Gap

With its pastel-tinted facades, and small, pedestrian shopping streets, Gap is the administrative centre of the Hautes-Alpes and combines modernity and quality of life. Its geographical location means it is at the crossroads of major tourist routes such as the Route Napoléon (Napoleon Road) that crosses the departement from the Champsaur to the Gap area.  

For an evening out, Gap has some incredible facilities for sports and culture including the Alp Aréna ice rink, the Passerelle national stage theatre or the Quattro centre. 

Gap welcomes international events such as the Tour de France and the Monte Carlo Rally and honours the title of Ville la plus sportive de France (Most Sporting Town in France), which was awarded in 2013. 

Nature enthusiasts will either head to the Domaine de Charance, an unspoilt area, which is home to the Conservatoire Botanique National Alpin (National Alpine Botanical Conservatory) or Gap-Bayard, where what is an 18-hole golf course in the summer gives way to cross-country skiing trails in the winter.