Archaeology handicrafts and science and technology sites to visit Alpes-De-Haute-Provence

Climbing up to the great bare summits of the Lure mountain is a must during your stay in the area. Dominating the Pays de Forcalquier on its southern side and the deep Jabron valley on its northern side, classified as a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, the Lure mountain culminates at 1,826 m and extends over a length of about fifty kilometres. A picturesque road allows you to cross it from one side to the other, passing by the resort, much to the delight of seasoned cyclists. It is entirely reserved for them on Mondays in summer. Hiking trails also allow you to get there on foot, through the woods, from the small village of Saint-Etienne-les-Orgues. Once you are up there, you will enjoy an exceptional 360° panorama of varied landscapes: Mont Ventoux, Vercors, Cévennes, Southern Alps and even, if the sky is clear, the Mediterranean coast. Between the Southern Alps and the Mediterranean, an exceptional vegetation has developed whose flora, long exploited, is today left to the appreciation of numerous flocks of sheep. A little lower down (around 1,600 m), the resort of Lure offers themed hiking trails (5 senses, planets...) and numerous activities throughout the seasons: scooters on grass, tubbing (downhill on inflatable buoys), mountain biking, astronomy sessions in the summer, sledging, snowshoeing, skiing... in winter. Note: it is possible to eat and sleep on site.

This lake is less known than those of Sainte-Croix or Esparron, but it is worth a visit. Generated by the dam of Gréoux, this water retention created a lake of nearly 13 km length, which has kept a wild aspect. Formerly a narrow canyon invaded by water, it widens a little in places. You can also appreciate the caves in the cliffs, by going there by boat. It is also the departure to go up the low gorges in electric boats or canoe for the most courageous! What to take full of eyes! Very nice place to picnic.

This ornithological reserve, located in the heart of Haute-Provence, is an exceptional site, consisting of three artificial wetlands located on the territories of the neighbouring communes of Château-Arnoux - Saint-Auban, Volonne, l'Escale, Malijai and les Mées. Depending on the time of year, 140 different species of birds can be observed there. This reserve concentrates more than 56% of the bird species present in the department, as well as more than 56% of the breeding bird species identified as threatened in the PACA region. These birds are often hidden in the tangle of reedbeds, or hidden in the wild copses bordering the wetlands and, sometimes, even well camouflaged in the gravel banks of the Durance.

Other species, less shy, can be admired on the surface of the lake. The Château-Arnoux tourist office offers free leaflets describing an eco-tour entitled "from the Farm to the Chapel, along the water" with the positioning of the 12 sites, on a path around the lake of about 10 kilometres, which have been developed in an "Ecobalade application", available on smartphones (and very useful for discovering other beautiful walks!). Plants, trees, insects, mammals, reptiles and even molluscs present on the path are described for walkers. To download directly on : www.ecobalade.fr/balade/balade-chateau-arnoux-04. Exceptional!