Champsaur Valgaudemar
In the folds of the world
Between the hedged meadows of the Champsaur and the mineral walls of the Écrins, the Champsaur Valgaudemar offers a landscape of rare intensity. A land of contrasts and harmony, it combines the intimacy of Champsaur’s wooded valleys with the vertical thrust of Valgaudemar’s peaks, offering travelers a gentle yet fiery mountain experience.
Where terroir meets glaciers
The Champsaur
with its thousand meadows
In this vast amphitheater encircled by ridges, Champsaur spreads out its checkerboard fields, punctuated by hedges, orchards and hamlets with lauze roofs. In Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur, the historic trading center, you can still feel the rhythm of the fairs of yesteryear. Here, the horizon opens out towards the village resorts and theOrcières-Merlette 1850 ski area, while the paths lead down to the mountain pastures where, in summer, the tinkling of the cowbells resounds.
The Valgaudemar
high walls
More rugged, more confined, Valgaudemar soars towards the high mountains like a path of ascent. Between the Sommets de l’Olan and the Siracs, mineral reigns, sculpted by vanished glaciers. At the end of the road, the Gioberneyrises up, a gateway to the Écrins National Park, where the Voile de la Mariée, at the foot of the Gioberney refuge, spins into the void like a silken thread torn from the sky.
Sirac summit
A terroir shaped
by hand and time
The Champsaur Valgaudemar region cultivates patient, ingenious mountain agriculture. Hedgerows protect crops from cold winds, terraces hold back fertile soil. Breeders and producers work to the rhythm of the seasons, giving rise to emblematic products: tourtons, ravioles, donkey ear gratin, alpine cheeses, charcuterie and honeys with mountain flowers.
Les Tourtons du Champsaur
Unspoiled nature
heritage and promise
Isolated refuges, suspended paths, crystalline torrents: everything here invites a humble relationship with the living. In the most remote valleys, the silence is broken only by thegolden eagle or the clash of stones rolled by a torrent or an ibex. This nature, protected by the Ecrins National Park, is a fragile heritage, to be explored with moderation, like turning the pages of a beautiful book whose every word counts.
Lac du Lauzon
Emmanuel Faber
mountain lover and committed leader
Highlights of Champsaur Valgaudemar
Champsaur Valgaudemar
Goat festival
Over the course of a weekend, the horned animal becomes a local star, with goat beauty contests, cheese tastings with the scent of the mountains, producer stands and rural brass bands.
AncelleSudRaid blanc
You don’t have to be a top athlete to take part in the Nordic activities (luge, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, orienteering and team challenges): the spirit is above all collective and festive, with that little taste of expedition that transforms the mountains into a life-size playground.
Orcières Merlette 1850
European Ski Cup
This must-see stop on the continental circuit brings together the world’s rising skiing elite, ready to compete on demanding, spectacular trails.
The stations
From the charm of the villages to the energy of the major ski areas, the Hautes-Alpes offers a wide choice of resorts to experience the mountains at your own pace. Downhill skiing, Nordic activities, hiking or summer adventures: there’s something for everyone, in the heart of unspoilt landscapes.
The family resort par excellenceOrcières Merlette 1850
Orcières offers all the advantages of a major high-altitude resort. The ski area, which rises to 2,725 meters, is south-facing, to the delight of skiers of all ages.
The softness of the mountains
Village resorts in Champsaur
Champsaur has 5 village resorts: Ancelle, Chaillol, Laye, Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes and Serre-Eyraud. Here, nature is generous, skiing is intimate and the villages can be discovered on foot or with snowshoes.
The Champsaur Valgaudemar
in figures
| AREA | 83% of the department’s 5,549 km² are covered by forests and mountainous areas. | 766.8 KM² OF LAND |
| RESIDENTS | One of France’s most sparsely populated departments, the Hautes-Alpes has a population of 142,000. | 11 528 |
| TOURIST BEDS | There are 410,000 tourist beds throughout France. They generate 22 million overnight stays a year. | 50 000 |
Source: INSEE
Need advice?
The tourist office,
your local ally
Good deals, ideas for activities, personalized advice: don’t hesitate to come and meet or contact the Tourist Office teams to make the most of your destination.
Champsaur Valgaudemar
11 route de Grenoble- Les Barraques – 05500 La Fare-en-Champsaur
Orcières Merlette 1850
1 Rue des Ecrins, 05170 Orcières
