Montclar between a ski resort and history

Montclar Les 2 Vallées is a family-friendly village ski resort in the Southern Alps and defines the town’s focus on winter sports. Historic buildings and Lac de Saint-Léger add culture and nature to the picture. If you’re looking for a hotel in Montclar, you can first consider whether skiing or these other interests matter more for your stay.

Skiing at the Les 2 Vallées resort

The resort reaches an altitude of 2,500 meters and extends across the Blanche and Ubaye valleys. Altitude and extent describe two different features: the resort’s highest point and its spread across two valleys. Together with its character as a village ski resort, these features give Montclar’s winter sports offering a clear framework.

The family-friendly character refers to the resort. So if you’re planning your stay primarily around skiing, it’s a good starting point for choosing the focus of your trip. The other destinations mentioned offer different experiences without displacing winter sports as the resort’s defining theme.

Adventure courses, the Circuit des Chapelles, and tandem paragliding

Parc des écureuils is 200 meters from the Montclar Les 2 Vallées resort and offers adventure courses for children and adults. The Circuit des Chapelles provides a different point of reference: it starts at the resort and heads toward Col Saint-Jean. For the park, the specific details are its distance and courses for different age groups; for the circuit, the focus is on its starting point and direction.

Tandem paragliding flights are also offered at the resort. If this activity is part of your travel plans, check the booking conditions in advance, as they may change. The options in Montclar are therefore quite distinct, ranging from winter sports and adventure courses to a tandem paragliding flight.

Chapels and historic buildings

The former village of Montclar stood on the summit now called La Salette. A chapel and a clock tower can be seen there; both were built in the 19th century. La Salette thus marks the historic village site, while the construction date of the two visible buildings places them in a later period.

The Chapel of Saint-Jean was built at the beginning of the 13th century by the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem. In 1644, the Hospitallers restored the chapel. Its construction and restoration were two separate stages in its history.

The architecture of the Chapel of Saint-Léger is considered rustic Romanesque and dates to the 13th century; it was restored in 1968–1969. The Church of Saint-Pierre in La Chapelle was built in 1555. The dates mentioned thus span the 13th to the 20th century and include both construction periods and a restoration.

Lac de Saint-Léger and its natural environment

Lac de Saint-Léger is more like a marsh and is a Natura 2000 site of great ecological importance for flora and fauna. The species found there include protected orchids, such as the lady’s slipper, as well as the rare mollusk Vertigo angustior. Both plants and a rare mollusk contribute to the lake’s natural interest.

Your travel decision can therefore involve a range of different interests: the family-friendly ski resort, historic buildings from different construction and restoration periods, and a lake of ecological importance. Which of these you focus on can shape the character of your stay in Montclar.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Jeannet, Clamensane, Mallemoisson, Vachères, Les Omergues, Rougon, Le Brusquet, Barrême

For the broader travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.