Barcelonnette

Population : 2.963 h. Alt. : 1150m.

Department of the Alpes de Haute Provence

You will soon be seduced by Barcelonnette's southern alpine atmosphere. You can happily stroll amongst the lively streets bordered by numerous boutiques. Don't miss the "place Manuel" with its beautiful fountain, its colourful facades and pleasant cafes and restaurants - it's a difficult place to resist!

You will be surprised by the Mexican villas built on the "avenue de la Libération", bordered by vast parks. These villas have been constructed between 1880 and 1930 by the "Barcelonnets" returning home after having made their fortune in Mexico by making Mexican fabrics. For their owners, these wealthy-looking residences were a sign of their social success and they are mainly inspired by a mix of Italian, Baroque and Tyrolean style.
One of them, the "Villa Sapinère" houses the "musée de la Vallée" and three floors are open to the public.

On the ground floor you will find the "Maison du Parc National du Mercantour" where you can find about hiking tours organised by professional guides. You can also see a series of permanent and temporary exhibitions organised by the museum and become informed about the people of the valley, their history and traditions - not forgetting the famous Mexican epic of the Arnaud brothers.

Barcelonnette offers an impressive range of activities. In both summer and winter you can take advantage of the superb natural environment of the Ubaye valley. Whatever your taste, you can discover the area on foot, by horse, by bicycle, on skis, or even by canoe, parapente or microlight aircraft...

Sites to see :

Leisure activities :

Hiking. Professional guides of the Mercantour. Tennis.
Mountain biking. Horse-riding. Ice-skating.
Bowling. Gymnasium.
Flying sports :
parapente, hang-gliding, gliding, microlights.
Winter sports :
alpine ski-ing, cross-country ski-ing, trekking.
Ice-climbing, "Ruisseling", snow scooters
Dog sledding, four-wheeled motorbikes, snow rafting....
Arts and crafts courses
(earthenware, pottery, enamel, sculpture...)
Cinema. Cultural events.

Tourist facilities :

4 Hotels. 5 Hotel-restaurants. Bed and Breakfast.
Furnished apartments. 3 camp sites.
For children : creche from 2 months to 6 years.