Living water
Untamed strength
In the Hautes-Alpes, water isn’t just a resource: it’s a force. It rushes, roars and splashes. It forges valleys and characters. White water is a promise of raw sensations, a pulse that pulses to the rhythm of the rapids.
Our rivers,
our grounds for expression
The Durance, southeastern France’s main vein, alternates power and gentleness. The Guil, a wild, legendary torrent. The
L’Argentière-La Bessée whitewater stadium
At the foot of the The Argentière-La Bessée whitewater stadium on the Durance River in the Écrins is an institution. It’s here, with its recently installed launch ramp, that champions train, French teams are forged, and the finest pages of French kayaking are written. A canalized river, tamed to better unleash the intensity of the sport. The sound of the water becomes music, and each passage under the gates is a moment suspended between technique and daring.
Activities
whitewater
Rafting for the whole family, kayaking for beginners, hydrospeed to challenge the current, canyoning to explore the bowels of the rock. Whatever your level, whatever your age: here, water welcomes everyone. It’s the burst of laughter after a wave, the look of daring in a child’s eyes, the pride of crossing a rapid. Whitewater in the Hautes-Alpes is a memory that stays with you.
rushing torrents, crystal-clear waterfalls
Whitewater highlights
L’Argentière-La-Bessée
The Durance river rafters
On the white waters of the Durance, long before kayaks and paddles made their appearance, there were the radeliers. These men guided huge wooden rafts, assembled in the forests of the Hautes-Alpes, down the river to Provence. It was a tough, risky job, but an essential one: the wood was used for building, heating and even supplying the Mediterranean shipyards. Today, the Radeliers de la Durance association perpetuates this memory by reconstructing the boats and bringing them back to life, during festivities that reek of history and conviviality. Between heritage, spectacle and Alpine pride, a whole river epic is told on the water.
Serre Chevalier
Carton race, when the river is paddled in cardboard
In Serre Chevalier, we don’t do things by halves: when it comes to raft racing, we build them… out of cardboard. That’s right. Armed with scotch tape, paint and a stainless-steel optimism, participants cobble together their craft before taking to the water in the rapids of the Guisane. The result? Crews of varying degrees of seamanship, spectacular shipwrecks and, above all, a good-natured atmosphere that splashes on spectators and sailors alike.
The Carton Race is where resourcefulness meets imagination, where creativity is measured by buoyancy.
L’Argentière-La-Bessée
BFK Family
Between rugged mountains and rushing rivers, the BFK (Briançon Family Kayak) invites you to a river gathering like no other: demanding, free and festive. The principle? No times, no rankings, just a taste for paddling, from class III minimum to V/VI+ for the most adventurous. A variety of routes on emblematic rivers: Onde, Gyr, Clarée, Guisane, Durance, Guil… In short, a range to slip into the back of your kayak or packraft, depending on your mood.
Practical notebook
- voir livret terre de jeu
- Sécurité et bonnes manières
- École de verticalité
- Pourquoi un guide ?
