Small village in the Hautes-Alpes in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Villar-d'Arêne takes place in the Oisans, in the heart of the French Alps. It is located in the Ecrins National Park, at over 1600 meters, not far from Le Monêtier-les-Bains, Serre Chevalier and Huez.
Inhabited since the Bronze Age, the village of Villar-d'Arêne knows first boom in the Middle Ages before suffering from famine and wars in the centuries that followed. He turns to agriculture in the eighteenth century, especially through the cultivation of a potato that made him famous.
Today, the site features a predominantly tourism, thanks to its exceptional natural landscapes that allow the practice of outdoor summer and winter sports.
Built in the second half of the nineteenth century in an elegant neo-Gothic style, the Saint Martin de Tours church sits on the remains of an ancient building that burned in 1671. Fully tufa in gold, she was largely funded by wealthy emigrants native of the village, who made his fortune. In the village, it is also possible to discover several chapels and oratories.
Walking through the village, do not forget to admire the seventeenth-century mill that now houses an interesting museum, an oven, fountains, wash houses, or houses with traditional architecture of the valley Haute Romanche.
But it is mainly for its natural heritage as the town is popular with visitors. They may include travel to Alpine Botanical Garden Lautaret, which hosts local species and plants from all continents, or go to the gallery of the Alpe. These sites are occupied by researchers from the University of Grenoble and CNRS.
Numerous hiking trails will guide you on the path of national nature reserve Combeynot peaks or different mountain lakes nearby, like that of Pontet. You will be able to borrow the GR 50 and 54 and introduce you to mountain biking, paragliding or via ferrata.
In winter, the town also opens for downhill skiing, with two lifts, cross country skiing, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, or climbing frozen waterfalls.
A small farmers market is held every Sunday morning from July to September.
The communal feast, Villar d'Arene in festival, held annually in July with different animations.
The Boiled Bread Festival is held annually in November.
