The Hautes Alpes department
The Hautes Alpes department is one of six in the PACA (Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur) region. It is bordered by Isère and Savoie to the north, Drôme to the west and Alpes de Haute Provence to the south.
The department's average altitude is the highest in France. The town of Briançon, at 1300 m, on the Italian border, is one of the highest in the European Union. Its pure, dry air makes it an ideal place to treat respiratory disorders such as asthma.
Les Hautes Alpes sur la carte de France
Le Queyras (en rouge) dans le département des Hautes Alpes, tout contre l'Italie
The Durance, a major river in the Hautes Alpes region, offers numerous opportunities for whitewater sports (canoeing, kayaking, rafting, etc.). The same applies to its torrential tributaries, such as the Guil, which flows through the Queyras region, and the Guisane, which flows down from the Col du Lautaret.
What's more, the shores of Lac de Serre-Ponçon, one of Europe's largest reservoirs in the Hautes Alpes region, offer numerous beaches and water sports opportunities.