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
Summer season launch
The Southern Alps join forces to launch the 2026 summer season
Today, the Hautes-Alpes, alongside the Alpes du Sud collective, kicked off their summer season in the heart of the capital. Organized on the initiative of the Comité Régional du Tourisme Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and the Agence de Développement des Hautes-Alpes, this workshop brought together representatives of the resorts and territories of the three southern Alpine départements (Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes).
Some thirty journalists from the national press, including So Press, L’Express, Les Echos, Le Parisien and L’Equipe, accepted the invitation. Each of them had the opportunity to exchange views with tourism professionals and discover the latest news and highlights that will mark the 2026 summer season.
An increasingly attractive destination
The signs are green for the coming season, after a positive winter in the massif. Since 2015, the Southern Alps have been steadily gaining in attractiveness over the spring-summer-autumn period.
“The customer base in the Southern Alps is changing: younger (36% under 25), more international (25% foreign visitors), more loyal (91% repeaters) and increasingly active outdoors (79% of holidaymakers take part in outdoor activities),” explains Yvan Chaix, Director of the Hautes-Alpes Development Agency.
“Mountaineering, climbing, white-water rafting and cycling are becoming increasingly popular. The Hautes-Alpes is now meeting the expectations of a new generation of holidaymakers. 45% of the 23 million tourist overnight stays expected in the Hautes-Alpes by 2026 will be in summer, and 15% in spring and autumn, compared with 40% in winter.”
A highlight for the regions
This Paris event marks a strategic milestone for destinations in the Southern Alps, as they prepare for a season rich in sporting, cultural and outdoor events. It’s a way for the tourism industry to highlight the diversity and quality of the experiences on offer, in an unspoilt environment conducive to disconnection and adventure.
From farm to farm
Vive le terroir!
On April 25 and 26, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., farmers and producers will be offering free educational tours, as well as demonstrations, workshops, tastings and, in some cases, small-scale catering.
It’s a unique opportunity to discover the world of farming from the inside, to learn about the trades and the diversity of authentic flavors carefully cultivated and produced by Haute-Alpes producers.
Theme week
Care, support and early childhood professions
The 4ᵉ edition of the Semaine des Métiers du Soin, de l’Accompagnement et de la Petite Enfance was held from April 7 to 10, 2026 in Briançon, Embrun, Gap, Veynes and Laragne.
Through immersive workshops, meetings with professionals and students, conferences and job dating, participants were able to obtain information, exchange ideas and project themselves into these professions at the heart of service to others.
CSR
Committed companies.
François-Xavier and Bertrand Ranvier, company managers at Tourtons du Champsaur, share their thoughts on CSR and present concrete actions around three key issues: economic performance, quality of life in the workplace and the environment.
This video is the first in a series that will showcase the involvement of local companies in the Hautes-Alpes CSR initiative.
FAVORITES
Little Champions Trophy
Hautes-Alpes welcomes young field hockey players from all over Europe
For the 34th edition, the Trophée Bauer des Petits Champions, Europe’s biggest minor field hockey gathering, will be held from April 17 to 19, 2026.
For 3 days, the Briançon, Gap and Orcières Merlette 1850 will bring together over 400 field hockey players from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Belgium and, of course, France.
The 3-on-3 format on a third of the rink encourages action and technical play. In the face of such a spectacle, don’t hesitate to pass through the doors of the Hautes-Alpes rinks to witness Europe’s biggest gathering of minor field hockey.
Le Grand Béal
100% natural ski mountaineering
At the end of each winter season, the Grand Béal offers a wild race in an exceptional mountain environment.
See you on April 5 at Arvieux in the Queyras!
For its 34th edition, a new course has been added to the program: Course D, for Discovery. It is open to all holders of a daily discovery license, and does not require a medical certificate. This new course’s low gradient will not prevent it from being convivial and festive.
The traditional routes are still the order of the day:
the C, a panoramic, safe route for occasional skiers
the B, more technical and alpine
the A, in pairs, longer and more technical with maneuvers and crampons.
After the effort, the comfort: at the end of the races, meals composed of local products are offered to the participants. A great way to extend the conviviality of the field, thanks in particular to our highly motivated teams of volunteers.
(FR)AGILES
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
Réallon wins Green Snowflake award
The resort of Réallon has been awarded the Flocon Vert (1st level) by the Mountain Riders association, which recognizes mountain destinations committed to ecological transition. Nestled at the gateway to the Ecrins National Park and overlooking the Serre-Ponçon lake, this human-scale resort has strengthened its position among sustainable alpine territories.
Réallon is implementing several structuring actions linked to the label: optimization of water consumption, installation of solar panels and creation of a collective self-consumption company (25%self-consumption of energy).
In addition, a responsible charter brings together hosts, restaurateurs and service providers to promote short circuits, waste reduction and soft mobility (car-sharing, shuttles).
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.
