Culture and tradition
Culture and traditionLandsof
living culture
In the depths of the Alpine valleys, culture is not static: it breathes to the rhythm of the seasons, festivals and gestures handed down from generation to generation. The Hautes-Alpes doesn’t just offer stunning scenery: it also tells the story of the men and women who have always shaped their territory and invented unique ways of living here. Push open a door, enter a workshop, stroll down a cobbled lane or sit down to a summer concert, and you’ll discover an inhabited, generous and vibrant mountain.
Villages
and citadels
From the Vauban bastions of Briançon and Mont-Dauphin to the hamlets suspended on the mountainside, the built heritage of the Hautes-Alpes exudes ingenuity and tenacity. Cobbled streets, sculpted fountains, stone houses and wooden balconies bear witness to centuries of adaptation to a demanding environment. To walk here is to rediscover a rare authenticity, a simple beauty that makes you want to slow down, stop and meet people.
Vibrations
of today
Alpine culture is not limited to its roots. Every year, it reinvents itself through festivals and artistic events. The
Stones
of memory
The castles of Tallard, Montmaur and Fort-Queyras stand out against the valleys. Theabbey of Boscodon, a Romanesque jewel, invites you to meditate in an atmosphere of forest and silence. These ancient stones are much more than relics: they are places of life, open to visitors, shows and exhibitions. To walk through their doors is to touch the tormented but fertile history of the Hautes-Alpes.
The hands
that shape
In the Hautes-Alpes, craftsmanship is more than a profession: it’s a language. Queyras wood, carved with patience, gives birth to warm, delicate objects. The small workshops nestled in the villages are a treasure trove of creativity: potters, weavers, cutlers, luthiers… each perpetuating ancestral know-how while adding his or her own personal touch. Here, each piece tells the story of the mountain, its raw character and hidden finesse.
in the breath of the mountains
Cultural and traditional highlights
Hautes-Alpes
Chaillol Festival
Nestled in the heart of the Hautes-Alpes, the Chaillol valley is transformed into an open-air stage every summer. The Festival de Chaillol is a unique gathering where classical music rubs shoulders with jazz, world music and contemporary creations, all set in landscapes that are already worth the detour. Intimate concerts in a mountain chapel, open-air evenings overlooking the peaks or convivial encounters with the artists: here, the experience is as much for the ears as for the eyes. More than just a festival,
Gap
Tous Dehors (Finally!)
In the Hautes-Alpes region of France, summer takes on the air of an open-air festival with Tous dehors (enfin!). This festival celebrates the street arts, circus and all those spectacular forms that like to take place where you least expect them: on a village square, in the bend of an alleyway, or in the middle of a meadow. Between offbeat poetry, dizzying acrobatics and moments shared in all simplicity, the program celebrates the pleasure of being together, without barriers or pretence. It’s free, joyful, accessible to all, and above all, it wakes up Alpine evenings with a healthy dose of creativity and freedom. In short: a breath of artistic fresh air, to be enjoyed without moderation.
Practical notebook
- Patrimoine Hautes-Alpes, l’appli qui cause cailloux, chapelles et vieilles pierres
- Les guides touristiques des Hautes-Alpes : ces GPS à jambes (et à sourire)
