The Ubaye river, a famous rafting spot in France

One of the most beautiful rivers in Europe

The Ubaye river is located in the Ubaye valley, in the Alpes de Haute Provence (04), only 2h30 drive from Marseille via Aix en Provence, as well as the city of Grenoble, between the Alpes Maritimes and the Hautes Alpes.

The Ubaye is renown as one of Europe’s most beautiful river, a small treasure in the South Alps.

Live webcam :

Panoramic view, directly from the river.


Its 50 km rapids offer a wide range of courses, unequalled in the Alps.

The Ubaye runs from the Italian boarder down to the lake de Serre Ponçon. This river has no dam, and reaches its higher water level in Spring, when the winter snows melt (until 150 m3).

The difficulties on the Ubaye are ranked from class I to class VI,from the highest volume in Spring to the technical waters in Summer and Autumn.

The Ubaye offers 10 courses, as for example that of the Bachelard, and you will be able to find a stay best suited to your needs in this wide range of courses.

From a nice family run to the most thrilling adventure, from baby raft to the most impressing course, the Ubaye river will leave you with a magical taste and the feeling that you want to go back to it.

Map of the river :

52 km navigable and more than 50 rapids

plan de la rivière Ubaye

 

Live webcam :

Video updated every hour.


To know :

International ranking rivers :

In France, the rivers are classified from I to VI according to their established technical difficulty, for rivers with natural flow, in period of normal flow.

A course may have a one-off difficulty: it is then mentioned in parentheses. This classification is only indicative. In general, whitewater sports require practitioners to be vigilant, especially on natural rivers or from Class III.

Class I: Easy Slow and steady course, small regular waves, small eddies, simple obtacles.
Class II: Moderately difficult (free passage) Regular course, irregular waves, medium eddies, weak vortices and rapids, simple obstacles in the current. Small thresholds.
Class III: Difficult (visible passage) Irregular high waves, large eddies, eddies and rapids. Rock blocks, small falls, various obstacles in the current.
Class IV: Very difficult (passage not visible from its craft, recognition necessary) Large continuous waves, powerful and fast rollers. Rocks obstructing current, higher drops with reminders.
Class V: Extremely Difficult (Inevitable and Mandatory Recognition) Waves, eddies, rapids to the extreme. Narrow passages, very high falls with difficult entrances and exits, dangerous rocks.
Class VI: Limit of navigability (generally impossible) Possibly navigable according to the level of the waters and the practitioners. Large risks.

 

In pictures :

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