Holidays in the Ubaye Valley
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Holidays in the ubaye Valley Spring Summer Autumn The Ubaye Summary Valley UBAYE VALLEY & THE MAP 4/5 FAMILY WALKS 6/7 HIKING 8/9 Situated in the Southern Alps, just over CLIMBING AND GLIDING 10/11 two hours drive from the hustle and CYCLING 12/13 bustle of the Cote d’Azur, the Ubaye Valley MOUNTAIN BIKING 14/15 is one of France’s hidden treasures. From WATER SPORTS 16/17 its source near the Italian border to the LAKES AND SWIMMING POOLS 18/19 Serre Ponçon lake in the west, the Ubaye FAMILY FUN 20/21 River is bordered by stunning scenery. HERITAGE 22/23 Over 60 kilometres long, it passes ENTERTAINMENT 24/25 towering mountain peaks, lush alpine SHOPPING 26/27 meadows and delightful small towns and AccOMMODATION IN THE UBAYE VALLEY 28 villages. Blessed with a climate that Accommodation Agencies 29 combines the blue skies of the south Tourist Residences 29/30 Holiday centres 30 coast with a freshness that comes with Hotels and Hotel Restaurants 31/32 altitude, the Ubaye Valley has the perfect Guest Houses and B&Bs 33/34 Country Hotels and Hostels 35/36 conditions for all types of outdoor Campsites 37 activities... HOW TO GET THERE 38 TRANSPORT IN THE VALLEY 39 Tourism Departement Communauté de communes Vallée de l’Ubaye BOOKING... INFORMATION... Tourist Office 4 avenue des 3 Frères Arnaud 04400 Barcelonnette www.ubaye.com Barcelonnette Jausiers Larche Pra Loup*** Sauze Phone: + 33 (0)4 92 81 04 04 Phone: + 33 (0)4 92 81 04 71 Phone: + 33 (0)4 92 81 21 45 Phone: + 33 (0)4 92 84 33 58 Phone: + 33 (0)4 92 84 04 10 Phone: + 33 (0)4 92 81 05 61 www.ubaye.com www.barcelonnette.com www.jausiers.com www.haute-ubaye.com www.praloup.com www.sauze.com [email protected] 02 / U B A Y E V A L L E Y @ UBAYE VALLEY / 03 Fort de Tournoux Lauzanier lake The Ubaye Valley Barcelonnette Meyronnes Jausiers Bathing Lake Faucon Pontis 04 / U B A Y E V A L L E Y UBAYE VALLEY / 05 Family Walks Whether you require flat, short or shady or just a wide smooth path for little feet, the Ubaye has the exact requirements. Getting out into the meadows and crags gives opportunities to see all sorts of things that are harder to find at home. Wildflowers, birds and butterflies are everywhere and on certain walks the marmots show little fear of passersby and are happy to continue about their business despite the audience. Most of the well-known walking areas provide good car parking and there are often picnic tables within a short walk of the car. The Valley boasts a number of trails specifically designed with children in mind, including numerical waymarkers and panels showing points of interest. Walking in the Alps doesn’t have to mean equipping crampons and ice axes! The Ubaye Valley has numerous footpaths that are perfect for family strolls. 06 / U B A Y E V A L L E Y UBAYE VALLEY / 07 InHiking Ubaye The Ubaye Valley offers almost unlimited opportunites for hiking, more than 600 kilometres of way-marked footpaths are at your disposal, all clearly signposted and well-maintained. The variety of hikes is neverending - craggy peaks, rolling meadows, thundering waterfalls and crystal clear lakes. The scenery is breathtaking, in late spring and early summer the meadows are carpeted with wildflowers such as orchids, anenomes and gentians. As summer gives way to autumn the vernal hues contrasting with the clear blue sky are a photographer’s dream. Wildlife lovers and birdwatchers will not be disappointed, most of the higher altitude walks provide plentiful opportunites to see marmots, chamois and ibex, and large raptors such as eagles and vultures are frequently soaring overhead. In addition to all the local footpaths, numerous national GR (Grande Randonnée) routes also cross the Valley and there are a great number of refuges, both staffed and unstaffed, where one can get a meal or spend the night. If you feel like trying something adventurous why not hire the services of an experienced mountain guide and tackle one of the famous local peaks such as the Pain de Sucre or the Brec du Chambeyron. 08 / U B A Y E V A L L E Y UBAYE VALLEY / 09 ClimbingIn andUbaye Gliding Admire spectacular aerial views under Paragliding above the villages and warm, sunny skies while climbing the beautiful landscape of the Ubaye is Ubaye Valley’s legendary peaks at an incredible sightseeing journey. elevations as high as 3412 metres. Even Experience the serene feeling of freedom beginners can experience high altitude as you peacefully glide over the Alps mountain climbing under the careful either solo or strapped to an instructor. supervision of a local guide. For climbers Training courses are available at the who prefer climbing in an equipped, Valley’s reputable paragliding school in secure sector, the Valley has 3 designated operation since 1985. climbing sites with over 140 equipped routes from 4a to 8b. Why not try a Via Ferrata where you climb on specially equipped steel ladders anchored into a rock face. The Via Ferrata of Saint Ours will take you on a ladder maze of over 600 metres of Barcelonnette aerodrome is home to the Valley’s gliding centre which offers instruction climbing, while providing marvellous for skill levels. views over the charming hamlet of Saint Ours just below your toes. 10 / U B A Y E V A L L E Y UBAYE VALLEY / 11 In CyclingUbaye The Ubaye Valley is THE Mecca for cyclists in the Southern French Alps. Amongst the 7 mountain passes to cycle is “La Bonette”, located at the summit of the highest road in Europe. It gives you the impression of being at the top of the world. It’s an unforgettable experience! In 2008, it was part of the route for the “Tour de France”. All cycling routes are clearly marked with ! milestones indicating road number, altitude, remaining distance and the road gradient. The roads are in excellent condition and are regularly maintained. Cycling routes are easily accessible from the Ubaye Valley and no driving is required... just leave your hotel or holiday home on your bike and go! One of the great things about the Ubaye is that whatever distance you choose to cycle, you will be mesmerized by the ever-changing scenery. Impress family and friends by bringing home a special souvenir: “Brevet des 7 Cols” an award certificate for having completed the 7 passes. 12 / U B A Y E V A L L E Y UBAYE VALLEY / 13 MountainIn Ubaye Biking Like road biking, mountain biking is one of the most popular pastimes in the Ubaye Valley. The “TransUbayenne” is one of 19 mountain bike trails that cover over 100 km created and waymarked by the Federation Française de Cyclisme in collaboration with local authorities. The consistent trail markers will easily lead you through the entire Valley taking you through wooded ter- rain, alpine fields, tunnels, villages where there is the possibility of cozy overnight lodgings. Experience a cross-country ad- venture on trails that are in excellent condition and regularly maintained. For thrillseekers, downhill racing is also at its best in the Ubaye. Host of the UCI Masters Mountain Bike World Championships, the mountain resort Pra Loup is used to creating exhilarating downhill sensations. You can take the cable car to the top of the mountain and race back down. Come and check out the “Bike Park” and have fun testing your mountain bike skills in a forest setting that includes monkey bridges, swinging bridges and other obstacles. There are beginner, intermediate and advanced itineraries so any level of biker can give it a go! 14 / U B A Y E V A L L E Y UBAYE VALLEY / 15 WaterIn Ubaye Sports The Ubaye River is one of the most stunning rivers in Europe and is well-known for its awesome rafting and whitewater sports. Being without a dam, the river is in full force year round sporting 60 rapids of classes of I to VI over a distance of 52 kilometres. Whichever you choose: rafting, canoeing, kayaking, canyoning, or hydrospeeding, you can definitely be assured of a total adrenalin rush! Take advantage of the certified local whitewater guides who can navigate you on this breathtaking excursion. After a day of invigorating whitewater sports, relax and take it easy at the many riverside campsites found along the course. The Ubaye Valley gets its name from the Ubaye River whose source is at the Longet Lake located on the French/ Italian border and flows east to west ending at the Serre-Poncon Lake. 16 / U B A Y E V A L L E Y UBAYE VALLEY / 17 LakesIn Ubaye and Swimming Pools Kick off your shoes, lay back on a lounge chair and stare in awe at the amazing clear turquoise lakes of the Ubaye Valley. The lakes of Serre-Poncon, Lauzet Ubaye and Jausiers are easy to access and are “kid-friendly” offering services for families such as snack bars, play areas, picnic areas, beaches, tennis courts, pedal boating, canoeing, kayaking, wind- surfing, kitesurfing... You can also enjoy panoramic views while swimming at the Barcelonnette swimming centre. There are 2 outdoor swimming pools and a small pool for toddlers. Onsite is a restaurant, a sun bathing terrace, a shaded picnic area and play area. You can combine family walks with swimming pleasures at the mountain resort “Le Sauze” After a day of walking, relax at the indoor swimming pool which has an outdoor picnic area and sun bathing terrace.