Puy-Sanières is situated at an elevated position above Lac de Serre-Ponçon and offers views of Grand Morgon and the Aiguilles de Chabrières. The hamlets are characterized by hedgerows, irrigation channels, dry-stone walls and paths. The landscape alternates between expansive views and the small-scale features of the mid-mountain landscape.

The Puys lie on fragile glacial moraines; landslides and avalanches have shaped their landscape. This geological character is also part of the area’s appeal. You can also observe birdlife at Lac de Serre-Ponçon: ducks and other waterbirds stay there or fly across the lake. Puy-Sanières is a good place for birdwatching. If you choose your trip around nature, you can distinguish between panoramic views, geological landscapes and waterbirds.

Compare routes

A range of distances is available for comparing routes. La Combe des Champannes is an 8.5-kilometre circular route starting in Puy-Sanières – Les Truchets. The 17.3-kilometre Circuit du Mont Guillaume also starts there. The gravel route Boucle 50 – Les Puy passes through the hamlets of Puy-Sanières and is a 24.1-kilometre circular route. An approximate duration of two hours is given for this Boucle.

On the second section of the Boucle 50, the route climbs through the forest. Belvédère de la Para is designated as a picnic stop along the route. The GRP® Balcons de Serre-Ponçon also passes through Puy-Sanières. Check conditions for the Boucle and the GRP before setting off. Along the way, La Combe des Champannes offers views of Lac de Serre-Ponçon, Morgon and Torrent de Boscodon.

La Combe des Champannes and the Circuit du Mont Guillaume both start in Puy-Sanières – Les Truchets. At 8.5 and 17.3 kilometres respectively, they differ in length. The shorter La Combe is described as a circular route, and its route details include the views mentioned above. This gives you a practical basis for comparing the two routes if both distance and scenery are important to you.

Church and other activities

The church of Puy-Sanières, built in the 19th century and featuring a bell-gable, stands in the hamlet of du Château. The Église Saint Pierre in Puy-Sanières can be visited by making a written request to the Puy-Sanières town hall. Make this request before your planned visit so that you can take the visiting requirement into account when planning your day.

There is a free-flight launch site in the municipal forest. If you are a pilot and want to use it, check the conditions beforehand. This means you can include this activity alongside the routes and nature-watching opportunities when planning your stay.

A tourist guide updated on December 2, 2025, listed Alpi-Canyon in Puy-Sanières as offering canyoning, via ferrata, climbing, multi-pitch climbing routes and mountaineering. For winter, it listed weekly introductory ski-touring sessions and ski traverses in the Alps. Activities and seasonal offerings can change, so check what is currently available before making specific plans.

Discover more destinations: Trescléoux, Saint-Chaffrey, Furmeyer, Rochebrune, Le Glaizil, Veynes, Rosans, Prunières

Return to the regional travel guide: Hautes-Alpes.