarity in the face of tragedy.
SocietyApril 1, 201504:29 min
Germanwings Airbus 320

Germanwings insurer sets aside $300 million

Insurers for Lufthansa have set aside $300 million as compensation for the Germanwings air crash.
March 31, 2015
Frankreich Germanwings Absturz Bergungsarbeiten

Road to Germanwings crash site

Bad weather is hampering efforts to search through the wreckage of the crashed Germanwings aeroplane in the French Alps.
March 30, 2015
Germanwings / Absturz / Wrackteil

'Outrageous' comments in Alps crash coverage

Calls for restraint in the media coverage of this week's fatal Germanwings crash are becoming louder.
March 29, 2015

Mourners gather near Germanwings crash site

Hundreds have gathered in Digne-les-Bains to honor the victims of Tuesday's Germanwings disaster.
March 28, 2015
Deutschland Trauergottesdienst in Haltern

Lufthansa offers aid to victims' families

Lufthansa, the parent company of Germanwings, has offered victims' families up to 50,000 euros in immediate aid
March 27, 2015

Remains found at crash site

French police have found roughly 400 pieces of human remains in the French Alps where the Germanwings flight crashed.
March 27, 2015
Frankreich Seyne les Alpes Absturz Germanwings A320

Families head to crash site

Relatives and friends of the Germanwings crash victims are heading to the crash site in France.
March 26, 2015
Frankreich Absturz Germanwings A320 (Bildergalerie)

Reports: Germanwings recording baffling

Puzzling information has been reported by news agencies about cockpit recordings from the crashed Germanwings flight.
March 26, 2015
Frankreich Seyne les Alpes Absturz Germanwings A320 Merkel Hollande Rajoy

Leaders stand united over aircrash

Merkel, Hollande and Rajoy have paid tribute to everyone involved in the Germanwings rescue operation.
March 25, 2015
Workers at the Germanwings crash scene

Family to begin arriving at crash site

The residents of the mountain village where many rescue teams are operating awaits the arrival of victims' families.
March 25, 2015
Germanwings Airbus A320 Black-box

+++ Germanwings disaster: live updates +++

The black box from the Germanwings plane that crashed in the French Alps has been found damaged.
March 25, 2015
Frankreich Seyne-les-Alpe Germanwings Absturzstelle Trümmer

Germanwings plane crashes in France, killing 150

An aircraft operated by the budget airline Germanwings has crashed in the French Alps, killing all 150 people on board.
March 24, 2015
Germanwings Airbus 320

+++ Live: Germanwings crash in Alps +++

A passenger jet crashes in French Alps en route to Düsseldorf. There is no initial word on survivors.
March 24, 2015
snowdrop flowers in the sun (Copyright: Ralf Hirschberger/dpa)

Spring Comes to Germany

Weather forecasters have promised blue skies, sunshine and mild weather for the coming week-end.
March 6, 2015
ski touring

The Bavarian Pre-Alps - Ski Touring at Its Finest

Ski touring in the mountains is a fascinating way to experience nature. The combination of ascents over constantly changing terrain and beautiful descents down the slopes attracts more fans every year.
CultureFebruary 28, 201503:22 min
Onlinebilder euromaxx

Snow hiking in Bavarian Alps

Sunlight and deep, powdery snow: perfect conditions for a snowshoe hike through Bavaria's Karwendel mountains!
LifestyleFebruary 13, 201503:09 min
Deutschland Hornerschlittenrennen in Bad Hindelang

Downhill thrills in Bavaria

Some 70 teams face off in Bad Hindenlang's 16th international horned sled competition on Sunday.
February 6, 2015
Snowy landscape in Oberstdorf, Bavaria, Copyright: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa

Hello snow!

Germany's slopes are covered with fresh snow - fantastic conditions for skiers and snowboarders.
February 5, 2015
Schweiz - Lawine am Piz Vilan

Series of avalanches kills skiers in the Alps

Several people have died after being buried in the snow in Switzerland and Austria.
February 1, 2015

Capturing great Alpine photos

Sports and outdoor photographer Peter Mathis gets the best shot at high altitudes.
CultureJanuary 29, 201504:00 min
DW euromaxx 26.01.15 Gipfelstürmer Koch

Peak performers

Find out what it's like to cook gourmet meals at high altitude - in the French Alps
CultureJanuary 27, 201504:41 min

Freeriding in the Alps

Kitzbühel in Austria is at the center of off piste skiing.
SportsJanuary 18, 201500:00 min

Traveling in the Swiss Alps

Who thinks of Switzerland automatically thinks of the Alps and the most spectacular impressions of the mountains can be seen in the Canton of Valais. There are 47 peaks at an altitude of over 4,000 meters in the region including Switzerland’s highest mountain the Monte Rosa.
CultureJanuary 4, 201504:23 min
Traffic bound for French Alpine ski resorts moves slowly along the highway in the direction of Moûtiers from Albertville early on December 28, 2014 .

Snowstorm causes traffic delays in France

Thousands of travelers have been forced to seek emergency shelter in France as a snowstorm hit a popular ski region during the holiday season. Authorities have urged drivers to delay their trips if possible.
December 28, 2014
Österreich Wirtschaft Banken Filiale der Hypo Group Alpe Adria in Kärnten

Austrian bank failure report

An investigation into Austria’s biggest banking scandal has criticized bankers and governments. Taxpayers, who've footed the bill, will find little comfort in the independent report, as Kerry Skyring reports from Vienna.
December 2, 2014
Still Beitrag Stilvoll durch die Alpen

Scenic ride through the Alps

The Bavarian Alps! The perfect backdrop for a magisterial convertible. In 1956, BMW brought out its most expensive car till then. Michael Pritschow has owned his 503 Cabriolet for 16 years now, and he's still thrilled by it.
Cars and TransportationOctober 15, 201406:30 min
Austrian rescue workers treat a cave researcher rescued in the Austrian Alps

Cave researcher rescued

A Polish researcher has been rescued after becoming trapped inside a cave in the Austrian Alps. It comes two months after a major operation to save a man who spent almost two weeks stuck in Germany's deepest cave system.
August 16, 2014
Tour de France Ral Majka 14. Etappe Sieger

Majka wins Tour de France stage

Polish rider Rafal Majka has won the 14th stage of the Tour de France, a rare piece of good news for his Tinkoff team. In the hunt for the yellow jersey, life's getting a little lonely for leader Vincenzo Nibali.
July 19, 2014
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Alpine adventure

Adrenaline junkies flock to what's billed as the biggest adventure playground in Europe. Here's why.
CultureMay 10, 201404:23 min
Luxus-Resorts

Switzerland: Will Luxury Tourism destroy the Alps?

An Egyptian investor plans to open the largest ski resort in the Alps in the sleepy town of Andermatt.
BusinessApril 2, 201406:38 min
A picture of a grey wolf in a German zoo.

Wolves in France

Is France's wolf population out of control? John Laurenson reports from the French Alps.
March 28, 201404:52 min
Mountaintops peek through cloubds in the Graubünden region in Switzerland Photo: Andrea Badrutt

New life for old language

The Romansh language of Switzerland may be threatened, but its literary scene is buzzing.
March 14, 2014
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Life in the Alps

Martin Eigentler gave up his old way of life to live in the mountains of Austria with his pack of husky dogs. It is the largest in Europe. He competes in husky races and teaches dog sledding.
LifestyleMarch 4, 201403:48 min
Zwei Tote bei Zugunglück in den französischen Alpen

French tourist train derails

Two people have been killed on a French train line popular among tourists. The "Train of the Pines," which runs from Nice to Digne-les-Bain, was apparently struck by a falling boulder and pushed off the rails.
February 8, 2014
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Riding Through the Alps on the Bernina Express

We go on a picturesque train ride through part of the Swiss Alps on the Bernina Express. It's the highest rail route there is over the Alps and is more than a century old. The trip starts from the Swiss city of Chur and goes all the way to the Italian town of Tirano, conditions permitting.
LifestyleFebruary 2, 201404:36 min