Overview
A col and a mountain hamlet attached to Thorame-Haute, between the Verdon valley and the Vaïre valley; the cross-country ski area of the Haut Verdon.
Where to stay in La Colle-Saint-Michel
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What to see, what to do
- Col de la Colle-Saint-Michel
- A crossing at 1,431 m on the D908, the saddle between the Verdon valley (Thorame-Haute side) and the Vaïre valley (Annot and Le Fugeret side). A climb popular with cyclists from both of its approaches.
- La Colle-Saint-Michel cross-country ski area
- A cross-country skiing area renowned for its unspoilt character, with 57 km of groomed trails spread over seven routes between 1,430 and 1,700 m, complemented by a 21 km nordic route and 11 km of snowshoe trails, in an isolated mid-mountain setting.
- La Colle-Saint-Michel railway tunnel
- A structure about 3.5 km long on the Nice-Digne line of the train des Pignes, which carries the track from the Verdon basin to that of the Vaïre beneath the plateau; the line makes it possible to combine the tourist train with walking from one valley to the other.
History of La Colle-Saint-Michel
La Colle-Saint-Michel was an independent commune before its attachment to Thorame-Haute, in two stages: on 1 November 1964 it merged with Peyresq to form the commune of Saint-Michel-Peyresq; on 1 March 1974 that commune was in turn attached to Thorame-Haute, La Colle-Saint-Michel becoming one of its hamlets. The inhabitants of the place are known as Collaincs. A natural crossing point between two valleys, the saddle has always been a way through the mountains of the Haut Verdon; the driving of the railway tunnel at the turn of the 20th century, and then the laying out of the cross-country ski area, gave the site a double vocation, of transit and of leisure.
Getting to La Colle-Saint-Michel
- Nearest train station: Gare de Thorame-Haute (train des Pignes), au pied du plateau