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Hautes-Alpes

Hautes-Alpes is a landlocked department in southeastern France, part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur administrative region, encompassing rugged alpine terrain within the French Alps.^[1] The department, designated as number 05, has its prefecture in the city of Gap and a sub-prefecture in Briançon, with only these two communes exceeding 10,000 residents.^[2] Covering 5,549 square kilometers, it holds the distinction of France's highest department by average elevation, surpassing 1,000 meters, and includes peaks over 4,000 meters such as those in the Massif des Écrins.^[2]^[3] Its sparse population of approximately 141,000 reflects the challenging mountainous geography, which limits settlement density to among the lowest in France.^[4] The economy centers on tourism—driven by winter sports, hiking, and natural sites like Écrins National Park and Lac de Serre-Ponçon—alongside agriculture, where Hautes-Alpes leads France in organic farming practices.^[5]^[6]

Geography

Topography and Geology

Hautes-Alpes features highly rugged topography dominated by the French Alps, with an average elevation exceeding 1,000 meters, making it the department with the highest mean altitude in France.^[3] More than one-third of its surface area rises above 2,000 meters, encompassing steep valleys, glacial cirques, and prominent ridges shaped by Pleistocene glaciation.^[7] The department includes major massifs such as the Massif des Écrins, home to the Barre des Écrins at 4,102 meters, the highest peak in Hautes-Alpes and entirely within metropolitan France outside Mont Blanc.^[8] Other significant summits exceed 3,500 meters, contributing to a landscape of narrow gorges and high plateaus that limit lowland areas to river basins like those of the Durance and Drac rivers.^[9] Geologically, the region formed during the Alpine orogeny in the Cenozoic era, resulting from the collision between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, which folded and uplifted ancient sedimentary layers into thrust faults and nappes.^[10] Predominant rock types include metamorphic schists, gneisses, and limestones from Mesozoic marine deposits, with evidence of deep oceanic crust in ophiolite complexes near Montgenèvre, featuring pillow lavas and serpentinite.^[11] Recent dating reveals pre-Alpine basement rocks in the Serre Chevalier area exceeding 600 million years in age, older than previously estimated, highlighting a complex Proterozoic history beneath the Alpine overprint.^[12] Erosional features like moraines and U-shaped valleys testify to repeated Quaternary glaciations, while ongoing tectonic activity influences slope stability in this seismically moderate zone.^[10]

Climate and Environmental Conditions

The climate of Hautes-Alpes is predominantly alpine, characterized by significant variations due to elevation gradients from approximately 500 meters in valleys to over 4,000 meters in peaks, resulting in cooler temperatures and increased precipitation at higher altitudes. In lower areas like Gap, the prefecture, average monthly precipitation ranges from 41 mm in July to 123 mm in November, with annual totals typically exceeding 800 mm when accounting for snow equivalents in mountainous regions. Temperatures in representative sites show annual averages around 9-10°C, with January lows reaching -10°C at higher elevations and August highs up to 20°C in valleys.^[13]^[14] Winters are cold and snowy, particularly above 1,500 meters, supporting extensive ski infrastructure, while summers are mild and dry, conducive to tourism and agriculture in intermontane basins. The department experiences a continental influence in interior valleys, leading to greater diurnal temperature swings, contrasted with slightly more temperate conditions near the southern boundaries influenced by Mediterranean air masses. Annual low temperatures average -1°C across the department, with snowfall accumulating to depths enabling avalanche risks.^[14]^[15] Environmentally, Hautes-Alpes hosts diverse ecosystems, including larch forests, alpine meadows, and high-altitude moors, fostering rich biodiversity with species such as black grouse, griffon vultures, and over 50 varieties of mountain flowers. Significant portions are protected, notably within the Parc national des Écrins, which safeguards habitats for numerous endemic flora and fauna across its 927 km² core area. Regional nature reserves like Partias emphasize forest resilience and habitat diversification amid climatic pressures.^[16]^[17]^[18] Natural hazards pose ongoing challenges, including avalanches, floods, rockfalls, and landslides, with historical databases documenting over 30,000 events in the Alps, many concentrated in Hautes-Alpes due to steep topography and heavy snowfall. Climate change exacerbates these risks through glacier retreat, permafrost thawing, and altered precipitation patterns, potentially increasing mass movement frequency, as evidenced by studies linking warmer temperatures to heightened debris flows and avalanches in the French Alps. Adaptation efforts focus on monitoring and infrastructure resilience, though heterogeneous protection levels across protected areas highlight vulnerabilities in biodiversity hotspots.^[19]^[20]^[21]

Hydrography and Natural Resources

The hydrographic network of Hautes-Alpes is characterized by alpine torrents and rivers originating from glacial melt and precipitation in the high mountains. The Durance River, the department's principal waterway, rises near Montgenèvre at an elevation of 2,300 meters and traverses the region westward for over 320 kilometers before joining the Rhône.^[22] ^[23] Key tributaries within Hautes-Alpes include the Guisane, which flows through the Serre Chevalier valley; the Guil, known for its gorges; the Buëch; the Drac; and the Clarée.^[24] ^[25] Lakes in the department range from high-altitude natural bodies, such as Lac de Sainte-Marguerite and Lac Gignoux (also called the Lake of the Seven Colors), to the large artificial Lac de Serre-Ponçon. Created by damming the Durance in the mid-20th century, Serre-Ponçon spans 2,800 hectares, stores 1.2 billion cubic meters of water, and serves multiple purposes including irrigation, flood control, and recreation.^[26] ^[27] ^[28] Natural resources in Hautes-Alpes are dominated by water and forests, with the latter covering approximately 153,000 hectares or 27% of the land area as of 2020, comprising primarily coniferous species adapted to alpine conditions.^[29] Abundant precipitation and meltwater support hydropower as a key exploitable resource; the Serre-Ponçon facility alone generates about 700 million kWh annually from a 360 MW capacity, meeting much of the department's electricity needs.^[30] ^[31] Mineral deposits, historically mined for silver-lead at Fournel and copper at Clausis near Saint-Véran, have been exploited since ancient times but contribute minimally to contemporary resources due to limited active operations.^[32] ^[33] These elements underpin the region's environmental and economic focus on sustainable water management and forestry rather than extractive industries.

Major Communes and Settlements

Gap serves as the prefecture and largest commune in Hautes-Alpes, with a population of 40,656 as of recent estimates referencing INSEE data.^[34] Situated at an elevation of 750 meters, it functions as the department's primary administrative, commercial, and educational hub, hosting government offices, a hospital, and the University of Savoie Mont Blanc's regional campus.^[35] The city's strategic location in the Gapençais basin facilitates connectivity via rail and road links to major Alpine routes, supporting a diverse economy centered on services, tourism, and light industry.^[36] Briançon, the subprefecture, ranks as the second-largest commune with 10,748 residents and holds the distinction of being the highest city in the European Union at 1,325 meters elevation.^[34] ^[37] Established as a fortified stronghold near the Italian border, it features UNESCO-listed Vauban fortifications and serves as a gateway for cross-border trade and winter sports, with its economy bolstered by skiing resorts and military presence.^[38] The commune's population density reflects its compact urban core amid mountainous terrain, contributing to regional defense and tourism sectors.^[39] Embrun, with 6,387 inhabitants, represents a key historical and touristic settlement overlooking Lac de Serre-Ponçon.^[40] Formerly a subprefecture until 1926, it retains significance as an ancient episcopal see with medieval architecture, including a Romanesque cathedral, and draws visitors for water sports and proximity to the Écrins National Park.^[41] The commune's growth of 0.6% in recent years underscores its appeal in a department where population stagnation prevails elsewhere.^[40] Smaller communes like Laragne-Montéglin, Veynes, and Chorges each number under 4,000 residents and primarily support agriculture, local commerce, and seasonal tourism, reflecting the department's dispersed settlement pattern across 163 communes dominated by rural and alpine villages.^[42] Overall, Hautes-Alpes features only these three communes exceeding 5,000 inhabitants, emphasizing its low-density, mountain-centric demographics as per INSEE records.^[43]

History

Ancient and Medieval Periods

The territory of present-day Hautes-Alpes was inhabited by Celtic tribes, including the Avantici near Gap, prior to Roman expansion. In the late 1st century BC, Roman legions under Augustus conquered the region, integrating it into the empire through the client state of King Cottius.^[44] This arrangement formalized the province of Alpes Cottiae, encompassing alpine passes vital for transalpine commerce and military movement.^[44] Key Roman settlements emerged along trade routes. Briançon, known as Brigantium, served as an important station in Alpes Cottiae, with fortifications dating to the Roman era and an agglomeration spanning approximately 62 acres.^[45] Gap originated as Vapincum around 14 BC, functioning as a defensive garrison and mansio (way station) on the Via Domitia extension through the Cottian Alps.^[36] Embrun, or Ebrodunum, developed as a colony in the 1st century BC, later becoming the capital of the neighboring Alpes Maritimae province under Nero in 63 AD.^[46] These sites facilitated control over routes linking the Rhône Valley to Italy, evidenced by archaeological remains of roads, garrisons, and civilian structures.^[36] Following the Western Roman Empire's collapse in the 5th century, the region endured invasions by Germanic groups, including Burgundians and Ostrogoths, before incorporation into Frankish domains under the Merovingians. Christianization advanced early, with bishoprics established at Embrun by the 4th century and Gap by the 5th, promoting monastic foundations amid feudal fragmentation.^[46] During the medieval period, the area integrated into the Kingdom of Provence (later Arles) and the County of Vienne, evolving into the Dauphiné by the 12th century—a semi-autonomous principality ruled by dauphins. Embrun emerged as a prominent archiepiscopal center, wielding influence over the Maritime Alps until its annexation to the Dauphiné in 1349.^[46] Briançon functioned as the capital of a local principality, fortified against alpine raids and benefiting from salt trade monopolies. Gap's strategic location fostered commerce between Provence and Dauphiné, though it remained subordinate to ecclesiastical authority. The Dauphiné's sale to the French crown in 1349 marked the region's alignment with emerging French monarchy, amid ongoing feudal conflicts and Saracen incursions in earlier centuries.^[47]^[36]

Early Modern Era and French Revolution

The southeastern portion of the Dauphiné province, encompassing the future Hautes-Alpes territory, faced religious strife during the 16th and 17th centuries due to the presence of Protestant communities amid the Wars of Religion.^[48] These conflicts contributed to instability in alpine valleys, where Calvinist influences spread through trade routes and pastoral networks.^[48] In the late 17th century, strategic concerns prompted fortification efforts along the Savoyard border. Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban inspected Briançon in 1692 and 1700, designing an ensemble of ramparts, urban enclosures, and detached forts—including the Fort des Têtes, Fort des Trois-Têtes, Fort du Randouillet, and Fort des Salettes—to counter incursions and secure the Durance Valley approaches.^[49] These works, part of France's pré carré defensive system, transformed Briançon into a key alpine stronghold, with the nearby Place Forte de Mont-Dauphin serving as a complementary bastion town.^[50] During the French Revolution, administrative reorganization under the National Constituent Assembly led to the creation of the Hautes-Alpes department on 4 March 1790, drawing from the southeastern districts of Dauphiné and excluding areas like Chamonix, which remained under Savoyard control until later annexation.^[51] Gap was designated as the departmental seat, reflecting its central position, while the revolutionary upheavals had limited direct impact on the remote alpine populace, though local Jacobin clubs formed and feudal privileges were abolished amid broader national turmoil.^[51] The new boundaries emphasized natural topography, separating highland zones from lowland Provençal influences.^[3]

19th and 20th Centuries

During the 19th century, Hautes-Alpes remained predominantly agricultural and pastoral, with limited industrialization due to its rugged terrain, though infrastructure improvements facilitated modest connectivity. The arrival of the railway in Gap in 1875 enhanced regional links to broader France, spurring some urban development while also accelerating rural depopulation as residents migrated to valley towns for opportunities.^[36] At the century's end, widespread population exodus from high-altitude villages reflected economic pressures from declining traditional farming and early deforestation concerns in areas like the Écrins massif.^[52] Tourism emerged tentatively, drawn by Alpine scenery and thermal springs, but remained elite and seasonal before mass appeal.^[53] The 20th century brought demographic decline followed by recovery, punctuated by wartime disruptions. World War I contributed to a population drop to approximately 85,000 by the 1920s, amid national mobilization that strained rural economies without direct frontline involvement in the department.^[54] In World War II, Hautes-Alpes initially fell under the Vichy free zone until German occupation after Operation Anton in November 1942, fostering active Resistance networks including maquis groups like "The Poachers" near Savournon, which conducted guerrilla actions with Allied support by August 1944.^[55] Postwar reconstruction emphasized tourism, transforming the department into a winter sports hub with skiing infrastructure, reversing depopulation trends as visitor numbers surged from the 1950s onward.^[56]

Contemporary Developments

Since the late 20th century, Hautes-Alpes has undergone economic modernization centered on tourism expansion, with ski resorts like Serre Chevalier and Les Orres developing extensively from the 1960s onward to capitalize on the department's Alpine terrain. This shift attracted seasonal employment and infrastructure investments, including enhanced road networks and the promotion of year-round activities such as hiking and cycling, boosting visitor numbers amid France's broader tourism recovery post-COVID-19. By 2025, initiatives like labeling Mont-Dauphin as one of France's most beautiful villages aimed to sustain growth, though off-season tranquility remains a local priority.^[57]^[58]^[59] The department's proximity to the Italian border has positioned it as a primary transit route for irregular migration since 2015, with migrants enduring high-altitude crossings vulnerable to hypothermia and falls; at least 145 deaths occurred in the Alps by 2023, including cases in Hautes-Alpes passes. Local NGOs, such as Tous Migrants in Briançon, have conducted rescues and provided medical aid—recording 2,104 consultations for injuries like frostbite in 2018—while French gendarmes enforced pushbacks, notifying over 7,000 entry denials in adjacent areas by 2018 and making around 32,000 arrests in 2023. This has fueled tensions between humanitarian solidarity and security measures, with temporary migrant camps emerging in sites like Briançon since 2016.^[60]^[61]^[62] Politically, Hautes-Alpes reflected rural France's electoral trends in the 2020s, supporting centrist figures like Joël Giraud in 2022 legislative wins before shifts in 2024 amid national fragmentation. Cultural flashpoints, such as the October 8, 2025, helicopter removal of a historic cross from Montgenèvre peak by municipal order, reignited debates over laïcité versus patrimonial traditions, drawing criticism from conservatives decrying erosion of local identity. These developments underscore ongoing balances between economic vitality, border security, and cultural preservation in a sparsely populated department of about 141,000 residents.^[63]^[64]^[65]

Administration and Politics

Departmental Structure and Governance

The Hautes-Alpes department is administratively structured into two arrondissements—Gap, serving as the prefecture, and Briançon, with a sub-prefecture—15 cantons, and 162 communes as of January 1, 2025.^[66] ^[67] The prefect, representing the central state authority, is based in Gap and oversees enforcement of national policies, coordination of state services, public order, and intercommunal relations, while the sub-prefect in Briançon handles similar duties for the eastern portion.^[68] Governance centers on the Conseil départemental, an elected assembly of 30 councillors (two per canton) serving six-year terms, with elections last held in 2021.^[69] This body holds authority over departmental matters such as social welfare, child protection, secondary road maintenance, environmental management, and support for technical high schools and cultural heritage.^[69] Sessions are held in Gap, where the council's headquarters are located, and decisions are implemented through a directorate general of services led by Jérôme Scholly.^[70] Jean-Marie Bernard, affiliated with Les Républicains, has presided over the council since April 2, 2015, directing policy priorities including rural development and infrastructure resilience in mountainous terrain.^[70] The structure emphasizes decentralized decision-making, with cantonal pairs ensuring paired male-female representation per French law, though operational challenges arise from the department's sparse population and alpine isolation, necessitating coordination with regional and national entities for funding and execution.^[69]

Electoral Representation

The Hautes-Alpes department comprises two legislative constituencies for elections to the National Assembly, with the 1st centered on Gap and encompassing southern and central areas, and the 2nd focused on Briançon in the northern, higher-altitude zones.^[71] These constituencies each elect one deputy via a two-round majority system. The 2024 legislative elections, held on June 30 and July 7 amid national political fragmentation following the presidential dissolution, resulted in Marie-José Allemand representing the 1st constituency and Valérie Rossi the 2nd, reflecting a mix of centrist and right-leaning influences in a department with historically conservative rural electorates.^[72]^[73] In the Senate, Hautes-Alpes elects two senators for six-year terms, with partial renewal every three years based on departmental population under 250,000.^[74] Jean-Michel Arnaud, an agricultural operator affiliated with the Les Républicains party and serving as Senate secretary, was elected in the September 2020 sénatorial vote with support from right-wing and centrist grand electors, securing the seat for the 2020–2026 term.^[75]^[76] The department's sénatorial elections favor local notables and draw from municipal councillors, mayors, and other eligible voters, often amplifying rural and center-right priorities over urban progressive ones. At the departmental level, the Conseil départemental features 30 councillors elected in pairs across 15 cantons every six years under a majority vote with gender parity.^[77] Jean-Marie Bernard (Les Républicains), councillor for the Veynes canton, has presided since 2015 and was re-elected in July 2021 following his list's victory in the June elections, where the right-wing coalition "Un CAP pour les Hautes-Alpes" captured a majority of seats amid low turnout of around 48% in the second round.^[78]^[79]^[80] This majority, comprising 18 of 30 seats, emphasizes infrastructure, agriculture, and mountain-specific policies, contrasting with national left-leaning trends in larger urban departments.^[81] For the European Parliament, Hautes-Alpes voters participate in the single national proportional list system, with no department-specific allocation; outcomes align with Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regional sentiments, where center-right and sovereignist lists polled competitively in 2024.^[82] The department also contributes electors to the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regional council, where right-wing parties hold influence in assemblies reflecting alpine conservatism.^[83]

Border Policies and Security Challenges

The Hautes-Alpes department shares a mountainous border with Italy, primarily along the Cottian Alps near Briançon, where irregular migrant crossings have persisted since the mid-2010s amid pressures on Mediterranean routes and Italy's reception capacities.^[60] France has maintained temporary internal border controls under Schengen provisions since November 2015, renewed periodically through 2025, enabling systematic identity checks, entry refusals, and returns of irregular entrants at this frontier.^[84] ^[85] These measures, justified by French authorities as responses to terrorism risks and migratory flows, include mobile gendarmerie patrols equipped with snowmobiles, thermal imaging, and drones to intercept crossings in remote passes like those in the Clarée Valley.^[61] In September 2022, the Hautes-Alpes prefect prioritized combating illegal immigration, intensifying operations that resulted in 6,100 arrests in 2023—up from 4,111 in 2022—with approximately 4,600 individuals returned to Italy and 1,200 unaccompanied minors placed in care.^[86] ^[84] Security challenges stem from the alpine terrain's harsh conditions, including altitudes exceeding 2,000 meters, sub-zero temperatures, and sudden weather shifts, which exacerbate risks for migrants often lacking adequate gear and reliant on smuggling networks.^[87] At least 145 migrant deaths have occurred at EU alpine borders since 2015, with multiple fatalities in Hautes-Alpes, such as the 2018 drowning of Nigerian migrant Blessing Matthew in the Durance River after a pushback, a young man's death on a border path in August 2024, and two drownings near Briançon in October 2024.^[60] ^[88] ^[89] Enforcement difficulties include evading patrols in vast, snow-covered areas, leading to injuries requiring medical intervention—such as the 2,104 consultations logged by local aid group Tous Migrants in 2018 for frostbite, exhaustion, and trauma.^[61] Local responses have created tensions, with citizen solidarity networks organizing humanitarian aid and informal corridors, sometimes facing legal repercussions for alleged aiding of illegal entry, as in the 2018 conviction of seven Briançon activists for guiding a group across the border.^[90] These efforts, while addressing immediate perils, complicate official controls and highlight disputes over pushback legality under EU law, with Italy protesting returns as violating non-refoulement principles, though French officials classify many as pre-entry refusals.^[91] Smuggling operations persist, exploiting passes like Col de l'Échelle, underscoring the interplay of geographic inaccessibility, policy enforcement, and cross-border dynamics in sustaining these challenges.^[61]

Economy

Primary Economic Sectors

The primary economic sector in Hautes-Alpes is dominated by agriculture, particularly extensive livestock farming adapted to the department's high-altitude, mountainous terrain, which limits arable cultivation. Pastoralism prevails, involving transhumance practices where herds of sheep, goats, and cattle graze on alpine pastures during summer months, supporting meat and dairy production.^[92]^[93] The department's administration actively supports the ovine sector amid challenges like increased predation by wolves, providing subsidies and infrastructure to sustain traditional herding.^[94] Dairy production constitutes a key component, with bovine farming focused on hardy breeds like Tarentaise cows suited to steep slopes and harsh winters. Approximately 190 of the 220 regional milk producers in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur are located in Hautes-Alpes, supplying laiteries that process around 90% of the output into cheeses via cooperative fruitières, a historical system of on-site transformation.^[95] Bovine livestock and dairy account for about 15% of the department's agricultural production value, equating to roughly 18 million euros annually, though the sector faces pressures from declining cow numbers due to economic viability and environmental factors.^[96] Sheep farming remains prevalent in the southern Alpine zones, contributing to wool, meat, and cheese outputs while maintaining landscape openness through grazing. Forestry and mining play marginal roles in the contemporary primary economy. Sylviculture is limited by the predominance of protective coniferous stands over commercial exploitation, with the broader Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region's forests yielding minimal timber harvests despite their extent.^[98] Mining activities, historically significant for silver-lead at sites like Fournel (exploited from the 10th century until 1908) and iron at Banchet (1840–1947), have ceased, leaving no active extraction as a primary contributor today; recent efforts focus on heritage tourism rather than resource output.^[99]^[100]

Tourism's Role and Vulnerabilities

Tourism constitutes the primary economic driver in Hautes-Alpes, accounting for 26% of the department's GDP as of recent assessments, reflecting a 50% increase over the past decade amid overall economic growth.^[101] This sector leverages the department's alpine terrain, including major ski resorts such as Serre Chevalier and La Grave, which attract winter visitors for downhill and off-piste skiing, alongside summer activities like hiking in the Écrins National Park and watersports on Lake Serre-Ponçon.^[102] The influx supports ancillary services, from accommodations to local commerce, bolstering employment in a region where public sector jobs comprise about 26% of total salaried positions.^[103] Despite its dominance, tourism in Hautes-Alpes exhibits structural vulnerabilities, particularly its heavy reliance on winter sports, which heightens exposure to seasonal fluctuations and external shocks.^[102] Climate change exacerbates these risks through diminished natural snow cover, prompting greater dependence on artificial snow production—a process that demands substantial water resources and energy, potentially straining local supplies amid glacier retreat and earlier snowmelt.^[104] Projections indicate that lower-altitude resorts, common in the department, face reduced ski season viability without adaptation, as modeled in regional analyses of the French Alps.^[105] Overcrowding during peak periods further pressures infrastructure and ecosystems, while efforts to diversify into year-round offerings, such as eco-tourism, confront challenges from shifting weather patterns that could deter summer visitors seeking traditional alpine conditions.^[106] These factors underscore the need for resilient strategies, including enhanced snowmaking and sustainable practices, to mitigate long-term declines in visitor numbers projected under warming scenarios.^[102]

Infrastructure and Development Initiatives

The Autoroute A51 serves as the primary highway traversing the southern portion of Hautes-Alpes, linking La Saulce, south of Gap, to Sisteron and further to Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, facilitating freight and tourist mobility despite incomplete northern extension to Grenoble.^[107] In 2025, Vinci Autoroutes completed major pavement renovations between Sisteron Nord and La Saulce, enhancing safety and capacity amid rising tolls that burden local commuters reliant on the route due to limited public transport alternatives.^[108] ^[107] Rail infrastructure centers on the Veynes–Briançon line, with Gap station handling TER regional trains connecting to Marseille, Grenoble, and Valence, supporting daily commutes and seasonal tourism.^[109] Additional stations at Briançon, Embrun, and Mont-Dauphin-Guillestre integrate the network, though service frequency remains constrained by the alpine topography.^[110] Air access is limited to general aviation at Gap–Tallard Aerodrome, which supports ultralight aircraft, parachuting, and flight training but lacks commercial passenger operations, directing travelers to distant hubs like Marseille Provence Airport.^[111] Hydroelectric facilities dominate energy infrastructure, leveraging the department's rivers and reservoirs for renewable power generation. The Eyssalette hydroelectric plant, under construction as of August 2025 by the Syndicat Mixte des Énergies des Hautes-Alpes, aims to bolster local supply through turbine upgrades on the Durance River.^[112] Similarly, the Les Orres plant, slated for autumn 2025 commissioning, targets energy-positive status for the commune via small-scale hydro production.^[113] SEM Hautes-Alpes Energies spearheads broader initiatives, planning 50 to 60 million euros in green energy projects over the next decade, including micro-hydro and photovoltaic installations to reduce import dependence.^[114] These efforts align with regional sustainability goals, though ecological impacts on waterways prompt scrutiny from environmental regulators.^[115]

Demographics

Population Dynamics and Trends

As of 2022, the department of Hautes-Alpes recorded a population of 141,677 inhabitants, marking an average annual increase of 0.1% since 2016 when the figure stood at 141,107.^[41] This near-stagnation contrasts with national trends, as the department's growth has decelerated markedly since the 1999-2010 period, resulting in zero net change between 2015 and 2021 compared to 0.3% nationally.^[116] Between 1999 and 2022, the population rose from approximately 121,000 to over 141,000, driven initially by inflows but increasingly challenged by demographic imbalances.^[41] The department's population dynamics reflect a persistent negative natural balance, with deaths outpacing births due to low fertility and an aging populace. In 2022, there were 1,234 births against 1,542 deaths, yielding a natural deficit of 308 individuals and a crude birth rate of 8.7 per 1,000 inhabitants.^[41] Births have declined by about 20% since 2013, aligning with broader regional patterns of falling fertility below replacement levels.^[117] This shortfall is offset by positive net migration, contributing an estimated 0.3% annual growth and preventing overall decline, though migratory gains have also weakened in recent years.^[41] ^[116] Age structure underscores pronounced aging, with 33.6% of residents aged 65 or older in 2022—substantially above the national average—and only 15.2% under 15 years.^[41] The proportion aged 75 and over reached 12.1% in 2021, exceeding France's 9.6% and rising 15% since 2010, while the 60-74 cohort grew 29% over the same span.^[116] These shifts, amplified by the working-age population's contraction to 51.2%, signal long-term pressures on local services and economy, with projections indicating up to 27% aged 75+ by 2070.^[116] Spatially, trends vary: southern areas around Gap show stability or slight gains from urban appeal and proximity to economic hubs, while northern zones like Briançon experience depopulation, losing over 1,200 residents in recent years amid rural exodus and limited opportunities. Overall, Hautes-Alpes exemplifies alpine demographic challenges, where migration sustains numbers but cannot fully counter structural aging and fertility declines rooted in geographic isolation and socioeconomic factors.^[41]^[116]

Migration Inflows and Impacts

Hautes-Alpes serves as a primary entry point for irregular migration into France via alpine border crossings from Italy, particularly through passes like Col de l'Échelle and Montgenèvre near Briançon. Since 2016, these routes have seen thousands of crossings annually, with over 30,000 individuals estimated to have entered France on foot via the high Franco-Italian border in the department over the subsequent decade. In 2017, approximately 1,600 migrants traversed Col de l'Échelle alone, including 900 unaccompanied minors. More recent observations indicate 20 to 60 arrivals per day in Briançon as of 2021–2023, though exact figures fluctuate due to seasonal weather and enforcement. Most originate from sub-Saharan Africa, the Maghreb, and Afghanistan, often transiting from Italy after sea arrivals in Europe; national asylum recognition rates for such profiles hover around 38–40%, suggesting many claims lack substantiation under international protection criteria.^[118]^[119]^[120]^[121]^[122] The department's foreign-born population remains modest at 6.1% (8,602 individuals) as of 2022, concentrated in origins like Algeria (42.6%) and Morocco (8.1%), reflecting limited long-term settlement compared to inflows. Asylum processing occurs nationally via centers like the CADA in Gap, which provides temporary housing, but the department bears initial reception burdens, including over 1,000 unaccompanied minors placed in care since 2018. These dynamics impose fiscal strains on local services in a sparsely populated area (141,000 residents), with housing and medical aid for transients—such as frostbite treatment from high-altitude treks—diverting resources from tourism-dependent infrastructure. Episodes of overcrowding, as in Briançon where shelters hosted over 200 in 2023, have exceeded capacities, prompting temporary measures and occasional street presence.^[123]^[124]^[125]^[126] Socially, crossings have polarized communities, fostering grassroots solidarity networks like Tous Migrants for humanitarian aid while clashing with heightened border security, including gendarmes conducting pushbacks and patrols since 2015. Local authorities report irregular entries contributing to security challenges, with France recording 15,000 frontier arrests nationwide in 2024, a portion attributable to Hautes-Alpes routes. Economically, transient flows yield negligible labor contributions in a sector reliant on seasonal tourism and agriculture, instead generating unquantified costs for emergency response and minor placements amid the department's aging, low-density demographics. Fatalities from exposure underscore risks, though precise tallies remain underreported.^[87]^[127]

Socioeconomic Composition

The socioeconomic composition of Hautes-Alpes reflects its rural, mountainous character, with a workforce heavily oriented toward services, tourism, and agriculture, resulting in a lower concentration of high-skilled professionals compared to national and regional averages. The share of cadres and professions intellectuelles supérieures among the working population stands at 10%, the lowest in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (17% regionally), indicating a predominance of intermediate and manual occupations.^[128] Common roles include retail employees, restaurant servers, and sales workers, driven by seasonal tourism demands.^[129] Income levels lag behind national figures, with average income per inhabitant at approximately 18,422 euros annually, compared to the French average of 20,590 euros.^[130] GDP per capita is around 28,672 euros, below the metropolitan France average of over 36,000 euros. Unemployment remains relatively contained at 6.4% as of Q2 2025, lower than pre-pandemic national rates.^[131] Poverty rates are moderate, with the department faring better than neighboring Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, though median living standards are subdued due to economic seasonality.^[132] Education attainment shows a modest edge in mid-level qualifications, with 12.8% of the population holding bac+2 diplomas versus 11.8% nationally, but lower shares at bac+3/4 levels (11.2% departmentally).^[41] This aligns with occupational patterns favoring practical and vocational training over advanced degrees, supporting sectors like hospitality and primary production rather than knowledge-intensive industries. Overall, the department exhibits lower income inequality than urban French counterparts, tempered by geographic isolation and reliance on public transfers.^[41]

Culture and Society

Linguistic and Cultural Traditions

The predominant language in Hautes-Alpes is standard French, reflecting the department's integration into the French state since the Revolution.^[51] Historically, the Vivaro-Alpine dialect of Occitan—known locally as gavot or gapencés—prevailed in valleys such as those around Gap and Briançon, deriving from medieval Romance evolutions influenced by Latin and pre-Roman substrates.^[133] This dialect features distinct intonational patterns and vocabulary tied to Alpine pastoral life, but it has become endangered, with fewer than half of ethnic speakers fluent and transmission accelerating in decline due to urbanization and education in French.^[134] Efforts to preserve it include immersion schooling at institutions like the Calandreta in Hautes-Alpes, where Vivaro-Alpine is taught to children.^[135] The department's Occitan toponym Auts Aups underscores this linguistic heritage, though daily use remains marginal amid French dominance.^[136] Cultural traditions in Hautes-Alpes emphasize self-reliant Alpine pastoralism, shaped by harsh terrain and seasonal migrations. Transhumance—seasonal herding of sheep and cattle to high pastures—remains a core custom, fostering communal rituals around cheesemaking (e.g., from local ewes' milk) and woodworking for tools and chalets, practices dating to pre-industrial eras when valleys sustained isolated communities through mixed farming.^[137] High-altitude villages like Saint-Véran exemplify enduring architectural customs, with larch-log chalets, wooden fountains, and sundials adapted for solar tracking in low-light winters, preserving a vernacular style distinct from Provençal lowlands.^[138] Festivals reinforce these traditions, blending historical reenactment with communal feasting. The Fête Médiévale de Briançon, held annually, revives 17th-century Vauban-era customs through costumed parades, artisan markets, and fortified-site tours, drawing on the town's UNESCO-listed military heritage.^[139] In Embrun, the Trad'In Festival features three days of acoustic concerts showcasing Occitan-influenced folk music, dances, and storytelling, promoting intergenerational transmission of oral customs.^[140] Such events, rooted in Catholic feast days and harvest cycles, maintain social cohesion in rural areas where tourism now supplements traditional livelihoods.^[141]

Heritage Sites and Festivals

The Hautes-Alpes department preserves numerous historical monuments, with two sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Fortifications of Vauban: the urban enclosure and fortifications of Briançon, and the fortified town of Mont-Dauphin.^[142] The Briançon ensemble includes tiered mountain defenses designed by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban in the late 17th century to protect against invasions, featuring walls, forts such as the Fort des Salettes and Fort des Trois-Têtes, and the Asfeld Bridge.^[143] Mont-Dauphin, constructed starting in 1693 under Vauban's direction, serves as a stronghold with barracks, a church, and defensive structures overlooking the Durance Valley, exemplifying 17th-century military architecture adapted to alpine terrain.^[144] These sites, designated UNESCO heritage in 2008, highlight Vauban's innovative engineering for frontier defense.^[145] Other notable heritage includes the Cistercian Abbey of Boscodon, founded in the 12th century near Sisteron, featuring Romanesque architecture and a restored cloister that reflects medieval monastic life in the region.^[146] The department counts over 170 classified monuments historiques as of late 2024, encompassing churches, bridges, and fortified villages that attest to its strategic role in historical trade routes and conflicts.^[147] Festivals in Hautes-Alpes emphasize local traditions and medieval heritage, such as the Fête Médiévale de Briançon, an annual event recreating historical reenactments, markets, and parades within the Vauban citadel to evoke the town's fortified past.^[139] The Trad'In Festival in Embrun, held over three days, features concerts and musical encounters showcasing alpine folk traditions and contemporary interpretations in a communal setting near Lake Serre-Ponçon.^[140] The Grande Fête de Vallouise offers family-oriented festivities with regional crafts, music, and alpine customs, fostering community ties in the summer months.^[148] These events draw on the department's cultural legacy, blending historical preservation with seasonal celebrations of high-mountain life. The department of Hautes-Alpes exhibits relatively low levels of traditional social distress indicators compared to national averages, with a poverty rate of 14.7% in 2021 and an unemployment rate of 9.1% among the 15-64 age group in 2022.^[41] Median household income stands at €22,010 annually as of 2021, supporting moderate socioeconomic stability amid a rural and tourism-dependent economy. Single-parent families comprise 15.2% of households, aligning with broader French patterns but concentrated in urban centers like Gap.^[41] A prominent social tension arises from irregular migration across the Franco-Italian border, particularly via high-altitude passes near Briançon, where thousands of migrants annually attempt entry, often enduring exposure risks. Local NGOs, such as Tous Migrants, reported 2,104 medical consultations in 2018 for hypothermia, frostbite, and trauma among border-crossers, highlighting humanitarian strains on community resources. French authorities have intensified pushbacks—1,900 entry denials in Hautes-Alpes in 2017 alone—prioritizing illegal immigration control, as affirmed by the prefect in 2022, amid accusations from advocacy groups of excessive policing that foster local divisions between residents favoring security and activists emphasizing aid.^[61] ^[91] ^[86] Community dynamics reflect alpine rural resilience tempered by demographic pressures, including an aging population where 33.7% of residents were aged 60 or older in 2022, driving isolation in remote valleys. Youth emigration contributes to selective depopulation in peripheral communes, despite overall departmental growth to 141,677 inhabitants, as economic opportunities draw younger cohorts to urban Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur hubs. Low residential mobility—89% of residents in the same housing as the prior year—fosters tight-knit local networks but exacerbates service strains for the elderly.^[41] ^[149] Crime remains subdued, with a departmental rate of 44.8 offenses per 1,000 inhabitants, ranking 36th nationally, and property crimes declining 9.4% in priority zones in 2024; burglaries are among France's lowest at 1.9 per 1,000 households. This relative safety bolsters community cohesion in small, interdependent mountain settlements, though border-related incidents occasionally heighten perceptions of insecurity.^[150] ^[151] ^[152]

Natural Parks and Environment

Key Protected Areas

The Hautes-Alpes department hosts significant portions of France's premier alpine protected areas, primarily the Parc national des Écrins and the Parc naturel régional du Queyras, which safeguard diverse high-mountain ecosystems, glaciers, and biodiversity hotspots amid the Dauphiné and Cottian Alps.^[153] These zones emphasize strict conservation in core areas while permitting sustainable activities in peripheral regions, protecting over 150 peaks exceeding 3,000 meters and extensive glacial cover.^[154] The Parc national des Écrins, established on March 23, 1973, spans approximately 91,800 hectares in its central zone across Hautes-Alpes and neighboring Isère departments, with 22 of its 49 adhering communes holding park territory in Hautes-Alpes.^[155] ^[156] This park, France's second-largest national park, encompasses rugged terrain from 800 to 4,102 meters elevation, featuring 10,000 hectares of glaciers, vast alpages, and forests that support endemic flora and fauna such as ibex, chamois, and golden eagles.^[156] ^[154] Five national park centers operate within Hautes-Alpes—at Briançon, Vallouise, Embrun, Champsaur, and Valgaudemar—facilitating education and regulated access.^[153] The Parc naturel régional du Queyras, designated in 1977, covers 65,000 hectares in northeastern Hautes-Alpes along the Italian border, encompassing 11 communes with a sparse population of about 2,300 residents, making it France's least densely populated regional natural park.^[157] ^[158] This park preserves a mosaic of high-altitude landscapes, including larch forests, alpine meadows, and peaks over 3,000 meters, home to marmots, hares, chamois, and diverse bird species; it integrates the Réserve nationale de Ristolas-Mont Viso and forms part of a transboundary biosphere reserve.^[159] ^[160] Conservation focuses on maintaining ecological connectivity and traditional pastoral practices amid tourism pressures.^[161] Additional notable protections include the Vallée de la Clarée, designated as a Natura 2000 site for its pristine riverine habitats and biodiversity, and smaller reserves like Montagne de Chabre, classified for its ecological value, though these are secondary to the major parks in scale and prominence.^[162]

Conservation Efforts and Challenges

The Parc national des Écrins, encompassing significant portions of Hautes-Alpes, implements core conservation measures including the protection of 92,000 hectares of terrestrial heart zone where human activities are strictly limited to preserve biodiversity, with park agents maintaining over 700 kilometers of trails to facilitate low-impact access while monitoring flora and fauna.^[163] The park's successful reintroduction of ibex populations in the late 1970s and 1980s has bolstered local ungulate numbers, demonstrating effective species recovery efforts amid alpine ecosystems.^[164] In 2019, the park earned designation on the IUCN Green List, recognizing its robust management for long-term conservation outcomes across high-mountain habitats.^[165] Regional initiatives complement national parks, such as the Partias Regional Nature Reserve's projects to mitigate spring and summer wildlife disturbances through user awareness campaigns targeting hikers, skiers, and mountain bikers, alongside enhanced ecological monitoring in its 685-hectare area spanning 1,600 to 2,900 meters elevation.^[166] ^[18] Natura 2000 sites across Hautes-Alpes designate protected habitats for representative European species, enforced via prefectural biotope protection orders and coordination with winter sports to safeguard priority fauna like the rock ptarmigan.^[167] Rewilding efforts by organizations like Mountain Wilderness involve clearing obsolete infrastructures to restore 123 hectares in six mountain sites during 2024-2025, engaging 190 volunteers over 10 workdays to enhance habitat connectivity.^[168] The LIFE WOLFALPS EU project addresses large carnivore conservation across the French Alps, including Hautes-Alpes, through conflict mitigation and population monitoring.^[169] Challenges persist from anthropogenic pressures, including habitat fragmentation due to expanding settlements, road networks, unsustainable agriculture, and hydroelectric dams, which collectively diminish alpine biodiversity connectivity.^[170] Tourism-driven activities exacerbate erosion on slopes, noise pollution, and water quality degradation in rivers and lakes, compounded by air pollution from increased vehicular and resort traffic.^[170] Climate change intensifies these issues, with accelerated glacier retreat—exemplified by the Glacier Blanc's pronounced shrinkage amid 2022 droughts and heatwaves—leading to heightened rockfall risks in high-alpine zones and reduced water availability.^[171] ^[20] Recurrent summer droughts, linked to rising temperatures and precipitation shifts, strain local economies reliant on snowmelt and threaten groundwater reserves, while extreme rainfall events elevate flood and landslide hazards in valleys.^[172] ^[173] Efforts to decarbonize mountain resorts face hurdles from tourism's high carbon footprint, necessitating innovations in energy use and transport to align with emission reduction goals.^[174]

Climate Change Implications

Glacier retreat in Hautes-Alpes has accelerated due to rising temperatures and reduced precipitation, with the Glacier Blanc, the largest in the southern French Alps, experiencing significant mass loss amid 2022's drought and heat waves.^[171] In the Écrins Massif, part of Écrins National Park, glacial shrinkage and permafrost thawing have destabilized high-altitude terrain, increasing rockfall frequency and altering mountaineering routes as documented in analyses of 70 itineraries.^[175] ^[176] These changes threaten the structural integrity of protected ecosystems, where permafrost warming contributes to slope instability and potential habitat fragmentation. Biodiversity in Hautes-Alpes' alpine environments faces shifts from climate-driven vegetation changes and reduced snow cover, disrupting ecosystem functioning in high-elevation zones like those in Écrins National Park.^[177] Plant species responses vary, with approximately 31% increasing in frequency while 13% decline in the French Alps, reflecting elevational migrations and competition alterations that could lead to local extinctions of cold-adapted endemics.^[178] Warming also impacts tree species such as Larix decidua, reducing radial growth and wood density at lower elevations within the department, potentially reshaping forest composition in protected areas.^[179] Water resources critical to Hautes-Alpes' hydrology, including Lake Serre-Ponçon, are under strain from diminished glacial meltwater contributions and projected reductions in alpine river flows.^[180] Climate projections indicate that by 2100, temperature rises of 2.6–4.2°C in the Alps will alter hydrological regimes, exacerbating summer low flows and affecting downstream ecosystems and conservation efforts in national parks.^[181] Adaptation strategies, such as the Serre-Ponçon resilience plan, aim to diversify economic uses and infrastructure resilience amid these pressures, though empirical data underscore ongoing vulnerabilities in water availability for biodiversity-dependent wetlands and riparian zones.^[180] Increased geohazards, including rockfalls and mass movements, are linked to climate trends in Hautes-Alpes' high-alpine sectors, with studies identifying temperature-driven permafrost degradation as a primary causal factor.^[20] These dynamics challenge conservation in areas like Écrins by heightening erosion risks and habitat loss, necessitating integrated monitoring to mitigate cascading environmental impacts.^[20]

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Le Sénat est composé de 348 sénateurs, élus pour un mandat de six ans. Sénat.<|separator|>
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https://www.hautes-alpes.gouv.fr/Actualites/Communiques-de-presse/Communiques-de-presse-2020/Elections-senatoriales-resultats-definitifs
[77]
Élections sénatoriales : résultats définitifs - hautes-alpes.gouv.fr
Sep 27, 2020 · À l'issu du second tour des élections sénatoriales, Monsieur Jean-Michel ARNAUD a été élu sénateur des Hautes-Alpes pour les 6 prochaines ...
[78]
Élu(e)s - : - Les conseillers départementaux
Le Département des Hautes-Alpes est constitué de 15 cantons, représentés par 30 conseillers départementaux.
[79]
Jean-Marie BERNARD - Département des Hautes-Alpes
Nov 18, 2024 · Groupe "Majorité départementale" : Jean-Marie BERNARD. Président du Département des Hautes-Alpes. Conseiller départemental du canton de Veynes.
[80]
Le nouveau conseil départemental a réélu Jean-Marie Bernard au ...
Jul 1, 2021 · 25 voix pour, 4 bulletins blanc et 1 nul : ce jeudi matin, Jean-Marie Bernard (Les Républicains), seul candidat, a été réélu sans surprise ...
[81]
Hautes-Alpes (05) - Les archives des élections en France
Résultats du département au 2d tour. Binômes de candidats, Voix, % Inscrits, % Exprimés, Nb Sieges. Binôme Union à gauche, 1 185, 1,52, 3,87, 2. Binôme Divers ...Missing: dernières | Show results with:dernières
[82]
Hautes-Alpes. Départementales : autour de Jean-Marie Bernard, la ...
Jun 2, 2021 · Ce mercredi 2 juin, à L'Argentière-la-Bessée, la majorité sortante du Conseil départemental, “Un cap pour les Hautes-Alpes”, a lancé sa campagne
[83]
Européennes 2024 - Résultats - Les archives des élections en France
Hautes-Alpes (05) ; LA FRANCE INSOUMISE - UNION POPULAIRE, LFI, 4 973 ; EUROPE ÉCOLOGIE, LVEC, 4 815 ; LA FRANCE FIERE, MENEE PAR MARION MARECHAL ET SOUTENUE PAR ...
[84]
Résultats des élections européennes 2024 dans les Hautes-Alpes
Découvrez les résultats des élections européennes 2024 dans les Hautes-Alpes : députés élus et historique des précédentes élections.
[85]
Access to the territory and push backs - Asylum Information Database
Jun 11, 2025 · Land and air borders. Persons refused entry into the territory after arriving at the border have the possibility to ask for a “full day” ...
[86]
Temporary Reintroduction of Border Control
Learn which Schengen countries are currently reintroducing temporary border control in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code.
[87]
Police practices of border control: one year of pushbacks and denial ...
Jan 18, 2023 · This report includes numerous testimonies that illustrate the non-respect of the rights of migrants, as well as the practices of hindering solidarity against ...Missing: challenges | Show results with:challenges
[88]
The French Hautes-Alpes: community solidarity locks horns with a ...
Nov 10, 2021 · The French-Italian border can be seen as a barometric sensor of the political, economic and social crises in Europe, Asia and the Mediterranean.Missing: 21st | Show results with:21st
[89]
Death at the French-Italian border raises multiple concerns, says ...
Jun 20, 2022 · It examines the death of Blessing Matthew, who was found on 9 May 2018 on the shore of La Durance river in the French Alps, caught in the lock ...
[90]
The Role of Bodily Control and Resistance through Care in the ...
In August 2024, a young man was found dead on a path, and in October two men drowned in the river on the outskirts of Briançon, bringing the number of people ...Missing: incidents | Show results with:incidents
[91]
Seven migrant rights defenders sentenced
Dec 20, 2018 · On 22 April 2018, a group of about a hundred human rights defenders, including the Briançon 7, joined in a peaceful 15-kilometre march from ...Missing: incidents | Show results with:incidents
[92]
[PDF] France–Italy border – Observation report 2017-2018 - Anafé
In Hautes-Alpes, 316 entry denials were notified in 2016 and 1,900 in 2017. In Haute-Maurienne, more than 7,000 denials were notified in 2018. These figures ...
[93]
L'Association Française de Pastoralisme: L'AFP
C'est une activité de production : élevages allaitants pour la viande ou laitiers pour le lait avec transformation en fromages éventuelle. La laine fait ...
[94]
Permanence and changes in pastoral farming in the Southern Alps
Aug 6, 2025 · The Southern Alps, where sheep farming is highly prevalent, is specific to the mountains of the Mediterranean region and, consequently, is in ...
[95]
[PDF] L'élevage, - Département des Hautes-Alpes
Les Hautes-Alpes continuent également à soutenir la filière ovine et le pastoralisme, confrontés à une crise provoquée par l'augmentation de la prédation ...
[96]
Bovins laitiers - Maison Régionale de L'Elevage PACA
Dec 19, 2023 · Près de 220 producteurs vendent leur lait à une laiterie dont 190 rien que sur le département des Hautes Alpes. Ce lait est collecté à 90 % par ...
[97]
[PDF] les hautes-alpes
de Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. L'élevage bovin et la production laitière représentent 15 % de la valeur de la production agricole soit 18 millions d'euros en.
[98]
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur - Hunting and production forests
The PACA region (as it is known) is the second largest forest region in France after Corsica, yet it is little exploited for its wood. There are, however, some ...Missing: sylviculture | Show results with:sylviculture
[99]
Histoire - Mines d'argent du Fournel
La mine d'argent de l'Argentière dans les Hautes Alpes est exploitée dès le Xème siècle. Histoire. Le gîte minéral du Fournel dans les Hautes-Alpes, est un ...
[100]
Banchet Mine, Névache, Briançon, Hautes-Alpes, Provence ... - Mindat
Aug 10, 2025 · Banchet Mine, Névache, Briançon, Hautes-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France : Iron mine alternately exploited in the period 1840-1947.
[101]
Emplois et PIB en forte croissance dans les Hautes-Alpes depuis 10 ...
Jun 24, 2025 · Évidemment, le tourisme reste la locomotive économique des Hautes-Alpes (26 % du PIB), en hausse de 50 %. « Notre objectif repose sur la né ...
[102]
[PDF] Climate Change in the European Alps | OECD
This OECD report focuses on climate change in the European Alps, specifically adaptation to winter tourism and natural hazards, as a challenge to social and ...
[103]
[PDF] LE PORTRAIT SOCIO-ÉCONOMIQUE DE LA RÉGION HAUTES ...
À fin décembre 2018, l'INSEE chiffre à 12 700 le nombre de salariés dans la fonction publique dans les Hautes-Alpes, soit 26% de l'emploi total régional (21%.
[104]
(PDF) Climate change and tourism in the Alps - ResearchGate
Winter tourism has been repeatedly identified as vulnerable to global climate change due to dimin- ished snow conditions required for alpine and nordic skiing.
[105]
Winter tourism under climate change in the Pyrenees and the ... - TC
Apr 24, 2019 · Climate change is increasingly regarded as a threat for winter tourism due to the combined effect of decreasing natural snow amounts and ...
[106]
Europe: How climate change, mass tourism threaten the Alps - DW
Nov 6, 2023 · Apart from climate change, tourism in the Alps is having a massive problem, with too many vacationers swarming the region every year. Local ...
[107]
Dernière ligne droite pour le chantier de rénovation des chaussées ...
Oct 13, 2025 · A51 : Dernière ligne droite pour le chantier de rénovation des chaussées entre Sisteron Nord et La Saulce. Publié le 13 octobre 2025. 2min.
[108]
Hautes-Alpes. Autoroute A51 : des hausses de prix qui pèsent sur le ...
Feb 1, 2025 · Face à une offre de transports en commun limitée, coûteuse et chronophage, emprunter l'autoroute A51 dans les Hautes-Alpes est inévitable.
[109]
Gare Gap : accès, services et infos pratiques - Avec TER
Préparez votre voyage ! Découvrez les informations pratiques sur la gare Gap : accès, services, arrivées et départs en temps réel.
[110]
Hautes-Alpes - Gares & Connexions
Hautes-Alpes ... Liste des gares : Aspres-sur-Buëch · Briançon · Chorges · Embrun · Gap · L'Argentière Les Écrins · Laragne-Montéglin · Mont-Dauphin - Guillestre ...
[111]
Aérodrome de Gap Tallard - Union des Aéroports Français
Aérodrome de Gap Tallard ; Adresse. Maison de l'air 700 rue Pierre Georges Latécoère 05130 TALLARD. Tél. 0492540157. Couriel. accueil.aerodrome.gaptallard@hautes ...
[112]
Les coulisses du chantier de la centrale hydroélectrique ... - SyME05
Aug 28, 2025 · Mercredi 27 août 2025, les portes du chantier de la future centrale hydroélectrique de l'Eyssalette ont été ouvertes. Ce projet ambitieux ...
[113]
Hautes-Alpes. La centrale hydroélectrique des Orres devient une ...
Aug 28, 2025 · Hautes-Alpes La centrale hydroélectrique des Orres devient une réalité : « faire de la commune un territoire à énergie positive. La centrale ...
[114]
SEM Hautes-Alpes Energies, un générateur d'électricité verte
Oct 31, 2024 · SEM Hautes-Alpes Energies, un générateur d'électricité verte · 50 à 60 M€ de projets financés dans les 10 ans · 4 étapes pour valider un projet d' ...
[115]
Hydroélectricité - Usages de l'eau - Préfecture des Hautes-Alpes
Aug 5, 2022 · Les projets d'installations hydroélectriques sont parfois prévus sur des portions de cours d'eau où des usages de l'eau sont déjà exercés.
[116]
[PDF] Evolutions démographiques dans les Hautes-Alpes - ORS Paca
Nov 26, 2024 · En 2021, 12,1 % de la population âgée de 75 ans ou plus (région : 11,5 % ; France : 9,6 %) : ✓44,2 % vivent seules à leur domicile (France:.
[117]
Bilan démographique 2023 – Forte chute de la natalité - Insee
Jul 9, 2024 · Dans les Alpes-de-Haute-Provence et les Hautes-Alpes, le nombre de naissances a diminué d'environ 20 % depuis 2013. La plus forte baisse est ...
[118]
Zoom sur la frontière franco-italienne : l'accueil des personnes ...
Jul 11, 2025 · En dix ans, plus de 30 000 personnes exilées auraient rejoint la France à pied, notamment en passant par la frontière franco-italienne haute ( ...<|separator|>
[119]
https://www.letemps.ch/monde/europe/col-lechelle-jeunes-migrants-pieges-froid-renvoyes-france
[120]
Briançon, une halte sur la route des migrants - Radio France
Nov 25, 2021 · La ville de Briançon, 11 mille habitants, dans les Hautes-Alpes s'est transformée en un point de passage pour 20 à 60 migrants qui descendent ...
[121]
Migration : avec ceux qui traversent les Alpes - Secours Catholique
Mar 20, 2023 · Chaque jour, une vingtaine de personnes migrantes traversent la frontière italo-française entre Oulx et Briançon. Elles marchent à pied, seules, ...Missing: Échelle | Show results with:Échelle
[122]
Statistics | European Council on Refugees and Exiles
In 2024, 157,947 asylum applicants were registered, with 130,952 first-time applicants. The first instance protection rate was 38.8%, and the overall rejection ...Missing: inflows Hautes- Alpes
[123]
Population immigrée selon les principaux pays de naissance en 2022
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, 14 358, 8,6, 39,7, 10,7, 12,1, 3,0, 1,7. Hautes-Alpes, 8 602, 6,1, 42,6, 8,1, 6,8, 4,4, 3,1. Alpes-Maritimes, 172 506, 15,5, 33,2, 7,6 ...
[124]
Établissement de Gap - France terre d'asile
Le Cada de Gap a pour mission d'offrir aux demandeurs d'asile un hébergement digne et un accompagnement adapté le temps de leur procédure d'asile. Cette prise ...
[125]
A Briançon, un afflux permanent, mais pas encore d'« effet Salvini »
Jun 23, 2018 · Depuis le 1er janvier, plus de 1 000 mineurs non accompagnés ont été pris en charge par le département des Hautes-Alpes.
[126]
A Briançon, l'accueil des migrants de plus en plus compliqué
Aug 5, 2023 · Ces derniers jours, le nombre de personnes hébergées sur place est monté à plus de deux cents, des hommes presque exclusivement, alors que les ...
[127]
Overview of the main changes since the previous report update
Jun 11, 2025 · According to French authorities, 45,203 persons were detected trying to cross the Channel in 2024, also an increase from 2023; 6,310 persons ...
[128]
[PDF] CONTRIBUTION AU DIAGNOSTIC TERRITORIAL DES HAUTES ...
1 316 habitants relèvent des Quartiers Politique de la Ville (QPV) dans les Hautes-Alpes, soit près d'1 % de la population ... - Dossier complet − Département des ...Missing: major | Show results with:major
[129]
Panorama de l'emploi pour le département HAUTES-ALPES
Métiers les plus recherchés sur les 12 derniers mois ; 1 Employé / employée de rayon libre-service ; 2 Serveur / serveuse en restauration ; 3 Vendeur / vendeuse en ...
[130]
Le département des Hautes-Alpes en France Métropolitaine
Le nombre d'habitants des Hautes-Alpes est passé de 140 605 en 2020 à 140 976 en 2021, soit une hausse de 0.26%. Sources : Institut national de la statistique ...
[131]
List of French departments by GDP - Wikipedia
Departments by GDP per capita in EUR ; 60, Aveyron, 28,716 ; 61, Hautes-Alpes, 28,672 ; 62, Yonne, 28,562 ; 63, Cher, 28,506.
[132]
Unemployment rates localized by department - Hautes-Alpes - Insee
Sep 18, 2025 · Unemployment rates localized by department - Hautes-Alpes. Year, Quarter, Value. 2025, Q2, (sf) 6.4. 2025, Q1, 6.2. 2024, Q4, 6.0.Missing: indicators | Show results with:indicators
[133]
Hautes-Alpes - Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Pauvreté : une situation ...
Nov 1, 2023 · *Le seuil de pauvreté monétaire est fixé de façon conventionnelle à 60 % du niveau de vie médian en métropole. Cette étude a été réalisée en ...
[134]
Intonational phonology of Occitan: Towards a prosodic transcription ...
Lai (2005) describes the prosodic contours used in these types of utterances in the Vivaro-Alpine dialect spoken in Gap (Gapencés, F‑05 Auts Aups/Hautes Alpes), ...
[135]
Context 853: Vivaro-Alpine (Source: Encyclopedia of the World's ...
Less than half of the community speaks the language, and speaker numbers are decreasing at an accelerated pace. 4. Transmission ...
[136]
Hautes-Alpes : le vivaro-alpin s'enseigne à l'école de la Calandreta.
Nov 23, 2021 · Hautes-Alpes : le vivaro-alpin s'enseigne à l'école de la Calandreta. 1.4K views · 3 years ago GAP ...more. France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.Missing: dialect | Show results with:dialect<|separator|>
[137]
Hautes-Alpes in Occitan - English-Occitan Dictionary - Glosbe
Auts Aups is the translation of "Hautes-Alpes" into Occitan. Sample translated sentence: The community is known for the col de la Croix-Haute, at its Northern ...
[138]
The French Alps: A Mini Discovery Guide
The French Alps are a land of contrasts and breathtaking beauty. Imagine walking beneath towering glaciers and snow-capped peaks, wandering through quaint, ...Missing: notable features
[139]
Heritage and traditions - Hautes-Alpes
Whether derived from legends, local memory or historical facts, the Hautes-Alpes are packed with traditions that are passed down from generation to generation.
[140]
The Best Traditional Festivals in the Alps in Summer
Mark your calendars for the Corso de la Lavande in Digne, the Mexican Fêtes de Barcelonnette, the Fête Médiéval de Briançon, and more!Missing: customs | Show results with:customs
[141]
Trad'In Festival in Embrun | Serre-Ponçon, Hautes-Alpes
Attend the Trad'In Festival in Embrun near Lake Serre-Ponçon: 3 days of concerts and musical encounters in a festive atmosphere in the Hautes-Alpes.
[142]
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1283/
[143]
Fortifications of Vauban - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Fortifications of Vauban consists of 12 groups of fortified buildings and sites along the western, northern and eastern borders of France.Gallery · Maps · Documents · Indicators
[144]
Vauban fortifications UNESCO World Heritage Site - Serre-Chevalier
Vauban's fortifications in Briançon, a UNESCO site, are mountain fortifications designed by Vauban, with tiered defenses, and are on the "roof of the world".
[145]
Mont-Dauphin | Vauban fortress listed on UNESCO's World Heritage
The fortified town of Mont-Dauphin, built by Vauban from 1693, is among 12 major Vauban sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list.
[146]
Vauban Fortifications and UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Alps
In the Hautes-Alpes region, the fortifications of Briançon and the stronghold of Mont-Dauphin were listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2008.
[147]
Monuments des Hautes-Alpes (05) : idées de visites
Monuments des Hautes-Alpes · Place Forte de Mont Dauphin · La Cité Vauban de Briançon · L'abbaye de Boscodon · Monuments en région Sud.
[148]
UDAP des Hautes-Alpes | Ministère de la Culture
Jun 3, 2025 · 2 sites classés au patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO · 170 monuments historiques au 31/12/2024 · 9 Sites patrimoniaux remarquables · 19 édifices ...
[149]
The Great Vallouise Festival - Ovalp.com
A friendly and family atmosphere for two days of festivity for the pleasure of holidaymakers, high alpine and Vallouise inhabitant.
[150]
Déprise et dégradation du milieu rural (Depopulation and ... - Persée
Car la déprise a bien sévi à Selonnet (pays de Seyne) objet des recherches du premier, comme dans l'ensemble des Hautes-Alpes, observées par la seconde; et elle ...
[151]
Délinquance dans les Hautes-Alpes (05) : les chiffres de l'insécurité
Le département affiche ainsi un taux de criminalité de 44,8 pour mille habitants, ce qui place les Hautes-Alpes au rang 36 du classement des départements les ...Missing: rate | Show results with:rate
[152]
[PDF] Bilan de la délinquance 2024 - Préfecture des Hautes-Alpes
Dans les Hautes-Alpes, les atteintes aux biens diminuent en 2024 : -9,4 % en ZP et -2,2 % en ZG, soit respectivement 136 et 41 faits de moins. Ces phénomènes ...Missing: rate | Show results with:rate
[153]
Insécurité. Voici les 10 communes où il y a le plus de cambriolages ...
Jan 18, 2024 · Mais du côté des Alpes du Sud, on peut quand même s'en réjouir : les Hautes-Alpes sont le 5e département le moins cambriolé de France, avec 1.9 ...Missing: rate | Show results with:rate
[154]
Natural Parks - Hautes-Alpes
The Écrins National Park was established in 1973 and is the largest and most well-known French park. · The Queyras Regional Natural Park was founded in 1977 and ...
[155]
Découvrir le Parc national des Ecrins
Entre Alpes du Nord et Alpes du Sud, le massif des Ecrins est un vaste ensemble de haute montagne (150 sommets de plus de 3000 m et quelque 10 000 hectares ...Missing: area | Show results with:area
[156]
https://provence-alpes-cotedazur.com/en/get-inspired/natural-areas/natural-wealth/ecrins-national-park-briancon-en-3261257/
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Ecrins National Park (Briançon) | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Tourism
Apr 16, 2025 · Covering an area of 91800 hectares in the central zone, the Ecrins National Park ... surface ranging from 800 to 4102 meters above sea level.
[158]
Parc naturel régional du Queyras
C'est le parc naturel régional le moins peuplé en France, avec seulement 2300 habitants répartis dans 10 communes. Les chamois, les marmottes, les lièvres et ...
[159]
Queyras Regional Nature Park - Tourism & Holiday Guide
Covering an area of 65,000 hectares, Queyras Regional Nature Park is home to a great deal of flora and fauna. It is a unique area for chamois, marmots, hares ...Missing: surface | Show results with:surface
[160]
Parc naturel régional du Queyras: Accueil
Une île dans l'océan des Alpes. Région de terres libres, riches en couleurs, de paysages de haute montagne émaillés de nombreux villages, parmi les plus beaux ...Le bivouac dans le ParcL'équipe techniqueInformations pratiquesCarte et accèsLa Réserve de biosphère
[161]
Parc Naturel Régional du Queyras
Créé en 1977, le PNR du Queyras regroupe aujourd'hui 11 communes. Il a la particularité d'intégrer la réserve nationale de Ristolas Mont Viso qui s'étend s' ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[162]
Parc naturel régional du Queyras
Le territoire du Queyras est une zone de montagne située dans les Alpes du Sud, le long de la frontière italienne, au nord-est de la région ...
[163]
Montagne de Chabre - Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Tourisme
A listed natural area. The mountain of Chabre is a remarkable natural site of the Hautes-Alpes, protected by its classification as a natural zone of ...
[164]
The Écrins National Park - Pays des Écrins - Office de Tourisme
The Écrins National Park is structured into several complementary zones to reconcile preservation and human use: a terrestrial core of nearly 92,000 ha where ...Missing: projects | Show results with:projects
[165]
Écrins National Park Travel Guide - France - Eupedia
The reintroduction of ibex in the late 1970s and 1980s has been a conservation success. With 700 km of maintained paths, the park attracts up to 800,000 ...
[166]
IUCN Green List Parc National des Écrins
Écrins National Park covers a vast spectrum of high mountainous areas, situated in the northern and southern part of the Alps. · Major Site Values & Outcomes.
[167]
Initiative Homme Faune Sauvage
The project aims to limit wildlife disturbance in the Partias Regional Nature Reserve by combining awareness-raising, improved ecological knowledge and field ...
[168]
Biodiversité - Environnement, bruit, risques naturels et technologiques
Natura 2000 · Faune et Flore · Les arrêtés préfectoraux de protection de biotope (APPB) · Tétras-Lyre : concilier préservation de biodiversité et sports d'hiver.
[169]
Rewilding Mountains by clearing obsolete infrastructures, France
May 24, 2024 · Mountain Wilderness' 2024/2025 programme will restore 6 wilderness locations covering 123 hectares, involving 190 people over 10 days of work.
[170]
French Alps Project Area - Life Wolfalps EU
The LIFE WOLFALPS EU project in France will encompass the whole French section of the Alps. This region is located in the southeast of the country.
[171]
Threats to Alpine nature - | WWF
Habitat loss and fragmentation are the major threats to Alpine biodiversity. Spreading settlements, unsustainable farming, road networks, and river dams are the ...Missing: Hautes- Alpes
[172]
The Glacier Blanc in France's southern Alps, a giant on borrowed time
Aug 6, 2022 · The largest giant of the Southern Alps, which reaches 4012 meters, is bearing the brunt of this year's drought and exceptional heat waves.
[173]
“How will we manage?”: in the French Alps, Flooding Challenges ...
May 12, 2024 · The Alps are experiencing more extreme rainfall due to climate change, increasing the risk of floods and landslides. Local actors struggle to develop ...
[174]
Drought is killing the economy in the French Alps
Aug 8, 2022 · The French Alps region is getting hit hard by drought, most likely exacerbated by climate change. And that's putting the entire economy ...Missing: challenges | Show results with:challenges
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Decarbonising mountain resorts : challenges and solutions
Mar 5, 2025 · Mountain resort communities faring in their attempts to rein in the carbon emissions from their tourism activities and especially the carbon footprint from ...
[176]
Impacts of Climate Change on Mountaineering Routes in the Écrins ...
Sep 8, 2024 · 1The Alps are among the most sensitive regions to climate change (IPCC, 2019). The mean annual air temperature in the French Alps increased by ...
[177]
Impacts of Climate Change on Mountaineering Routes in the Écrins ...
Aug 7, 2025 · Climate change is having a major impact on high mountain areas, with glacier retreat and permafrost warming. Alpinism is deeply affected by this ...<|separator|>
[178]
Climate change disrupts ecosystems in Alps
Mar 27, 2024 · Reduced snow cover and shifting vegetation patterns, both driven by climate change, are having major combined impacts on biodiversity and functioning of ...Missing: Hautes- | Show results with:Hautes-
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https://annforsci.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s13595-020-00958-w
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Climate warming differently affects Larix decidua ring formation at ...
Jun 3, 2020 · All plots are located in the forêt communale of St-Martin-de-Queyrières, near Briançon, Hautes-Alpes, France. The forest is owned by the village ...
[181]
Lake Serre-Ponçon Resilience Plan - Smadesep
The resilience plan aims to set a development trajectory for the lake, addressing global warming, adapting infrastructure, and diversifying the economy, with ...
[182]
Climate change will affect hydrological regimes in the Alps
Climate change will affect hydrological cycle and water resources in the Alps. Here we sketched potential future (2045-2054) hydrological cycle under ...<|control11|><|separator|>