The High Alps   The French Alps are located in the south east of France. They cover an area of 15,000 square miles in France, but are only a small part of a much larger mountain chain. The High Alps (Hautes Alps) is a region in the south east of the French Alps. Towards the south are the sunny Mediterranean beaches and the arid region of Provence. In the north are the wetter and more wooded mountains of Savoie. To the west lies the Rhône valley and the city of Lyon, in the east is the Italian frontier and the large city of Milan. The High Alps is composed of a series of very high mountain peaks and deeply eroded valleys. The area has a large number of isolated rural settlements, tourist resorts and a few market towns.