Dept 05 Rank #18 / 96
Hautes-Alpes
PACA · Nearest city: Gap → Valence TGV (~1h30)
⚠ High variance
Écrins massif, Queyras, Briançon Vauban fortifications, glaciers
Why this score · reflects your priorities
Hautes-Alpes pairs exceptional sunshine and soaring mountain scenery with strong healthcare access, though it lies far from any rail line with bitterly cold winters. Les Hautes-Alpes allient un ensoleillement exceptionnel et des paysages de haute montagne à un très bon accès aux soins, mais le département est loin de toute ligne ferroviaire et ses hivers sont glaciaux.
Top communes
Communes
Loading commune-level data…
Climate
Sunshine
2,689h/yr
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
#4 sunniest of 96
Sunny days
246/yr
days >50% sunlit
#3 most sunny days of 96
Rain days
95/yr
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p14 of 96
Annual rainfall
854mm/yr
total volume
p80 of 96
Heavy rain
10/yr
≥ 20 mm/day
p90 of 96
Torrential
0.7/yr
≥ 50 mm/day
p86 of 96
Hot days >30°
18/yr
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p39 of 96
Winter mildness
1/10
-3.3 °C avg Jan low
Trend 2015-2025: January warming 0.3 °C per year.
#1 harshest winter of 96
Wind
1.9m/s
annual mean
Trend 2015-2025: calmer by 0.06 m/s per year.
p3 of 96
Muggy days
0/yr
TG≥22°C & HU≥70%
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p1 of 96
Avg max temperature · °C
6
J
8
F
12
M
15
A
19
M
22
J
25
J
25
A
20
S
16
O
10
N
7
D
2050 outlook TRACC +2.7°C · vs 1976-2005
Hot days ≥35°C ~+1 days · +1 so far
Tropical nights ~+1 nights · 0 so far
Frost days ~-37 days · -30 so far
Dry-soil days ~+33 days
Landscape
Landscape score
9/10
p98 of 96
Max elevation
4,102m
#2 highest peak of 96
Forest cover
83.1%
#4 most forested of 96
Characteristics
⛰ Mountains☀ Sunny🏞 Dramatic landscape📸 Tourism hotspot
Écrins massif, Queyras, Briançon Vauban fortifications, glaciers
Identity
Hautes-Alpes is the birthplace of Sébastien Ogier (pilote de rallye).
Notable figures born here
Sébastien Ogier — pilote de rallyeGuillaume Farel — enseignantPierre Alexis de Ponson du Terrail — écrivainPierre Vaultier — snowboardeurOronce Fine — mathématicienChantal Lauby — réalisateurMarie-Anne Chazel — réalisateurRichard Jouve — fondeurLuc Alphand — animateurDominique Villars — médecin
Terroir & appellations
Hautes-Alpes lies within protected appellation areas, including Banon, Huile essentielle de lavande de Haute-Provence, Abricot des Baronnies.
BanonHuile essentielle de lavande de Haute-ProvenceAbricot des BaronniesPommes des Alpes de Haute DuranceHautes-AlpesFarine de petit épeautre de haute ProvencePetit épeautre de haute ProvenceVolailles de la DrômeThym de ProvenceAgneau de SisteronMiel de ProvenceMéditerranée
Distinctions
Plus Beaux Détours de France (1)
- Domaine de Charance
- Jardin alpin du Lautaret
Station classée de tourisme (40)
Risks
Safety score
8/10
Flood risk
Very high
% communes flood-exposed (GASPAR union)
p84 of 96
Fire risk
Very low
Copernicus FWI · fire-weather index
p16 of 96
Seismic exposure
Very high
% in a seismic zone (most of France is)
p80 of 96
Major risks present
Share of the department's communes listing each risk category
Earthquake Very high 100% p80 of 96
Ground movement Very high 100% p90 of 96
Subsidence & cavities Very high 100% p93 of 96
Wildfire Very high 100% p94 of 96
Flooding Very high 99.4% p87 of 96
Avalanche Low 38.9% #1 most exposed of 96
Industrial hazard Low 22.8% #5 most exposed of 96
Hazardous-materials transport Very low 19.8% p17 of 96
+2 more
Radon Very low 17.3% p68 of 96
Dam failure Very low 10.5% p47 of 96
Transport
Transport
2/10
6.0 h to Paris · TGV + closeness
TGV access
No
TGV via connecting city
Highways
1
A51
Work locally
53.2%
work in own commune
Nearest hubs
🏙 Nearest city
Gap → Valence TGV (~1h30)
✈ Airport
Grenoble Alpes Isère Airport (GNB) · ~107 km
🚄 To Paris via TGV
No direct TGV
🛣 Highways
A51
Services
Healthcare
10/10
APL 5.0
#1 best GP access of 96
Schools
7/10
Brevet 90%
p78 of 96
Fiber coverage
96%
p43 of 96
Intl schools
1school
International programmes available
p31 of 96
People
Population
145,782
#5 lowest of 96
Density
26/km²
Rural
-68% vs median 81
32 387
Pop trend
+0.1%/yr
-0.1 pts vs median · p39
Median income
$25,100
standard of living · $/yr
p39 of 96
Poverty rate
14.7%
below 60% of median living standard
p45 of 96
Unemployment
9.1%
active population out of work
p15 of 96
Tourism
1 bed per 4 residents
p98 of 96 · 39,369 beds
Age distribution · % of population
0-14
17%
15-24
12%
25-39
13%
40-54
14%
55-69
19%
70+
25%
Office professionals
11.1%
cadres · engineers, managers, professionals
p22 of 96
Remote work
6.2%
télétravail · works without commuting
p89 of 96
Socio-professional mix · % of occupied workers
Office
Managers & professionals
11.1%
At-home trades
Farmers
2.9%
Artisans & shopkeepers
10.2%
On-site · services, health, teaching, manual
Intermediate professions incl. nurses, teachers
29.1%
Clerical & service staff
29.1%
Manual workers
17.6%
Real estate
Median
$3,070/m²
$1,490 $5,230
House $3,080 Apt $3,100
+2.2%/yr 2023–25
Median surface
—m²
Taxe foncière
58.47%
typical commune rate · TFPB
#5 highest of 96
Price distribution across communes · $/m²
Loading commune price distribution…
On the market — explore listings