Geography
The department is surrounded by the following French departments: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Drôme, Isère, and Savoie. Italy borders it on the east.
Hautes-Alpes is located in the Alps mountain range. The average elevations is over 1000 m, and the highest elevation is over 4000 m. The only three sizable towns are Gap, Briançon, and Embrun, which was the subprefecture until 1926.
The third highest commune in all of Europe is the village of Saint-Véran. Gap and Briançon are the highest prefecture and subprefecture in France.
The following rivers flow through the department:
- Durance
- Guisane
- Buëch
- Drac
- Clarée
- Séveraisse
The Durance has been dammed to create the largest artificial lake in Europe: the Lac de Serre-Ponçon.
The Queyras valley is located in the eastern part of the department and is noted by many as being an area of outstanding beauty.
Read more about this topic: Hautes-Alpes
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