Tourist Excursions around Lake Serre-Ponçon

For senior clubs, various programs offer the opportunity to discover the must-see sites of our region, reaching as far as Sisteron at the gateway to Provence, Barcelonnette in the Ubaye Valley, or Susa in Italy.

Here, the spectacular landscapes are not only natural; they are the result of two millennia of human adaptation to the mountains. Designated a “Pays d’art et d’histoire” (Land of Art and History) since 2025, the area highlights a heritage that blends history, architecture, craftsmanship, and collective memory.

The first major story is that of water. The creation of the lake in the post-war years profoundly transformed the valley: several villages disappeared and populations were relocated, while the dam symbolizes the technical and social progress of the post-war boom years. The islet of Saint-Michel and the remains of the Via Domitia, however, remind us that this valley had already been a major route of communication since Antiquity.

The second pillar of the region’s heritage is religious and urban. Embrun, a former archiepiscopal city, preserves one of the major cathedrals of the French Alps, an episcopal palace, and a historic center reflecting an important spiritual and cultural influence. In the valleys and villages, painted chapels, Protestant temples, and medieval frescoes testify to a strong religious devotion and exchanges with neighboring Italy.

Finally, the area reveals remarkable rural heritage. Agricultural terraces, irrigation canals, mills, ovens, and alpine chalets illustrate the ingenuity of mountain communities in making a demanding environment habitable. Agricultural traditions—livestock farming, high-altitude vineyards, cheeses, and cured meats—still carry this history forward today.