Famous for its vast ski area stretching from Briançon to Lautaret pass, Serre Chevalier resort, known locally as Serre Che, is the biggest winter sports resort in the South Alps. Located at the gateway to Écrins National Park, the valley of Serre Chevalier (or Guisane valley) is home to the towns and villages of Briançon, Chantemerle, Monêtier-les-Bains and Villeneuve, where a beautiful built heritage consisting of churches, chapels and old houses sits alongside the most modern sports facilities.

Numerous activities are on offer to holiday-makers throughout the year: rambling, mountain-biking and mountaineering in the summer, and skiing (on no fewer than 250 km of runs!), cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter.

To relax after a day of exercise, head to the spa recreation centre in Monêtier-les-Bains for its soothing and beneficial hot spring baths.

Located opposite the Meije glaciers and not far from the village of La Grave at an altitude of 2,058 metres, Lautaret pass is a road that takes cyclists, hikers and drivers from the Briançonnais to the Oisans regions. Particularly familiar with cycling fans, this mythical pass has seen the Tour de France pass through on many occasions.

Apart from the superb mountain scenery, there is the Lautaret Alpine Garden to discover (open summer only), a wonderful botanical garden home to over 2,000 plant species from the Alps and all over the world.

Located at an altitude of 1,326 metres, at the confluence of five valleys, Briançon is the highest town in France. This City of Art of History, fortified by French military architect Vauban in the 18th century, is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site precisely because of its remarkable group of fortifications built between the 18th and 20th centuries in order to improve the town's defence system.

A tour of Briançon takes in the upper town, or Vauban citadel – the very heart of the town and overlooked by the fortified castle – and the surrounding forts, Salettes, Trois Têtes and Randouillet.

Once through the Pignerol gate, the incredibly picturesque old town offers visitors many examples of its past. There's plenty to explore for architecture fans, including the 18th-century collegiate church of Notre-Dame, 14th-century Cordeliers church, old houses lining the steep, narrow streets, the charming Place d'Armes square which is surrounded by pretty, colourful Provence-style facades, fountains and sundials.

In winter, Briançon turns into a favourite destination for ski lovers as its ski area is part of the famous Serre Chevalier ski resort.

Crossed by the river of the same name, the stunning Clarée valley is dotted with charming villages and hamlets featuring beautiful churches decorated with wall paintings and sundials, houses with larch shingle roofs and picturesque chapels, all surrounded by unspoiled nature.

The religious buildings worth visiting are the 15th-century church of Saint-Marcellin in Névache, 17th-century church of Saint-Claude in Val-des-Prés, 16th-century church of Saint-Sébastien in Plampinet and the chapel of Fontcouverte.

Nestling in a very special natural setting at the foot of the Meije massif, the pretty mountain village of La Grave has preserved all its character: steep, narrow streets, stone houses and, at the top of the village, two religious buildings, Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption church and Pénitents Blancs chapel. Walking around this unspoiled village is a real pleasure.

The Glaciers de la Meije cable car departing from La Grave takes visitors up to the Girose glacier at an altitude of 3,200 metres. From the top there is a fantastic panoramic view over the surrounding mountains, plus the possibility of visiting an ice cave in the summer period.

Located at an altitude of 1,860 metres close to the French-Italian border, Montgenèvre is both a traditional village and a popular ski resort. One of the oldest ski resorts in France, it is linked to the Milky Way ski area which boasts around 400 km of runs. A really lovely destination for taking advantage of both the joys of the mountains and of built heritage!

From the Middle Ages to the start of the 20th century, Fournel gorges, situated not far from the little town of L'Argentière-la-Bessée, were the location of a large argentiferous lead ore mine. Dedicated to the history of the mine, the silver mine museum (Musée des Mines d'Argent), located at the foot of the cliffs in the former stables of the Saint-Jean château, houses collections of rocks and objects found during archaeological searches carried out in the mining site. A guided tour of the mines, departing from the museum entrance, takes visitors along a secure, 800-m underground circuit.

Bearing witness to an ancestral tradition dating back to the 18th century, both old and contemporary sundials are omnipresent in the Hautes-Alpes. These magnificent time-measuring instruments decorate the facades of numerous monuments, public buildings and village and town houses in the département. Featuring mottos and religious sayings, they are real works of art and resemble frescoes and sculptures.

With over 400 sundials, over half of which date from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, the Hautes-Alpes département boasts the highest number of painted sundials in France!

Fans of sundial heritage can travel the Sundial Trail (Route des Cadrans Solaires), a wonderful circuit passing through the Queyras, Briançonnais, Vallouise and Embrunais areas. Sundials not to be missed are located in the village of Saint-Véran, in Briançon old town and the villages of the Clarée valley, such as Névache and Val-des-Prés!

Nestling in the heart of Écrins National Park in an incredibly beautiful natural setting, the charming village of Vallouise has preserved its traditional architecture, which includes typical houses with wooden balconies and picturesque fountains. Decorated with frescoes, the 15th-century Saint-Étienne church is home to a Pietà in polychrome wood and a Baroque altarpiece. The chapel of the Pénitents, located in the same square as the church, features pretty wall paintings.

Snow sports fans can devote themselves to their favourite activity at the winter sports resort of Puy-Saint-Vincent, 5 km from Vallouise.

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 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.

Les Deux Alpes is an international ski resort located in the heart of the Oisans mountains in the Alps, 70 km from Grenoble. It boasts a vast ski area with 227 km of trails and is known for its great sports facilities and atmosphere, varied entertainment, shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

It also offers a large number of outdoor activities in the summer: mountain biking, summer glacier skiing at 3,600 m altitude, climbing, walking, tennis, pool swimming, horse riding, bungee jumping and paragliding. A top destination for sports enthusiasts!

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.

Located at 1,860 metres altitude in the Grandes Rousses mountain range in the Oisans, the ski resort of L'Alpe d'Huez is a renowned winter sports destination. Offering abundant sunshine, pure air, good snow coverage and 240 km of runs, the resort is paradise for skiers and snowboarders. Other reasons for its popularity include the 16-km La Sarenne run (one of the longest in the world!), night skiing, fantastic sports facilities, an outdoor ice rink, shops, entertainment and great après-ski spots.

Alpe d'Huez is also a fitness resort in the summer season, offering numerous activities like rambling, mountain biking, climbing, via ferrata, horse riding, fishing and pool swimming, to name but a few.

Well-known among cycling enthusiasts is the Alpe d'Huez ascent. This legendary stage of the Tour de France has 21 hairpin bends and is a challenge taken up by thousands of cyclists every summer.

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.

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.

The legendary Izoard pass (Col d'Izoard), made famous by the Tour de France, reaches 2,361 metres at its peak. Open from June to November, Izoard pass marks the transition between the Briançonnais and Queyras regions. Near the pass on the Queyras side, don't miss the unusual, lunar-like scenery of the famous Casse Déserte wilderness.

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.

The medieval town of Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur, the historical capital of the Champsaur valley and a stop on the Napoleon Road is situated at an altitude of 1,025 metres and boasts many traces of its past, including the charming square Place Grenette with its covered market and well, its narrow streets and old houses.

Not to missed: the Fête du Terroir country fair on the second Sunday in August when the whole village goes back in time 100 years during a colourful and lively day-long festival.

In the area surrounding Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur, sports fans will find numerous activities to keep them occupied, like rambling, skiing, river sports, climbing, horse-riding and paragliding.

In the heart of the Champsaur region, in the peaceful hamlet of L'Aubérie in the village of Bénévent-et-Charbillac, stands the adorable and original Saint-Grégoire chapel, or chapel of the Pétètes (pétète means doll in the local language). Built in the middle of the 18th century by Jacques Pascal, a builder-carpenter living in the hamlet, it is unusual because it is decorated with Naive statues representing saints. It is a gem of traditional popular art and is today a listed historic monument.

Straddling the Isère and Hautes-Alpes départements, Écrins National Park covers a central mountainous area of 91,800 hectares ranging in altitude from 800 to 4,102 metres. A favourite destination for nature lovers, this vast unspoiled territory is home to a very rich flora and fauna, including chamois, ibex, golden eagles, foxes, squirrels and marmots, and plants like edelweiss, blue thistle, genépi and gentian. The Écrins mountains are also a paradise for hikers, with no fewer than 740 km of waymarked footpaths, as well as for climbers: it's considered the second mountaineering site in France.

Not to be missed: the Park Visitor Centre (Maison du Parc) located in the Domaine de Charance estate on the outskirts of the town of Gap in the Hautes-Alpes, as well as the Maison du Parc in Le Bourg-d'Oisans, in the Isère, have a large amount of information about the mountains available for visitors and puts on regular exhibitions.

Dominating the village of Orcières and Champsaur valley, the winter sports resort of Orcières-Merlette (Orcières 1850) offers great sports facilities: a glass sports centre housing a swimming pool, ice rink, fitness room and bowling alley, and a ski area that is popular with downhill and cross-country skiers.

Surrounded by high peaks over 3,000 metres high, the Valgaudemar valley, crossed by the turbulent Séveraisse mountain stream, is a wild and isolated area in Écrins National Park much loved by ramblers, mountaineers and fishermen.

Around La Chapelle-en-Valgaudémar, nature fans can admire stunning waterfalls like the Voile de la Mariée (bride's veil), Casset and Combefroide.

Also not to missed: Oulles du Diable, not far from the hamlet of Les Portes. This natural site offers an impressive show with the swirling water of the fast Navette mountain stream cutting its way through the rocks. A secure, dedicated footpath running alongside lets you appreciate its full beauty.