Hautes-Alpes
- of the Alpine arc
- the world’s most beautiful outdoor spots
- France’s leading organic department
- pioneers in renewable energies
- olympic site in 2030
HEADLINES
Tour de France 2026
Media escape to Spain
In the run-up to the Grand Départ of the Tour de France 2026 in Barcelona, the Hautes-Alpes region is stepping up its media offensive on the Spanish market. The region is enjoying prime exposure in the columns of El Mundo Deportivo, a historic reference in the Iberian sports press and a must-read for cycling enthusiasts.
Founded in 1906, the Catalan daily has established itself as one of the most widely read sports titles in Spain, with a digital audience of several million readers every month. Through an article published on its specialized Solo Bici platform, the media company turns the spotlight on the Hautes-Alpes and the resort of Orcières, presented as an exceptional playground for cycling and mountain enthusiasts.
From mythical climbs to the great Alpine passes, via emblematic itineraries prized by cyclists the world over, the report highlights everything that makes up the region’s DNA: spectacular terrain, cycling culture and high-altitude landscapes. A strategic showcase just a few months away from the 2026 season, which is already shaping up to be a major event for international cycling.
This spotlight is part of a wider drive to promote international sports tourism, fueled by the enthusiasm surrounding the start of the Tour from Catalonia and the natural links between the Spanish public and the Southern Alps.
Wind in the sails
Southern Sailing League Cup
On June 6 and 7, Lake Serre-Ponçon will be decked out in multicolored sails. 450 riders from the major youth series and regional teams will meet for the final of the Coupe de la Ligue Sud.
Catamarans, dinghies, handivoiles… they’ll be taking the start of the regattas in 5 race zones.
Competitors will have to use their technical skills and tactics to master the thermal breeze modulated by the surrounding terrain.
Tour de France 2026
Hautes-Alpes, it’s signed!
The Tour de France and the Hautes-Alpes continue their shared history. Meeting today in Orcières Merlette, Christian PRUDHOMME, director of the Tour de France, Jean-Marie BERNARD, president of the Hautes-Alpes département, Patrick RICOU, president of the Agence de Développement, Fabrice BOREL, president of the Communauté de Communes du Champsaur Valgaudemar, Sébastien ROUIT, mayor of Orcières Merlette and Roger DIDIER, mayor of Gap, officially signed the partnership agreements for the 2026 edition.
A few weeks ahead of the Tour 2026’s passage through the département, from July 23 to 25, Christian PRUDHOMME hailed this rare loyalty between a territory and the event: “We’re coming because the Hautes-Alpes département deserves it. We’re coming because the history of the Tour de France, the myth of the Tour de France, the legend of the Tour de France have all been built here. We come because the scenery is exceptional.
- July 23, 2026 (18th stage) – Voiron-Orcières Merlette (185.5 km)
- July 24, 2026 (19th stage) – Gap-L’Alpe d’Huez (128.5 km via Col du Noyer)
- July 25, 2026 (20th stage) – Le Bourg d’Oisans-L’Alpe d’Huez (171.5 km via Le Galibier and Le Lautaret)
FAVORITES
Hiking ideas
When Saute Aure’s water dresses up minerals
9km and 321m of ascent, this is a hike accessible to all in the Dévoluy. Facing the fascinating Pic de Bure, the trail winds its way through mountain pastures and hutches.
And here it is! The Saute Aure waterfall. The lady is at her most beautiful in spring or after heavy rain.
Toustes Dehors (Finally)!
Street Arts Festival
From June 5 to 7, artists from all horizons and disciplines take over Gap’s parks, streets, squares and other open-air spaces.
From children to enlightened amateurs and the simply curious, there’s something for everyone to marvel at: performances inspired by freedom, poetry and creativity.
Reserved collars
Roads just for you
When the first light of morning caresses the peaks of the Hautes-Alpes, the giants of the road awaken to an almost unreal silence. No more engines, no more traffic: only the breath of cyclists and the sound of wheels biting the asphalt. Welcome to the Cols Réservés, an operation that over the years has become a veritable rendezvous for cycling enthusiasts.
For a few mornings, the legendary passes of the Alps are given over entirely to cycling enthusiasts. Galibier, Izoard, Agnel, Granon… names that resonate like legends in the history of cycling. On these roads, everyone can slip into the shoes of the heroes of the Tour de France and take on these monuments to cycling, in exceptional conditions, far from the din of the engines.
On May 30 and 31, 2026, cycling enthusiasts will have the opportunity to tackle two legendary climbs in the Hautes-Alpes: the Col du Noyer and the ascent to Orcières Merlette 1850. Two legendary routes, made famous by the Tour de France for their beauty and sporting standards, will be closed to motorized traffic for the occasion .
The Avant Tour Challenge follows the official route of the Tour de France 2026, offering an immersive experience before the professional riders pass through on July 23. The event is accessible on Strava.
The Tournée des Grands Cols: five days, five legendary passes to climb. The Guillestrois-Queyras, Hautes Vallées and Serre Chevalier tourist offices are offering cyclists the chance to take part in the Tournée des Grands Cols, from June 29 to July 3. On the program: five legendary passes(Agnel, Izoard, Granon, Galibier, Échelle) reserved in succession for cyclists. Each stage will be punctuated by local heritage events and tastings of local produce.
(FR)AGILES
Snow farming
conserving snow to prepare for winter
À Puy-Saint-Vincentsnow doesn’t disappear with spring. The resort relies on “snow farming”, an innovative technique involving the storage of almost 14,000 m³ of snow. At the end of the season, this snow is gathered into an impressive mound some 72 meters long, then covered with insulating materials such as sawdust and geotextile tarpaulins to limit melting throughout the summer.
The system is based on a patented technology developed by a Finnish company and already deployed in some sixty resorts around the world. Puy-Saint-Vincent is a pioneer, becoming the first French resort to adopt it.
In autumn, the preserved snow is redeployed on strategic slopes to secure and accelerate the opening of the ski area. This practical approach limits the need for artificial snow at the start of the season, while optimizing water resource management. A fine illustration of the innovative capacity of the Hautes-Alpes resorts in the face of climatic challenges.
Crossed perspectives
OLYMPIC GAMES 2030
On the sidelines of the latest working session of the Hautes-Alpes 2030 Executive Committee, figures from the world of sport and local elected representatives share their vision of the Olympic project and the legacy to be built.
As a reminder, the Hautes-Alpes 2030 Executive Committee, set up last June, brings together all the department’s driving forces and is organized around four operational committees: Sport, Access and Mobility, Development, Culture and Inclusion.
Objectives:
– circulating information
– coordinate initiatives
– complete projects
– mobilizing the people of the Alps
– making the Olympics a success and building a legacy
SCALES
Clarée ski tour
A gliding itinerary
In the heart of winter, discover the wild Clarée valley, its fauna, flora and magnificent landscapes. Along the way, mountain refuges welcome you for a warm and comforting break.
- Névache → Refuge Buffère
- Refuge Buffère → Refuge du Chardonnet
- Refuge du Chardonnet → Refuge Ricou
- Refuge Ricou → Refuge I Re Magi
- Refuge I Re Magi → Névache
Alpine Terroir Roadtrip
Five days to discover the flavours of the Alps
This roadtrip guides you from producer to producer, from the orchards of the Haute-Durance to the vineyards of the Avance valley, from the alpine pastures of the Dévoluy and the Queyrasto the bocages of Champsaur. In just a few days, you’ll discover all the richness of the Alpine terroir : meats, cured meats, market gardening, cheeses, fruits, wines, beers, liqueurs… on an itinerary through enchanting landscapes.
- Sisteron → Buëch Valley
- Buëch Valley → Dévoluy
- Dévoluy → Champsaur → Gapençais
- Gapençais → Avance Valley
- Avance Valley → Queyras
Lavanderaie des Hautes Baronnies
ICONIC
OLYMPIC GAMES 2030
In the French Alps, the Southern and Northern Alps have joined forces to create an unprecedented fresco for the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
At the heart of this alliance, the Hautes-Alpes set the stage for more than twenty freestyle skiing and snowboarding competitions. The venue is Serre Chevalierthe largest resort in the Southern Alps, and in Montgenèvrethe doyenne of French resorts, where riders will take to the skies, their trajectories intersecting against a backdrop of majestic peaks.
Briançonthe citadel of stone, will be the vibrant epicenter. Its Fort des Têtes, aUNESCO World Heritage Site, will be transformed into an Olympic village: a crossroads of cultures, a logistical hub, a forge of energy.
Beyond the light the Games will shed on the department, their legacy is immense. They will leave the Hautes-Alpes with concrete advances in terms of more fluid access and rethought mobility, particularly by rail. Olympism won’t just cross the mountains: it will take root there, making the Hautes-Alpes not just a theater, but the center of the world.
Nature sentinels
From the Écrins National Park to the Queyras and Baronnies Provençales Regional Nature Parks, nature reserves and biodiversity sanctuaries, the Hautes-Alpes is a sentinel of nature in an era of upheaval.
Parks as refuges
The Écrins National Park (925 km²), the Queyras Regional Nature Park (650 km²) and the Baronnies provençales Regional Nature Park (1,560 km²) form a protective belt around exceptional landscapes.
The breath of wild animals
Ibexes, chamois, bearded vultures, black grouse and the Ecrins trout are all part of a resilient yet fragile fauna.
The richness
of mountain flowers
The flora of the Hautes-Alpes is a journey between altitude and the Mediterranean.
Water,
shared treasure
In the Hautes-Alpes, following the river’s course means understanding the intimate link between people and their environment.
