Camping Le Bocage

The Séveraisse river beach is right beside the site, with water shallow enough for kids to bask in. For deeper swimming spots to cool off in after tough treks, the Pétarel Lakes in Écrins National Park are a 10-minute drive (plus a bit of a hike through a silver fir forest). More than 740 kilometres of marked paths crisscross the Hautes-Alpes, including shorter strolls suitable for small fry where the chance of sighting marmots will keep them focused on the jaunt. You can also see chamois, ibex and golden eagles in this region, along with 1,800 species of plants and flowers ranging from alpine orchids to Edelweiss. Outside the national park walkers can wander past the Resurgence of Gillardes’ clear springs at the bottom of chalky cliffs. And if you simply want to sit in the car and arrive at stunning places? The Sautet Lake is your best bet and it also has a beach and small watersports centre from where you can kayak, standup paddleboard or hire a pedalo. If it’s Saturday and you’re craving traditional French fare, make headway towards the Foire/Marché De Gap market – the biggest in the region – 45 minutes away to prep a picnic to eat at the beach.