Gap,the administrative centre of the Hautes Alpes.

Gap « Gentle city » enjoys a temperate climate thanks to its location, 745 meters high and situated between  Lyon and Marseille.

In the foothills of the Alps, it’s location makes it a prime destination for touristsAn hour and a half drive from the Mediterranean Sea and within fifteen minutes of a ski resort, Gap is an ideal base for exploring the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur.

In the mountains, you can explore the area by visiting the Botanical Gardens and the magnificent 18-hole golf course at Bayard, regarded as one of the most beautiful mountain golf courses in Europe. In winter it becomes a cross-country ski track.: www.gap-bayard.com

Serre-Ponçon lake

Approximately a half hour drive from the village of Tallard, is the lake of Serre-Ponçon which stretches19 km into the Durance valley and 9 km into the Ubaye valley. It covers 2800 hectares and is the largest artificial lake in Europe..

The construction of the dam began in 1955 and ended in 1961, although it’s conception dates back as far as 1895. The original goal was to regulate the course of the River Durance which is often prone to flooding and to provide water for irrigation to farmers in Durance valley.Today it currently generates 10% of France’s hydroelectricity and supplies numerous Frenchcommunities with water for drinking and industrial purposes. To enable it’s construction, 1500 people were relocated and 4 villages had to be abandoned (Savines Ubaye Rousset and Prunieres).

Over the years, the lake has become a popular tourist destination in the Hautes-Alpes, offering a range of watersports (sailing, swimming, jet skiing, canoeing, water skiing, fishing and trips on pleasure boats ).

The villages along it’s banks each have their own identity for example Embrun whose nickname is the "Nice of the Alps" has an exceptional heritage (the cathedral of Notre-Dame-du-Réal twelfth and thirteenth century) and is the gateway to the Parc des Ecrins or there is the small seaside town of  Savines-le-Lac, which was rebuilt in the fifties. www.serre-poncon.com.