Hautes-Alpes

The Hautes-Alpes Development Agency is opening the doors to its own offices, located in an iconic building in the “gentle capital”: the former Grand Hôtel Lombard.

To learn more about Heritage Days tours in the Hautes-Alpes, click on the following link.

On the initiative of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Regional Tourism Committee and all of its partners in the Hautes-Alpes, the Hautes-Alpes, and the Alpes-Maritimes, these two workshops have established themselves over the years as must-attend events for media relations in the Southern Alps.

They provide a unique opportunity for direct interaction with key players in the mountain industry and allow journalists to get a sneak peek at the new offerings, investments, experiences, and major events of the upcoming season.

The Serres Lez’arts association is offering a program rich in artistic discoveries: 23 artists, 23 exhibition venues, 3 new works, performances, concerts, meet-and-greets, and workshops.

Viewing art as an essential element for seeing the world around us in a different light, the association devotes all its energy to promoting artistic practices and supporting artists, developing art and culture in rural areas, making contemporary art accessible to everyone, and promoting artistic research.

https://www.serreslezarts.fr/

Today, it has also become an event showcasing crafts and local and regional products. In the afternoon, there will be a guided tour of the village led by the Friends of Lagrand’s Heritage, along with a trip back in time featuring bread baked in the village’s communal oven.

The Lagrand Turkey Fair marks the start of the fall fair and market season in the Hautes-Alpes. It’s the perfect way to immerse yourself in this new season as it unfolds before us, with its unique colors, scents, and crispness.

Clinging to the cliffs of the Aiguillette du Lauzet, between the Col du Lautaret and Le Monêtier-les-Bains, this via ferrata offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views in the Hautes-Alpes. As you make your way along the ledges and vertical sections, the rocky landscape—reminiscent of the Dolomites—opens up to reveal the peaks and glaciers of the Écrins massif.

Rated PD (Not Very Difficult), the via ferrata does not present any major technical challenges, but its scale makes it a true mountain hike: 900 m of elevation gain and 6 to 7 hours total, including the approach hike and return. The equipped route itself takes about 2 to 3 hours and has no escape route.

At the summit, at an elevation of 2,611 meters, the view is well worth the effort: the Agneaux, the Barre des Écrins, and the Ailefroide come into view on the horizon. To extend the experience, the return trip can take you over the Col de l’Aiguillette and through the Alpe du Lauzet valley, with the Cerces and the Grand Galibier as a backdrop.

Starting point: Pont de l’Alpe, on the D1091
Recommended period: late June through late September
Difficulty level: PD (Slightly Difficult); good physical condition recommended

A Balance at High Altitudes in the Face of Climate Challenges

In the mountains, water seems to be everywhere, flowing from the Écrins glaciers down to the Drac River. Yet in the Hautes-Alpes, this shared resource faces growing vulnerability. Between winters with less snow and summers marked by drought, water is becoming, more than ever, a scarce and coveted resource.

To raise awareness among residents, visitors, and professionals, the Champsaur Valgaudemar Tourist Office has produced two original documentaries that help provide a better understanding of how water is used and shared throughout its region.

Multiple uses for a single resource: arboriculture, livestock farming, tourism, energy production, or simply household consumption—the valley lives in step with its users

These videos give a voice to local stakeholders to illustrate the vital importance of dialogue and collaboration. Sharing water is no longer just a matter of technology or regulations; it is a human endeavor that requires striking a delicate balance between economic activity, local life, and respect for the environment.

Regional Agility in Action

Given the fragility of this ecosystem, the Champsaur-Valgaudemar region exemplifies the adaptability demonstrated by the Hautes-Alpes: moderating consumption, modernizing irrigation systems, adapting agricultural practices, and collective environmental responsibility.

Preserving water at its source means preserving the valley’s future. These two projects remind us that, both individually and collectively, moderation and thoughtful sharing remain our best safeguards for ensuring that water continues to sustain our mountains.

In Sigoyer, Guillaume Yvetot (Le Chai Perché) seeks out the cool climate of vineyards located at altitudes of more than 1,000 meters to preserve the balance of his wines.

In Jarjayes, Éric Guiramand is contributing to this trend by planting pistachio trees—a diversification strategy designed to secure the future of his farm.

All of these initiatives demonstrate that the future of winegrowing in the Hautes-Alpes depends on preserving well-suited grape varieties, innovating in cultivation practices, and diversifying production in a thoughtful manner.

Between Trièves, Dévoluy, and Matheysine, the Tour de l’Obiou is a challenging 4-day hiking route certified as a GRP®. More than just a hike, this wild and diverse trail invites hikers to immerse themselves authentically in the heart of unspoiled nature, while placing respect for the environment at the top of its priorities.

• Pellafol → Bachilianne Chalet
• Chalet de Bachilianne → Tréminis
• Tréminis → Lachaup
• Lachaup → Pellafol

More than just a hike, it’s an immersion into the soul of the Hautes-Alpes—a 13-day trek that combines natural grandeur, mountain heritage, a quest for adventure, and some 194 km.

• Le Bourg d’Oisans → Col de Souchet
• La Grave → Le Monêtier-les-Bains
• Eychauda Pass → Pré de la Chaumette
• The Valgaudemar Crossing
• Valjouffrey → Lauvitel

Since 1922, the Tour de France has visited the Hautes-Alpes 91 times, making this Alpine region ” one of the most visited of the Grande Boucle “. The names of the legendary cols resonate like an echo: Izoard, Granon, Galibier…

In 2026, the Tour returns to the Hautes-Alpes with a first high-Alpine stage on July 23 between Voiron and Orcières-Merlette (185.5 km), a second stage on July 24 between Gap and Alpe d’Huez, via the Col du Noyer, and on July 25 with a “crazy” finale between Le Bourg d’Oisans and Alpe d’Huez (171.5 km) via the Col du Galibier, the “Roof of the Tour” for 2026, and the Col du Lautaret, the day before the finish on the Champs-Élysées.

The Women’s Tour de France will also be part of the festivities, with one stage in the Sisteronais-Buëch region.

Find all the information about the 2026 Tour de France ‘s route through the Hautes-Alpes here:

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 spotlight the Games have shone on the Hautes-Alpes, the legacy is immense. They will leave the Hautes-Alpes with tangible improvements, including smoother access and a reimagined transportation system, particularly by rail. The Olympic spirit will not merely pass through the mountains—it will take root there, making the Hautes-Alpes not just a stage, but the center of the world.