The Southern Alps 65 ski resorts all have their own unique character. Two examples: Saint-Véran – Europe’s highest village – in Queyras, still boasts its original larch log cabins known as fustes. Superdévoluy is celebrated for its 20th-century architectural heritage. Medieval hamlets, lively little shopping towns, official 20th Century Heritage resorts and mountain villages perched on the peaks: simply pick your dream mountain break!
A few hundred metres separate the mountain pastures from beautiful beech groves and larch forests. The mounts of the Southern Alps are more rugged than their northern cousins. Their peaks stand guard over dizzy gorges, mythical passes, Himalayan-style valleys, citadels and teetering villages. And if you’re tired of skiing, Vauban’s ancient fortresses and Baroque chapels await you for a different kind of sightseeing experience.
The sun shines 300 days a year in the Southern Alps, And you won’t find any major groups or polluting activities here: as confirmed by AtmoSud (a benchmark observatory for monitoring air quality Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region), the Southern Alps boasts fabulously pure air and no pollution peaks. What’s more, the massif’s resorts are among the most innovative in Europe in terms of renewable (hydraulic) energy production and mindful consumption.
That’s the promise of the national “Famille Plus” label, a stringent quality stamp that promises a great choice of activities, to be enjoyed together or separately. But that’s not all: it also rewards professionals offering an-extra special welcome for children, entertainment, adapted prices and close proximity to shops and services… Auron, Valberg, Le Dévoluy, Montgenèvre, Orcières Merlette and Val d’Allos all benefit from the “Famille Plus” label, with many others in the pipeline.
People live all year round in the Southern Alps and as they’ve chosen to set up home here, they’re more than happy to welcome visitors from afar and share some of their secrets. And no bling if you please! Encounters with local producers, hosts, restaurateurs, mountain guides, introductions to craftwork, or simply meals savoured at a friendly inn… Heartfelt human relationships rule in the Southern Alps.
The Southern Alps are among the best value for money in Europe in terms of environment and service quality. Chabanon, in the Alpes-de- Haute-Provence area, is n°1 of France’s Top 10 most affordable domains according to the France Holidu. At Chazelet in the Hautes-Alpes, at the foot of La Meije, day passes cost just €19 per adult. In the Alpes-Maritimes, you can enjoy 30 km of pistes at Roubion, for €18 per day for adults.
Sea buckthorn, genepi, lavender and chard pie… Here, the fondues here are flavoured with Queyras blue cheese and dishes are perfumed with plants that flourish between the Alps and Provence. Larchwood, was used to manufacture the Briançon area’s very first skis. Today, in addition to providing roof trusses and cladding for the region’s chalets, its resinous scent has become a culinary must-have, used in desserts, sweets and liqueurs, or slipped into savoury dishes.
Queyras astronomy observatory at Saint-Véran in the Hautes-Alpes departmentThe Alpes Azur Mercantour area was awarded the “International Dark Sky Reserve” label in 2019 in recognition of the exceptional quality of its night skies and actions undertaken to reduce light pollution, allowing better stargazing. Several resorts, including Valberg and Les Orres, bear the “Starry Towns and Villages” label, awarded to municipalities using 34% less artificial light than average.
Take to the heights to contemplate the stunning summits of the Ecrins, peaks of Mercantour, ridgeline of Italy, Mediterranean Sea on the horizon, or frozen winter waters… New: the Réallon belvedere is a platform teetering above Serre-Ponçon lake, offering breathtaking vistas. You’ll find it at the edge of the Aquarius red slope. The Sentier des Crêtes trail running along the mountain passes is lined with five other belvederes, accessible with snowshoes.
Mountaineering was classified as part of UNESCO Intangible Heritage in December 2019. The Ecrins mountain range in the Southern Alps is the largest mountaineering area in France after Mont-Blanc. Backed by “Agence de Développement des Hautes-Alpes” and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Regional Council, five villages in Ecrins National Park have now been awarded the very-exclusive “Villages d’Alpinisme” label. These peaceful localities devoted to soft tourism cherish the mountain environment and boast a diverse and respectful mountain sports offering.
