As the highest department in France and situated between the Provence and the Northern Alps, the Hautes-Alpes enjoys an exceptional number of hours of sunshine throughout the year. Besides a beautiful range of landscapes, ranging from forests, mountain meadows and rugged gorges to high peaks and glaciers, there are also nice and typical villages to visit.
Departement Hautes-Alpes
Walking in the Hautes-Alpes.
The department of Hautes-Alpes, with Gap as its capital, is bounded between Isère and Savoie in the north, Italy in the east, Alpes de Hautes-Provence in the south and Drôme in the west. The Hautes-Alpes are one large mountain country, from 400 meters above sea level (the river Buëch) to 4102 meters (Barre des Écrins). There are eight regions: Grand Briançonnais in the north (with the highest peaks and cols of the Parc national des Écrins). To the west, the Valgaudemar stretches out in the south-western part of the park. Even more westward one enters the Champsaur, which is separated from the Dévoluy by the River Drac. The southern part is formed by the regions: Pays du Buëch, Gapençais and Durance, Embrunais-Serre-Ponçon, Guillestrois and Queyras. There is no shortage of nature in this department.