The Ubaye River - Gem of the French Alps
Nestled in the southern alps of France lies the incredible Ubaye Valley and one of France’s premiere rafting destinations. This watershed is famous throughout Europe for its powerful rapids and committing gorges. With its headwaters at the Col du Longet over 8700 feet above sea level, on the Italian border, the Ubaye River is one of the few raftable free flowing river sections left in France.
Rafting in Provence France
Often considered one of the most beautiful in France, the Ubaye River offers ten sections of, class II to class V- whitewater on over 31 miles of whitewater. The Ubaye runs unhindered for nearly 50 Miles before it is impounded by the Serre-Ponçon reservoir.
Flow on this river varies between 7000 Cubic feet per second in spring to just under 200 CFS in summer. Prime season for this amazing river is typically April – June. July and August are also fantastic months to raft for families. The flow drops down to a more relaxed level and the river is great for kids.
Many of the sections to raft on this river are short which makes for a great 1/2 day rafting trip that you can couple with either a hydrospeed or inflatable kayak trip after lunch. Alternatively you can check out some of the amazing hikes in the area after lunch or if the winds are good you can top off the afternoon with a paragliding adventure from near by Saint Vincent les Forts.
Getting to the Ubaye River
The Ubaye River is located just 2.5 hours north from the Marseille and makes an excellent getaway from the summer heat of the French Riviera. The town of Le Lauzet-Ubaye in the Alpes de Haute Provence region is the main town in the Ubaye valley where the rafting bases are located.
Le Martinet Section
The most commonly run commercial section for rafting is the Le Martinet / Le Lauzet section. This 5.5 mile (9 km) run is an instant classic. Bordering on class IV+ in the early spring this amazing section of river typically calms down to a fun class III/IV adventure during the summer when runoff has slowed down. This iconic section culminates in the Lauzet Gorge, a slot canyon nearly 1000 ft long, with a 2000 year old Roman bridge spanning the deepest part of the gorge 65 feet overhead.
The “discovery” trip as they call it is great for families during the summer months. Water can be cold, but before you get on the water you will get set up with a wetsuit, neoprene jacket, and wetsuit booties. This will keep you warm and happy on the trip no matter what the weather is on the water. During summer there is an awesome adventure swim that is great for everyone 12 and up.
There is also a fantastic rock jump off of the famous “Roche Sainte Bernard”. This fun rock jump is coupled with a short walk up to a beautiful waterfall spring.
Le Gorge Royal Section
One of the crown jewels of this river is the Royal Gorge a highly technical and committing gorge. Rated at a solid Class V section with potential portages this section is for experienced rafters only. This section cascades on average around 150 feet per mile for over 2.5 miles until it reaches village of Lauzet. The steepness of this river rivals that of the famous Cherry Creek section of the upper Tuolumne River in California. This massive canyon finishes off in the pristine waters of the Serre-Ponçon reservoir.
Bachelard River
The Ubaye River boasts an incredibly scenic and beautiful Class III to V tributary called the Bachelard River. Originating in the heart of the Mercantour National Park in the valley of Cayolle, this beautiful free flowing river runs 17 miles to join up with the Ubaye. The steep canyon and beautiful Larch forests make this a fantastic May – June river trip.
The trip starts by lowering the boat off of the bridge down to put it followed by an action packed trip filled with continuous rapids locked in a challenging gorge.
Lac de Serre Poncon
The Ubaye Valley is famous in France for the beautiful Lac de Serre Poncon. This lake impounds both the Ubaye and Durance rivers just below the confluence of the two.
The lake is typically a pale blue color from all of the glacial runoff. Warm and inviting throughout the summer months this lake makes a beautiful place to enjoy an afternoon after rafting. There are many places to enjoy a picnic, camp, or go paddle boarding on the lake. Surrounded by charming French villages, Lac de Serre Poncon has plenty to offer from hikes to paragliding it is worth spending a few days exploring the area.
Accommodations in the Ubaye Valley
There is everything from hotels, to tent camping available in the Ubaye valley depending upon your tastes. Our friends at Crazy Water Rafting offer some of the coolest accommodations in the valley though. "“La Bulle” or camping in a bubble tent is an incredibly unique lodging experience. Suspended in the trees above the forest floor, La Bulle is like staying in a tent and a hammock at the same time. As is traditional with most smaller lodging in France, breakfast is included with the stay so you will be fired up for rafting in the morning.
There are only a couple places to eat in the town of Le Lauzet Ubaye, but along the D954 route on the east side of town is one of the best little food trucks in France. She is only open for lunch, but you can find one of the best sandwiches around. If you are staying for a couple of days there are a couple little hotels like Relais du Lac and Le Lauzetaine, as well as some charming little chalets, though so be sure to pack some extra food with you or you can head to the nearby town of Barcelonette. You can also find several campgrounds throughout the Ubaye valley and closer to Lac du Serre Poncon.
If you are in the south of France please stop by and say Bonjour to our friend Mathieu at Crazy Water Rafting. France tends to have a very unfounded reputation for being full of unwelcoming people, however nothing could be further from the truth with Mathieu and his guides. His team of outstanding whitewater athletes and guides will show you an amazing time in this beautiful corner of France along with sharing the finer points of French culture and history in this historic region. You will truly be hard pressed to find a more welcoming and fun group of boaters in all of Europe.
