PRACTICAL GUIDE
A weekend from Lyon or Marseille
Three route ideas for a great weekend in the Hautes-Alpes.
From Marseille or Lyon, the Hautes-Alpes are within weekend reach. Here is how to get there, followed by three two-day routes, each based in one valley, so you can enjoy the département without spending your stay in the car.
Getting there
- By car from Marseille: allow about 2 hours to Lake Serre-Ponçon, via the A51 motorway.
- By car from Lyon: the route goes via Grenoble; from Grenoble, allow about 2.5 hours to Lake Serre-Ponçon. The Champsaur is 180 km from Lyon airport, about 2.5 hours' drive.
- By train from Marseille: direct regional (TER) trains link Marseille to Gap, Embrun and Briançon, in about 5 hours to Briançon.
- By train from Lyon: allow about 5 hours to Briançon, with one change, usually at Valence.
- By night train from Paris: the Intercités night train leaves Paris Austerlitz in the evening and reaches Briançon the next morning, after a journey of about 11 hours.
Route 1: Serre-Ponçon and the Embrunais, a lake and forest weekend
Ideal from Marseille, May to October.
- Saturday morning: a rafting run on the Durance (€40 to €50 per person with Pure Rafting), or hire a licence-free boat on the lake with Aqua Détente Pros (from €50).
- Saturday afternoon: COEZIA's outdoor escape game in the Embrun forest. Allow 90 minutes of play and €22 to €44 per person depending on group size.
- Saturday evening: dinner and a night at Les Peupliers in Baratier, or at the Hôtel de la Mairie in the heart of Embrun.
- Sunday: visit Boscodon Abbey, then the Muséoscope du Lac in Rousset to learn the story of the dam.
Route 2: the Briançonnais, a heritage and altitude weekend
Ideal by train, all year round.
- Saturday: a guided tour of the Cité Vauban, a World Heritage site, with Briançon's heritage service. Dinner at Le Pêché Gourmand and a night at the Auberge de la Paix, in the old town.
- Sunday morning: in summer, drive up to the Col du Lautaret and visit the Jardin du Lautaret (June to early September), then, weather permitting, the Glaciers de la Meije cable cars at La Grave.
- Sunday afternoon: unwind at the Grands Bains du Monêtier (online booking mandatory).
Route 3: Champsaur and Dévoluy, a nature weekend
Ideal from Lyon, June to September.
- Saturday lunch: lunch at the Laiterie du Col Bayard above Gap, with mountain views.
- Saturday afternoon: hike to the Refuge de Pré la Chaumette in the Champoléon valley, about 1.5 hours' walk (take the right-bank path). Spend the night at the hut when wardened, or at La Crémaillère in Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur.
- Sunday: a nature outing or herbalism workshop in the Dévoluy with the Herbier du Dévoluy, to discover alpine plants.
Our tips
- Book accommodation first, especially in July and August.
- Check opening dates: many businesses close in November and between seasons.
- See our "When to visit" guide to pick the best period for your activities.
Sources
- Getting to the Alps (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regional tourist board)
- Getting to Serre-Ponçon (Serre-Ponçon tourist office)
- How to come (Champsaur-Valgaudemar tourist office)
- Paris - Briançon train times (SNCF Connect)
- Briançon - Lyon train times (SNCF Connect)
- Official websites of the businesses mentioned, checked on 19 October 2026 (see the Directory).