Living water
Untamed strength
In the Hautes-Alpes, water isn’t just a resource: it’s a force. It rushes, roars and splashes. It forges valleys and characters. White water is a promise of raw sensations, a pulse that pulses to the rhythm of the rapids.
Our rivers,
our grounds for expression
The Durance, southeastern France’s main vein, alternates power and gentleness. The Guil, a wild, legendary torrent. The Gyronde, the Guisane, the Gyr… Each river is a line, each rapid a note, each descent a score written by instinct. The kayaker composes with the mountain, and the amateur discovers an untamed, authentic and vibrant nature.
L’Argentière-La-Bessée whitewater stadium
At the foot of the Écrins mountains, on the Durance River, the Argentière-La-Bessée whitewater stadium is an institution. It’s here, with its recently installed launch ramp, that champions train, French teams are forged, and the finest pages of French kayaking are written. A canalized river, tamed to better unleash the intensity of the sport. The sound of the water becomes music, and each passage under the gates is a moment suspended between technique and daring.
Activities
whitewater
Rafting for the whole family, kayaking for beginners, hydrospeed to challenge the current, canyoning to explore the bowels of the rock. Whatever your level, whatever your age: here, water welcomes everyone. It’s the burst of laughter after a wave, the look of daring in a child’s eyes, the pride of crossing a rapid. Whitewater in the Hautes-Alpes is a memory that stays with you.
This river is a character, with its rages and its loves.
Whitewater highlights
L’Argentière-La-Bessée
The rafters of the Durance
The Radeliers de la Durance association perpetuates the memory of these men who guided huge wooden rafts, assembled in the forests of the Hautes-Alpes, down the river to Provence. Every summer, the reconstructed boats ply the waters of the Durance.
Serre Chevalier
Carton race
Yes, yes. Armed with tape, paint and stainless steel optimism, participants tinker with their cardboard boats before taking to the water in the rapids of the Guisane. The Carton Race is where resourcefulness meets imagination, where creativity is measured by buoyancy.
L’Argentière-La-Bessée
BFK Family
The BFK (Briançon Family Kayak) invites you to a river gathering like no other: demanding, free and festive. How does it work? No times, no rankings, just a taste for paddling, from class III minimum to V/VI+ for the most adventurous. A variety of routes on emblematic rivers: Onde, Gyr, Clarée, Guisane, Durance, Guil…
See also
Experiences
Boating
