Saint-Vincent-Les-Forts: History, Hiking Trails and the Lake

Saint-Vincent-les-Forts as a destination

When looking for a hotel in Saint-Vincent-les-Forts, you can start by deciding what you want to focus on during your trip: are you particularly interested in fortifications, a hike or spending time at Lac de Serre-Ponçon? The town combines these themes with church architecture and seasonal swimming options. This lets you plan your stay around specific interests.

Forts and architectural history

Fort Saint-Vincent was built by Vauban in 1697 to protect the southern Alpine borders. It is now privately owned and opens on special occasions during the European Heritage Days. If you would like to visit the fort, check the event dates in advance. Fort Joubert, including its machicolated tower, was classified as a historic monument by decree on 18 July 1994.

The Tour Vauban is a small, round tower with machicolations. It was built in 1696, 300 metres north of the fort, to extend surveillance of the fortified structure. The Église Saint-Vincent also offers a distinctive architectural feature: dating from the 16th century, it has a shallow barrel vault in the nave and an offset double apse.

Comparing hiking trails

The “Du Lac au Village” loop is 8.9 kilometres long, with an elevation gain of 500 metres, and takes 3 hours 30 minutes. It starts at the beach in Saint-Vincent-les-Forts, leads to the village and returns via the hamlet of Lautaret. By comparison, the hike to the Tour Vauban is considerably shorter at 2.7 kilometres, with an elevation gain of 120 metres, and takes about an hour. It is suitable for all hikers. The distance, elevation gain and duration give you a concrete basis for planning your time; check trail conditions locally before setting out.

Another hiking trail starts in Clot du Dou. After an ascent of 500 to 600 metres, you reach the Batterie du Châtelard; the military installations are about 100 metres to the right of the trail. The battery was built between 1883 and 1885. From the headland by the battery, visibility permitting, you can see across the valley and towards Morgon.

Lake views, beach and activities

The Tour à hourds is a viewpoint overlooking Lac de Serre-Ponçon. The village of Saint-Vincent-les-Forts also commands views of the lake. The Port de Saint-Vincent-les-Forts is on the Ubaye arm of Lac de Serre-Ponçon and provides access to the beach at Saint-Vincent-les-Forts.

In summer, Ubaye Plage has a lifeguard station; from July to August, swimming is supervised in a designated area. Facilities include a shaded lawn, natural wood parasols, a children’s playground and a volleyball court. As seasonal services and visitor facilities may change, check the latest information before your beach visit.

Paragliding can also be part of your stay: the Saint-Vincent-les-Forts site allows you to land at the take-off point after your flight. Tandem paragliding flights are offered from the historic village. Whether a particular flight takes place depends on the providers and flying conditions.

The scenic road to Saint-Vincent-les-Forts follows a varied route with hairpin bends and curves. You can stop at Lac du Lauzet before arriving. If you would like to plan this stop, you can take it into account when working out your route.

Discover more destinations: Le Lauzet-Ubaye, Limans, Simiane-La-Rotonde, Saint-Julien-Du-Verdon, Pierrevert, Revest-du-Bion, Saumane, Pierrerue.

For the overview of the wider region: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.