Saint-Andrè-Les-Alpes: Lake, Tours and Drapery Heritage

Saint-Andrè-Les-Alpes is located on Lac de Castillon, in the Parc Naturel Régional du Verdon and the Réserve Géologique de Haute Provence. This gives you several ways to plan your stay: water activities on the lake, tours starting in the town and at Chalvet, and the history of clothmaking. You can organize your days around your interests rather than treating everything on offer as a single itinerary.

Activities on Lac de Castillon

Kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding and water skiing are all possible on Lac de Castillon. This gives you several types of water activity to choose from. Fishing is also an option, either from the shore or from a small boat. When planning your time at the lake, you can distinguish paddling and water sports from a more leisurely activity such as fishing, without having to change locations.

Routes with different levels of difficulty

Le Chalvet à VTT is a difficult 21.3-kilometre circular route with 805 metres of elevation gain. The route details dated August 20, 2026, give this difficulty rating and these distance and elevation figures. The loop starts and ends in Saint-Andrè-Les-Alpes and is marked with cycling signs. An optional detour leads to a launch site with a viewpoint, from which you can enjoy one of the most beautiful views of Lac de Castillon. Details about the route, signage and viewpoint may change if the official route information sheet is updated.

Another option is the Parcours patrimoine drapier: a 4.2-kilometre walking trail that starts in Saint-Andrè-Les-Alpes. The route listing was updated on December 23, 2024; details may change if it is updated again. Unlike the mountain bike loop rated as difficult, this is a different type of route: a walking trail with its own length and starting point.

Paragliding and sporting history at Chalvet

The Chalvet site is suitable for cross-country flights and is also accessible to beginner paragliders. Chalvet has also hosted paragliding world and European championships, French championships and PWCA World Cup finals. These competitions are part of the town’s sporting history and add a historical perspective to the site’s present-day activities.

Drapery history, market and railway

Saint-Andrè-Les-Alpes’ first cloth factory was established in 1818 at Pra Barin. The year and place name give the local history a specific connection to clothmaking, adding another facet to the destination alongside activities on the lake and routes.

The market takes place on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at Place Marcel Pastorelli. Check the dates before your trip so you can take the weekly schedule into account when planning.

The Train des Pignes is another attraction in Saint-Andrè-Les-Alpes. It runs from Digne to Nice through scenic valleys and numerous tunnels. If you plan to take the train, check current services before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Ongles, Sisteron, Manosque, Entrevennes, Villars-Colmars, Volonne, Authon, Mallemoisson

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