Introducing the Gîtes de France

The Alpes de Haute Provence is the Department where the first Self-catering Gite was opened in 1951, in La Javie, about 20 km from Digne les Bains.

Senator Emile AUBERT was Chairman of the "Gîtes de France " Society and also a founder member of the National Federation of Gîtes de France in 1955. He remained Chairman of the Department Relay until his death in 1969.

Today each French Department has its "Gîtes de France" Relay and the seat of the National Federation is in Paris, in the rue Saint Lazare.

The figures for the Department Relay...

The départmental relais of Alpes de Haute Provence is in 2007 :

636 Self-Catering Gites in Central Booking,
74 Self-Catering Gites in Direct Service,
277 Bed and Breakfast,
19 Holiday Gites,
5 Stopover Gites,
21 Stopover and Holiday Gîtes
5 Campsites,
15 Natural Camp Sites,
1 Children's Gîtes.

Total of 1053 Structures.

8 employees work full time in the Department Relay, in Digne les Bains, the department's administrative capital.
Below are some statistics for the Department Relay: