Capital of the valley of Ubaye, the city of Barcelonnette, located at 1,135 meters above sea level, has a character both southern and mountain. Manuel Square, surrounded by pretty colorful facades, is the heart of the historic center. Dominated by the Cardinalis tower of the fifteenth century, this hot spot of local animation is embellished with pleasant terraces of cafes and restaurants. Around the square, the visit of Barcelonnette continues with the discovery of its pedestrian streets lined with shops.

Lovers of unusual architecture will not fail to admire the amazing Mexican villas located in the Avenue de la Liberation. Italian-inspired, Tyrolean and Baroque, these luxurious residences, mostly classified as historic monuments, were built between 1880 and 1930 by Barcelonnets who made their fortunes in Mexico. One of them is open to the public : the villa La Sapinière, which hosts the Museum of the Valley, dedicated to the history and traditions of the Ubaye Valley, as well as the House of Mercantour National Park.

Each year in August, the Latin-Mexican Festivals are held for ten days, a great moment of festivity during which concerts, parades and mariachis are held throughout the city.

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With its peaks of over 3000 m altitude, its many glacial lakes and six valleys with a strong character, the Mercantour National Park is one hour from the sea, the unique jewel of a preserved nature.

A complex mix of Mediterranean and Alpine influences contributes to the originality and variety of landscapes, natural environments, fauna and flora ! The Mercantour Massif is the last promontory of the Alps, just before it dives into the Mediterranean Sea.

Browse the Mercantour is the guarantee of a permanent wonder : every turn of the way, a new amazing show awaits you. How is such a variety of impressions, sensations and landscapes possible ?

We must combine many sciences to have elements of answer : the geological formations, of very varied natures, were modeled by the alpine uprising, then dug and eroded by the waters in narrow and deep gorges.

The valleys have been heavily worked by glaciers, which have given way, by melting, to rosaries of sparkling lakes. Climate history has left us a wide variety of species at altitudes with environments close to those present during the ice ages.

The man and the traces several thousand years of his presence add to this natural abundance ! But this story is also written in the future : this territory sees the creation of many activities geared towards the future, a sign of great vitality.

This other wealth, cultural, is also the subject of many attentions. For the following generations to share this legacy.

Chamois, ibex and mouflon coexist in the steepest mountain ridges, while deer, deer and boar frequent woodlands at lower altitudes.

The birds are also remarkably represented !

We find, for example, the black grouse, the rock ptarmigan, also known as the snow partridge, the snapper, but also large raptors like the golden eagle and now the bearded vulture gradually reintroduced by releases. Since 1993.

The multiple climatic, geological and geographical influences exerted on a mosaic of very varied environments and with altitudes going from 100 m to more than 3000 m, conferred on the Mercantour an exceptional vegetable wealth with the presence of more than 2000 species of plants of the 4200 known in France.

Among them, 220 are considered very rare and 40 are even said to be endemic, being found nowhere else in the world, like saxifrage with multiple flowers !

A National Park is a space recognized as exceptional for its biodiversity, its landscapes, its heritage. It is both a label that guarantees national and international recognition of these riches and a tool that ensures their preservation at the highest level in order to pass them on to future generations.

Created in 1979 between the Alpes Maritimes and the Alpes de Haute Provence, the Mercantour National Park's mission is to know and protect the nature, the landscapes and all the heritage that justified its classification as a National Park. Its role is also to "share the exception" by raising awareness of the need for the protection of the environment through the dissemination of its knowledge and the invitation to discovery.

Before you go on a hike in the Park, check out rules

You can also consult the Mercantour Park presentation book.

Ski resort of the Southern Alps, located in the municipality of Uvernet-Fours, not far from Barcelonnette, Pra-Loup offers a wide range of activities. Connected to the resort of La Foux d'Allos, via the ski area 230 kilometers of slopes of the Espace Lumière, the resort offers, in addition to downhill skiing, the opportunity to practice snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and skiing. Skating. In summer, hiking, mountain biking, golf, fishing, mountain volleyball or tennis are practicable.

Do not hesitate to consult the site Pra Loup to know the various activities.

Pra Loup is known by downhill mountain bikers, with its different courses proposed.

At the gates of the Upper Ubaye Valley, in the Mercantour National Park, the village is superb, its architecture and its famous Mexican villas as the Magnans Castle (reminiscent of the castle of Neuschwanstein in Germany which inspired Walt Disney for "Sleeping Beauty") will amaze you.

Dominated by its bell tower, life is colorful and peaceful and the discovery of the center is through the pedestrian streets. The surrounding landscapes are beautiful.

Guided tour of Jausiers

Flavors and know-how of a whole valley that has kept its authenticity.

True riches of a whole valley concentrated in one place. The House of the country products are craftsmen, artists and farmers who have come together to make you discover their know-how with quality products.

Discovery and meeting around local products every Wednesday during the school holidays.

Open all year, every day from 10h to 12h and 14h30 to 19h, non stop in July and August from 10h to 19h30.

The Vallée de Jausiers Museum tells you about the relationship between man and landscape, through different exhibition halls, with the theme : water.

The formation of rocks, the shaping of landscapes, the place that man chooses to settle and his survival depend on water. Man has learned to channel it even if it remains dependent on climatic conditions that can prove destructive.

Come and understand how the landscapes around us have formed, how humans have arrived and how they influence each other.

Travel back in time through archaeological collections collected by 19th century scholars. Today, scientists continue their works and resume excavation sites enriching the knowledge on the settlement of the valley.

Opening time :

• from 17 June to 9 July and from 4 to 17 September : Wednesday to Sunday from 14 : 30 to 18 : 30
• 10 July to 3 September : daily from 10 : 00 to 12 : 30 and 14 : 30 to 17 : 30
• except soclaire holidays : Wednesday and Saturday from 14h30 to 17h30.

The water of Siguret Jausiers is located near the heart of the village and invites relaxation, swimming and games.

It is decorated with many play areas.

Situated in the Southern Alps on the Route des Grandes Alpes (Great Alps Route) at an altitude of 2,247 metres, Allos mountain pass, open from May to October, links the Ubaye and Verdon valleys. It treats cyclists, bikers and car drivers to a superb panoramic view of the surrounding scenery.

250 years of history…

The Valley was, for 250 years, disputed between France and Savoy.

The frontier was sometimes at the entrance of the valley (the fort of Saint-Vincent-les-Forts and the citadel of Seyne then controlled this border on the French side), sometimes at the Larche pass ; even beyond the passes.

From the middle to the end of the twentieth century, large construction sites spread over 35 km of successive defenses with, as the node of the sipositif, the huge fortified mountain of Tournoux.

Between the wars, the program of the Maginot line concerned the valleys with several large structures and a line of outposts.

The history and heritage of Ubaye lead to the discovery of fortifications.

This very rich military history is explained by the geographical situation of the Valley, crossroads between Piedmont, Savoy and Provence.

The great campaigns of fortifications modernize the valley and the life of its inhabitants : opening of roads (col de la Cayolle…), new means of communication, electrification.

Vaubant was the first to mark the landscape by building Fort Saint-Vincent-les-Forts, at the time when the Ubaye was still Savoyard ?

This fortification of assembly will be completed around 1880 by a series of books : batteries of Chaudon and Chatelard (La Condamine) and battery of the Col Bas in Dormillouse (Le Lauzet).

Around 1930, the Maginot line completed this fortified device.

After the French occupation of Italy in the 19th century, the battery of Viraysse (Larche), the highest in France (2,772 m) and Fort Tournoux (La Condamine) were erected.

This last, true wall developing on a height difference of 700 m, supervised the passages between the Italian valley of the Stura and the collar of Vars.

In Meyronnes, the works of Saint-Ours haut, Saint-Ours bas and Roche-la-Croix, turned towards the Larche pass, are exemplary of the military construction techniques of the time.

Recommendations for visits :

Warm clothing and closed shoes are expected for visits to the structures of Saint-Ours haut and Roche-la-Croix.

Wear closed shoes, a hat or a cap and a flashlight or headlamp for Fort Tournoux, battery of the Caurres.

The fortified sites are private places accessible only accompanied by a guide of the Association for the valorization of the inheritance of the valley of the Ubaye.

Nestled between Provence and Mercantour, the valley of Ubaye, whose capital is the welcoming city of Barcelonnette, is a destination of choice for outdoor activities. Wild and preserved, this territory of glacial origin, dominated by peaks over 3,000 meters, is a delight for hikers, skiers and canoes. In Haute Ubaye, nature lovers will not miss the marvelous hike to the splendid Lac des Neufs Couleurs at 2,841 meters above sea level.

The Ubaye valley will also delight lovers of built heritage, with the beautiful Romanesque church of Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye, the impressive small Châtelet bridge suspended over narrow gorges, the fort perched Tournoux, or the mill Abriès Jausiers.

Located in the Blanche valley 1,260 metres above sea level, the welcoming little town of Seyne is a designated "Cité de Caractère" (fortified town of character) and "Station Verte" (nature-orientated holiday resort) enjoying a pleasant, unspoiled natural environment.

Overlooked by Fort Vauban and a medieval watchtower, the historic district makes a picturesque scene. With its typical streets, half-timbered houses, dated doorways, ramparts and Romanesque church, it is a lovely place to wander around.

Famous for its tradition of mule breeding, Seyne honours this sturdy and patient animal every year in a mule competition held during the town's annual festival on the second Saturday in August. In addition to this animated event, a horse and cattle fair takes place every second Saturday in October.

The second largest artificial lake in Europe at 3,000 hectares, Serre-Ponçon lake is a wonderful expanse of water surrounded by mountainous scenery. Like a sea in the mountains! Numerous activities on both water and land are available there. In the village resort of Savines-le-Lac, an approved Station Classée (resort paying particular attention to tourism facilities), you can relax on the beach (lifeguarded in July and August) and enjoy a host of leisure pursuits like swimming, sailing and fishing, as well as hiking, mountain-biking, horse-riding and climbing.

To take advantage of Serre-Ponçon's fantastic viewpoints, walkers should follow the network of footpaths that run around the vast stretch of turquoise water.

Built over the Durance river, the impressive Serre-Ponçon dam – 123 metres high and 650 metres wide at its base – is the biggest earth dam in Europe!

Worth visiting: the Muséoscope du Lac museum located at the Serre-Ponçon panoramic viewpoint at Rousset, which immerses visitors in the history of how this huge dam was built.

Located at the gateway to Queyras Regional Nature Park between Vars and Izoard passes, the town of Guillestre possesses a beautiful religious heritage.

The Gothic church of the Assomption built in local stone features a remarkable portal with two columns rising out of statues of recumbent lions and a three-storey bell tower decorated on the outside with a beautiful sundial.

Guillestre has also preserved old houses and vestiges of its surrounding wall in the form of remains of ramparts and four gates.

Fans of local produce must not miss Guillestre market, which takes place every Monday morning.

In the hills above the hilltop village of Théus lies a natural site that's strange to say the least: the Ballroom of the Capped Young Ladies (Salle de Bal des Demoiselles Coiffées). This mysterious place consisting of around 100 fairy chimneys (column-like rock formations with caps) forms an amazing group of mineral sculptures!

Nicknamed the little Nice of the Alps because of its particularly mild and sunny climate, the town of Embrun, a former archdiocese and military fortified town, dominates the Durance valley from the top of a cliff.

The Provençal-looking old town boasts a wonderful heritage: a network of narrow streets lined with colourful houses, pretty squares with fountains, arched passageways and walls decorated with sundials.

The must-see Notre-Dame-du-Réal cathedral dating from the 12th and 13th centuries is one of the most important religious monuments in the French Alps. Among its features are a magnificent portal guarded by two statues of lions, a Gothic rose window, a marble high altar, a great organ and a remarkable treasure of ancient sacerdotal garments, manuscripts and pieces of silverware.

Not far from the cathedral stands Brune tower, the former keep of the archbishop's palace dating from the 12th century that now houses a space dedicated to Écrins National Park.

To enjoy a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside, visitors should head to the garden of the archbishop's palace (Archevêché) near the cathedral. From the viewpoint indicators there are stunning views over the Durance valley with the peaks of the Embrunais mountains towering above.

Two kilometres from the town centre is Embrun lake where you can enjoy a whole host of water-based activities, including swimming (supervised in July and August), kayaking, sailing and fishing.

Overhanging the confluence of the Guil and Durance rivers from the top of a rocky plateau, the fortified town of Mont-Dauphin, built by the famous architect Vauban at the end of the 17th century, is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From its military past as an impregnable citadel, Mont-Dauphin fortress, which is built of pink marble from Guillestre, has preserved a remarkable group of buildings: ramparts and bastions enclosing an arsenal, a powder magazine, army barracks and the choir of Saint-Louis church. The fort also comprises houses, fountains, communal washing places (lavoirs) and gardens to walk in. Along the ramparts, there is a fantastic panoramic view of the surrounding mountain landscape.

Not to be missed on a trip to Mont-Dauphin: Rochambeau barracks with its arched staircase and magnificent roof structure, and the Vauban museum located inside the arsenal.

Located in the heart of Queyras Regional Nature Park in the village of Château-Ville-Vieille, Château Queyras fortress dominates a remarkable natural site: the medieval building overhangs a wild and narrow Guil gorge from the top of a rocky spur. From the river's edge below, the view up over the location is particularly striking!

The castle was built in the Middle Ages to protect the valley and its inhabitants from barbaric invasions and altered by Vauban at the end of the 17th century to improve its resistance to attacks.

Covering an area of 65,000 hectares, Queyras Regional Nature Park is home to a great deal of flora and fauna. It is a unique area for chamois, marmots, hares and partridges, as well as for hiking fans!

In addition to its unspoiled natural scenery that alternates between forests, gorges and mountain lakes, it is home to typical villages like the listed Saint-Véran, the striking hilltop fortress of Château Queyras, and an important rural heritage consisting of chapels, wayside crosses, sundials and fountains. You won't be short of things to do!

Worth visiting: the Park Visitor Centre in Arvieux and Nature House in Ristolas, both focused on the preservation of nature in this wonderful area.

Food fans will love the local honey and delicious cheeses.

Perching at an altitude of 2,042 m in the heart of Queyras Regional Nature Park, the mountain village of Saint-Véran, designated one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, is also the highest village in Europe. Enjoying a unique natural setting, this magnificent village has preserved a remarkable built heritage from its past that bears witness to the rural life of old.

Picturesque chalets with fustes (the fuste is the upper part of a chalet with walls made of stacked-up tree trunks, where harvested forage was dried and stored over winter), a listed church and old houses topped with larch shingle or lauze roofs characterise the different hamlets of Saint-Véran. Walking around you will also discover charming wooden fountains, chapels, sundials, wayside crosses, communal ovens and an old fire engine.

Worth visiting: La Vieille Maison Traditionnelle (traditional old house) and Soum museum, located in the oldest house in Saint-Véran.

In winter, the village of Saint-Véran turns into a pleasant winter sports resort, ideal for a family holiday.

Located 1,250 metres above sea level on the banks of the turbulent Verdon river, the medieval fortified village of Colmars is full of picturesque charm. Old Colmars is surrounded by ramparts and reached through one of three fortified gateways. It is a lovely place for a wander with streets lined with tall houses, Saint-Martin church, Provençal Gothic chapels, pretty fountains and a rampart walk.

Outside the walls, two late 17th-century forts watch over the village. One of them, the Fort de Savoie, is open to visitors in July and August.

In the second weekend of August, Colmars holds a particularly lively medieval festival that takes residents and tourists on a journey back to the time of the knights!

Situated in the Southern Alps, at the foot of Allos pass in Mercantour National Park, the Allos valley is home to the picturesque village of Allos as well as two ski resorts that have been awarded the "Ski France" and "Famille Plus" labels: Seignus (Val d'Allos 1500) and La Foux d'Allos (Val d'Allos 1800). These two ski resorts form part of the Espace Lumière, a vast ski area linked to the resort of Pra-Loup that offers skiers and snowboarders 230 kilometres of downhill runs! The Allos valley also has a range of other winter activities available, including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice skating.

The area is also popular for outdoor activities in the summer, when hiking, mountain biking, canyoning, horse riding, tennis and fishing take over. Lovers of alpine scenery absolutely must make the one-hour uphill walk to the wonderful Allos lake, Europe's largest natural high-altitude lake, situated at 2,228 metres above sea level.