Winter landscape and snowy mountains. The Alpes-de-Haute-Provence département offers pure air, an exceptional number of sunshine hours all year round and a remarkable natural and built heritage: on one hand, the impressive Verdon canyon, the magnificent Alps, the Haute-Provence geological reserve, Valensole plateau covered in lavender fields and the wonderful Verdon lakes and, on the other, beautiful villages, many of them fortified, with heaps of character, vernacular architecture and towns with a rich heritage such as Manosque, Digne-les-Bains, Barcelonnette and Sisteron. The Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is also a paradise for outdoor activities, with hiking, mountain biking, skiing and white-water sports.