Saint Martin lès Seyne
At Digne, take the exit n°1 towards the D900 road until Selonnet (7 km), then take the D1 road.
Saint-Martin-lès-Seyne — a village in the Alpes de Haute-Provence that doesn't really exist
Saint-Martin-lès-Seyne is a tiny village well worth a visit. This commune in the Alpes de Haute-Provence is actually a group of three hamlets—Le Villard, Le Col, and Les Rougiers—and curiously, none of them bears the name Saint-Martin.
The village is located at an elevation of 1,100 meters in the 04 department, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. It overlooks the entrance to the Gorges de la Blanche and serves as a crossroads between the Durance Valley via the Col des Garcinets and Lake Serre-Ponçon via the Col des Fillys. Perched on its mountain, far from the hustle and bustle of the world, this little corner of Provence awaits you.
What to see in the village?
The village overlooks the entrance to the Gorges de la Blanche and serves as a crossroads between several picturesque mountain roads. The Saint-Martin Church and the former manor house are the two architectural landmarks of the village. Built in 1867 at equal distances from the three hamlets, they form the symbolic heart of the commune.
What’s truly worth the detour here is the atmosphere. A frozen-in-time, perched village that watches the world pass through the valley without a care. Take the time to wander between the hamlets, gaze at the landscape from the heights, and listen to the silence. This is rare, even in Provence.
The Village’s 3 Hamlets
Saint-Martin-lès-Seyne doesn’t really exist as a village. The town is a group of three hamlets—Le Villard, Le Col, and Les Rougiers—and none of them bears the name Saint-Martin. Perched at an altitude of 1,134 meters over an area of 12 km², the municipality has only about ten residents. This is precisely what keeps the area free from tourist bustle. The La Blanche River, a tributary of the Durance, flows through the municipality to the northeast and forms impressive gorges downstream.
The History of Saint-Martin-lès-Seyne
The locality first appears in charters at the end of the 12th century under the name castrum Sancti Martini, in honor of Saint Martin of Tours. The fiefdom belonged to the monks of Île-Barbe Abbey until its sale in 1578. Two buildings still stand out in the landscape today: the Church of Saint-Martin (1866), with its dome and 17th-century painting, and the former manor house on the road to Turriers, a simple, solid square-shaped building. Both were built equidistant from the three hamlets—a way of holding the town together.
Tourist activities in Saint-Martin-lès-Seyne
The town is first and foremost a hub for outdoor activities. In summer, hiking, mountain biking, and road cycling are the main attractions, particularly on the Gorges de la Blanche route via the Col des Garcinets toward Serre-Ponçon. Fishing is available on the Blanche and the Bès. In winter, three ski areas are accessible nearby—Grand-Puy, Chabanon, and Montclar—as well as ski-touring routes. For thrill-seekers, canyoning is available for ages 6 and up with the operator Rand'O Canyon.
