Boating
The breath of water
In the Hautes-Alpes, water is more than just a backdrop. It’s alive, vibrant, indomitable at times. It lashes the cheeks, grips the arms, kindles the heart. When the sun beats down on the peaks and the wind picks up, the Hautes-Alpes becomes an invitation to dive, row and slide. To feel your body aligned with the rhythm of nature.
Lac de Serre-Ponçon,
from the sea to the mountains
Serre-Ponçon is the ocean of the Alps. A turquoise giant where anything is possible. Paddle at sunrise, sail when the thermals lift, water-ski or wakeboard to feel the bite of speed, kitesurf to literally tear yourself away from the cow floor. The beaches invite you to play summer games, the coves to swim, and the boats open the way to pure freedom. You don’t come to Serre-Ponçon to be a spectator: you come to play, to experience water to the full.
Bodies of water,
hidden gems
Veynes, Champsaur, la Germanette, Rosans, Eygliers, la Roche-de-Rame, Les 3 Lacs: all more intimate arenas, perfect for taming the element. You can climb into the water on a paddle without fear of the open sea, learn to sail gently, and take off for a few fathoms before stretching out on the shore. These waters are ideal for families, for those who are new to the sport, for those who want to have fun without a stopwatch. And then there’s always that little extra: a zip line that plunges into the water, a supervised swim, an alpine setting that makes every moment that little bit bigger.
a sea in the mountains
Boating highlights
Lake Serre-Ponçon
Competitions on Lake Serre-Ponçon
Set course for Serre-Ponçon! Every year, the largest man-made lake inWestern Europe since the dam was built in 1960, becomes a favorite playground for sailing, rowing and paddle enthusiasts. With its turquoise coves and Alpine peaks as a backdrop, the lake attracts regional clubs as well as athletes from all over France. Among the major competitions, Lac de Serre-Ponçon has had the honor of hosting the Tour Voile, theIQFoil championship and serving as the official training site for the 2024 Olympic Games, affirming its major role in top-level sailing.
Embrun
Outdoormix Festival
Nestled between lake and mountains, theOutdoormix Festival inEmbrun isEurope’s biggest outdoor gathering for riders, music lovers and lovers of the great outdoors. Four days of spectacular outdoor competitions (kayaking, mountain biking, slackline, kiteboarding, longboarding…), electro and rock concerts under the stars, a community village and a cool roots-festive atmosphere. A concentrate of energy, extreme sports and live music that makes the Southern Alps vibrate to the rhythm of the ride and the dancefloor.
Lake Serre-Ponçon
Floating concerts
Imagine a summer evening on the shores of Lac de Serre-Ponçon. The sun slips behind the mountains, the water shimmers a little, and there, in the middle of the lake, a floating stage lights up. The Serre-Ponçon floating concerts transform this corner of the Hautes-Alpes into an open-air (and open-lake) concert venue.
The principle is simple: the artists play on a stage set on the water, and the public enjoy the live music from the beach, the pontoon or even from a boat. Rock, electro or jazz, each edition mixes genres but retains the same magic: that of listening to music surrounded by mountains, your gaze lost between stars and reflections.
“Some might think that Serre-Ponçon is an ideal mountain lake for rejuvenating, relaxing and breathing in an unspoilt environment. Serre-Ponçon is all that, plus a few more ingredients… The recipe for gliding on
Lac de Serre-Ponçon : fresh water from melting snow, a Mediterranean climate, and a few site effects: foehn, venturi. Mix it all together and you have the magic formula for Serre-Ponçon. The ideal configuration for developing the thermal breeze mechanism. A regular west/south-west wind reaching 20-25 knots in June and July and 15-20 knots in August, but with water at a unique 20°. An exceptional microclimate for all gliding enthusiasts, perfect for all the new foils. The wind rarely picks up before 1 p.m., so you can take advantage of the opportunity to go for a short hike or mountain bike ride to warm up in the morning. ”
