About Festival de l'Alpage

Created in 2016 by the Maison du Berger, the Festival de l'Alpage is a week dedicated to pastoralism and mountain culture in Champsaur-Valgaudemar. Every summer in July, the festival offers guided hikes, meetings with shepherds and breeders, live performances, fun and cultural workshops, conferences, and local product tastings. The festival explores a different theme related to the alpine pasture and the territory each year.

A week dedicated to alpine pastures and pastoralism

The Festival de l'Alpage is a unique cultural and pastoral event, created in 2016 by the Maison du Berger in Champoléon, in the heart of Champsaur-Valgaudemar in the Hautes-Alpes. For a week in July, the festival invites the public to meet shepherds, breeders, their dogs, and discover the territory through a rich and varied program combining discovery, culture, and conviviality.

Alpine pasture walks and hikes

Each day of the festival, participants discover a different location in Champsaur-Valgaudemar during unusual walks and guided hikes. These outings allow them to meet the people involved in pastoralism in the field, understand the shepherd's profession, and discover the biodiversity of the alpine pastures. Sunrise hikes and overnight stays are offered for the more adventurous, providing total immersion in mountain life.

Shows, workshops, and conferences

The cultural aspect of the festival is rich and diverse. Live performances (theater, music, storytelling) are scheduled in connection with the pastoral theme. Conferences and round tables bring together scientists, researchers, and local stakeholders. Fun and cultural workshops for all ages offer introductions to traditional know-how: cheese making, wool working, knowledge of mountain plants, discovery of sheepdogs.

A different theme each year

Each edition of the Festival de l'Alpage explores a specific theme related to alpine pastures and the mountains. The 2025 edition (9th) was dedicated to the theme “The plants that color our valleys,” offering natural dyeing workshops, botanical outings, and meetings with mountain plant specialists. These themes allow for new perspectives on pastoralism and the cross-pollination of scientific, artistic, and popular viewpoints.

The Maison du Berger, heart of the festival

The festival is supported by the Maison du Berger, a museum and cultural space located in Champoléon, dedicated to pastoralism and transhumance. Affiliated with the Champsaur-Valgaudemar community of communes, the Maison du Berger is the starting point and heart of the festival, hosting exhibitions, screenings, and meetings. The festival also benefits from the partnership of the Orcières tourist office and the Parc National des Écrins.

10th anniversary edition

The 10th edition of the Festival de l'Alpage will take place from July 20 to 24, 2026 in Champoléon. This anniversary will mark ten years of encounters between the public and the players of alpine pastoralism. The program will include, as every year, guided hikes, shows, conferences, workshops, and tastings of local products in the Champsaur-Valgaudemar region.

Practical information — Festival de l'Alpage

Access

The festival takes place mainly in Champoléon (05260), with hikes in the Champsaur-Valgaudemar region.

By car: From Gap, take the N85 towards Grenoble then the D944 towards Champsaur and the D471 towards Champoléon (approx. 40 min).
By train: Gap SNCF station, then road towards Champoléon (approx. 35 km).

Prices

Some activities are free, others require registration. Consult the detailed program on the Maison du Berger website.

Contact

Maison du Berger: maisonduberger.com
Tourist Office: Champsaur-Valgaudemar — www.champsaur-valgaudemar.com