More than a website, a manifesto
A step aside, three key ideas
- A focus on current events…
- Original cross navigation…
- A unique digital platform…
One ambition
The Hautes-Alpes Development Agency launches its new digital portal.
Much more than just a website, hautes-alpes.net is a manifesto for a mountain region in the throes of change.
“[…] Stories are powerful levers of emotion and mobilization.”
Greetings from the business world
Here, like nowhere else, the business community is united in its greetings. Hundreds of entrepreneurs and elected representatives gathered in Gap on January 8, 2026 to share a moment of conviviality.
The evening’s theme: Corporate Social Responsibility. On this occasion, some twenty representatives of consular chambers, federations, trade unions and professional bodies in the Hautes-Alpes signed a CSR Charter, under the watchful eye of the Prefect.
A mobilization and a commitment based on a humanist and ecological conscience and an attachment to a territory, with the 2030 Winter Olympics in its sights.
All white
The snowfalls at the start of the year are most welcome, magnifying the Hautes-Alpes and delighting skiers and our economy.
Snow depths in Hautes-Alpes resorts, by massif, mid-January 2026:
Briançonnais: 40-130 cm
Champsaur: 30-90 cm
Dévoluy: 25-60 cm
Embrunais: 35-90 cm
Guillestrois-Queyras: 30-85 cm
Pays des Écrins: 50-140 cm
Delicate as silk
Maison Soyeuse
Opening of a new intimate 4* hotel and restaurant in Briançon.
In the heart of Briançon’s Cité Vauban, a new chapter has begun for the former Aristide Albert library, built in 1883. In December 2025, its walls, steeped in history, opened a new chapter: Maison Soyeuse, an intimate 4* hotel by The Social Club.
Behind the facades, architect Nathalie d’Artigues has designed a refined refuge, blending Alpine warmth with timeless elegance. Just ten rooms, including two suites, for a hushed, almost confidential atmosphere.
The restaurant (70 covers) celebrates the seasons and local produce, while the Le Boudoir wellness area promises massages and saunas. A vibrant tribute to the drapers of yesteryear, this place combines heritage and modernity.
Distillerie Saint-Véran
Boldness and mountain traditions
Combining tradition, innovation and respect for the terroir, Distillerie Saint-Véran, located in the hamlet of La Chalp in Saint-Véran, Europe’s highest commune, raises the profile of Queyras and the Hautes-Alpes in the world of spirits.
Around two copper stills, carefully mastered by Claire and Laurent Démarets, Alpine herbs and flowers, potatoes from the local valleys and hand-picked plants deliver all their aromas.
Specialties include Signature Vodka, a Gold Medal winner at the prestigious “Spirits Selection” by CMB competition in 2025, a worldwide benchmark for spirits competitions, and Alpine Herbal Gin, with its unique freshness and intensity.
La Muande
Orcières Merlette 1850 gets a makeover
The Orcières Merlette 1850 ski resort is equipped with a new-generation detachable 6-seater chairlift. The lift, named La Muande, is a technological colossus capable of propelling 3,000 skiers an hour to the heights, covering 650 m of vertical drop in just six minutes.
Gone are the three existing lifts, replaced by a streamlined, economical line that is more respectful of the landscape.
At the summit, the ski area opens up: the Camille Ricou piste, FIS-approved and a training ground for champions, the Vallons blue run remodeled for flowing pleasure, and a series of blue runs from the summit to the snow front.
The whole face of the resort is changing: a covered conveyor belt for beginners, pylons reduced from 56 to 17, and a panoramic terrace to take a breather facing the Champsaur.
A visionary and exemplary project that combines comfort, top-level sport and respect for the mountains.
