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Haut Verdon alpin

Colmars-les-Alpes

Colmars occupies the head of the upper Verdon valley, at an altitude of about 1,230 m, at the confluence of the Verdon and its tributary the Lance. Long a border commune between Provence and the Duchy of Savoy, it has kept a ring of ramparts and two detached forts that commanded access to the valley. The territory rises from the banks of the Verdon to nearly 2,750 m, in a mountain landscape at the gateway to the Mercantour. Its official name is Colmars, the form 'Colmars-les-Alpes' being in common tourist use.

583 pop. (2023) 1230 m elevation 04370 Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Demonym: Colmarsiens

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Weather in Colmars-les-Alpes

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Live forecast — source Open-Meteo. Coordinates 44.160, 6.659.

Overview

A fortified town of the Haut Verdon, sealed off by two Vauban forts; classified as one of 'Les Plus Beaux Villages de France' (the Most Beautiful Villages of France) in 2025.

Where to stay in Colmars-les-Alpes

Compare and book on the major platforms. Hotels, campsites and gîtes in Colmars-les-Alpes will soon have their verified listing on LiveVerdon.

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Services & shops in Colmars-les-Alpes

EV charging — in the village: Rue Sainte Anne (2 points), network eborn. See the map of Verdon charging points →

Food & groceries
  • Proxi Super
  • Boucherie-Charcuterie Martin
Bakery
  • Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Le Gourmand
  • Boulangerie La P'tite Rustique
Butcher
  • Boucherie-Charcuterie Martin
Pharmacy
  • Pharmacie Blanc
Health (doctor, nurse…)
  • Cabinet médical – Pôle Médical La Bourgade
  • Cabinet infirmier – Pôle Médical La Bourgade
  • Laurent Ionus
  • Aurélien Fioretti
  • Amandine Fort
Fuel
  • Haut-Verdon Voyages
Bank / ATM
  • DAB BNP Paribas
  • La Poste
Post office
  • agence postale à Colmars-les-Alpes
Tobacconist & newsagent
  • Chez Régis
Car garage
  • Haut-Verdon Voyages
Other
  • Le Chalet d'Alpage
  • Librairie-Papeterie coopérative Les Pléiades
  • L'Atelier de Naïs
  • Ad Montem

Services verified on 2026-07-07.

What to see, what to do

Fort de Savoie
A redoubt built in 1695 to the plans commissioned by Vauban, downstream of the town along the Verdon. A particularly well-preserved 17th-century structure, it can be visited in summer and houses the permanent exhibition 'Histoire(s) d'un fort' ('Story/Stories of a fort') as well as an immersive trail devoted to Vauban.
Fort de France
A redoubt built in 1693 upstream of the town, also along the Verdon. Together with the Fort de Savoie it formed the defensive system that flanked the town; it is not open to visitors.
Fortified walls and gates
Ramparts of medieval origin (12th-14th centuries) reinforced at the end of the 17th century, punctuated by bastioned towers and monumental gates, including the Porte de France to the south and the Porte de Savoie to the north, marking the former border.
Church of Saint-Martin
The village's parish church, at the heart of the fortified town.
Old bridges over the Verdon
The Pont-Haut (17th-18th centuries) and the Vieux Pont, known as the Pont Saint-Roch, are classified as historic monuments.
Haut Verdon house-museum
A museum space devoted to the history and life of the valley.
Ratery 1700
A cross-country skiing and mountain-activities area above the village.

History of Colmars-les-Alpes

Colmars takes its name from the Latin form 'Collo Martio', attested in 1040, meaning 'the hill of Mars'. The community received a consulate from Count Raymond Berengar V in 1233 and was attached to the viguerie of Castellane in 1342. Its strategic position, on the edge of Savoyard territory after Allos joined the Duchy of Savoy, made it a garrison town very early on: a first fortification campaign in 1382, and elevation to the rank of town under Francis I. The town endured the violence of its time — burned by Raymond of Turenne in 1390, plundered during the Wars of Religion, and struck by a great fire in 1672. The decisive military turning point came at the end of the 17th century: in 1692, Louis XIV tasked Vauban with revising the town's defences. Vauban delegated the work on site to the architect Niquet and the engineer Richerand, who built the Fort de France (1693) and then the Fort de Savoie (1695). Vauban himself, who came to inspect the site around 1700, criticised these works and proposed new plans, which his disgrace and death in 1707 prevented from being carried out. The stronghold was officially decommissioned in 1921. After a long textile-industry period (production of cordeillat cloth until 1926), the commune today lives mainly from tourism and its exceptional fortified heritage.

Getting to Colmars-les-Alpes

  • Nearest train station: Gare de Thorame-Haute (train des Pignes, Chemins de fer de Provence), au sud de la vallée

Events & highlights

Medieval festivals
Historical re-enactments and entertainment in the fortified town during the summer season.

Addresses in Colmars-les-Alpes

Accommodation, restaurants and activities listed on LiveVerdon — an independent Verdon directory.

Partner accommodation in Colmars-les-Alpes

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Nearby Colmars-les-Alpes

Other communes in the Haut Verdon alpin area

Allos →Beauvezer →La Colle-Saint-Michel →Thorame-Basse →Thorame-Haute →Villars-Colmars →