Nature

The Plateau d’Hauteville ski resort

Plateau d’Hauteville enjoys a unique situation at the heart of the Ain department, in the historic Bugey region. At an altitude of between 850 and 1234 m, this highland plateau always surprises visitors with its exceptional quality of life, fresh air, generous nature, beneficial climate, varied landscapes and preserved plant life…

Here you can breathe better!

Plateau d'Hauteville has been listed as a health resort since 1924. It also has the "green holiday resort" and "snow village" labels. The highland climate and specific geographical position provide it with a beneficial atmosphere. The pure, dry air is naturally invigorating. The limestone soil soaks up all the humidity, preventing fog from forming. The rich forests act like lungs generating generous amounts of fresh air. The Plateau is free of all atmospheric pollution. Lastly, pollination here is shorter, later and more abundant than in most neighbouring regions. Since 1998 scientific campaigns have been carried out with chemical and biological analyses showing the high quality of the air you breathe on the Plateau.
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  • Minimum altitude: 850 metres
  • Maximum altitude: 1234 metres
  • Surface area: 106 km²
  • Inhabitants: 4845

A striking outline

At the heart of the Bugey region, at the southern tip of the Jura mountain range, the Plateau d’Hauteville rises to an altitude of between 850 and 1234 metres.

The slopes lead up to a mountain crest at 1234 metres, Mont Planachat. The soil was formed by sedimentation and glaciation during the Mesozoic era. It is made up of limestone or marl-limestone layers, 300 metres thick.

A centre for healthcare

Plateau d’Hauteville is widely recognised for its technical level and quality in rehabilitation and physical medicine.

It can boast modern therapeutic services in wide-ranging areas and specialities: rehabilitation, physical medicine, sport traumatology, orthopaedics, neurology, cardiology, psychiatry, pulmonology , treatment of infectious diseases, nephrology, geriatric medicine and a wide range of convalescence care…

A number of specialised and specifically equipped clinics and hospitals, both public and private, have made Plateau d’Hauteville a centre of excellence in healthcare, covering a wide range of illnesses and ensuring a high-quality environment for patients.

The Plateau d’Hauteville ski resort

Alpine skiing at Terre Ronde

The Terre Ronde site is ideal for Alpine skiing, snowboarding, snow surfing and snow blading.

This family-friendly highland resort is ideal for all kinds of visitors, with varied slopes accessible to all. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, you’re sure to find the slope to suit you and have fun.

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La Praille Nordic skiing site

The Praille Nordic skiing site, near Col de la Rochette, is a chance for lovers of nature and wide-open spaces to enjoy Nordic (cross-country) skiing in complete safety.

The starting point on the slopes is at an altitude of 1079 metres.

FIND OUT MORE

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New

In La Praille, take it nice and easy in the Swedish baths or sauna in the wellness area. More !

Joseph CARRARA, racing cyclist

None of the inhabitants of the Plateau have forgotten Joseph Carrara, who was the toast of the Hauteville Lompnes Cycling Club for over a decade.

Carrara was born in 1938. He loved cycling from an early age and very soon became one of the main riders at the Hauteville cycling club. Joseph began his impressive career at this club.

A few years later, Carrara emerged as a star, small in size but big on talent. In March 1959, he showed his family the winner’s jersey. On 22 May 1957, he won his first race at Beny. In 1957, he won 8 races and in 1958, another 6 wins were added to his record.

He was then called up for national service in Algeria, where he became Oran province pursuit champion. On his return to France in 1960, Carrara won more races. He turned professional with the Liberia Grammont team. He won a stage in the Giro d’Italia, finishing second in the mountains classification.

In 1964, he won 8 stages in the Volta a Catalunya and went on to win the tour. His continued adding successes to his record, winning the Antibes, Thizy and Auxerre races and finishing third in the Paris-Luxembourg. He retired from cycling in 1967.

Roger Pingeon, racing cyclist

Roger Pingeon turned professional in 1965 and joined the Peugeot team. He was one of the major revelations of the 1965 Tour de France, finishing 12th. Due to his 8th place finish in the 1966 Tour de France and his form in the spring of 1967, Marcel Bidot, the French team selector, chose him as one of the three team leaders, alongside Lucien Aimar and Raymond Poulidor, for the 1967 Tour de France. After a long solo breakaway in the 5th stage between Roubaix and Jambes du Tour, Roger Pingeon took the yellow jersey.

He was again selected for the French team in 1968 and won two stages after solo breakaways. A few weeks later, Roger finished 2nd in the French road championships in Aubenas.

In 1969, after a mountain breakaway, Roger Pingeon won the Vuelta a España. In the 1969 Tour de France, he was Eddy Merckx’s most serious rival. He won the Chamonix stage and finished 2nd overall.

Roger Pingeon is remembered as a great cyclist, teeming with panache. He would study routes in detail, and had no hesitation in setting off on long breakaways, but could give in to discouragement.

Benoit CARRARA, cross-country skier

Benoit Carrara was born on 7 May 1926 in Hauteville-Lompnes. He took part in the Winter Olympics in 1948, 1952, 1956 and 1960, and was the French flag-bearer at Squaw Valley.

Simon DESTHIEUX, World Champion

The biathlete from Plateau d’Hauteville, confirmed his potential by winning the gold medal in the individual 15 km at Nove Mesto.

It was no accident for this big hope of French biathlon to become world champion, since all his family is involved in the sport. His father, a doctor, is president of the Lompnes ski club. His mother also works at the club. Baptiste, Simon’s older brother, is the a national biathlon coach and Étienne, the youngest, is already a very promising junior.

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Natural riches

Stone

The fine limestone with its amber appearance and fine texture is highly resistant and homogenous. It is easy to carve and sculpt, and can be cut to make flagstones and cladding.

The stone is extracted from a compact layer originating in one of the Neocomian stages, the Valanginian. For many years now, has been used by craftsmen and artists, and exported all over the world. It has been used in internationally famous buildings: the Empire State Building, the Capitol in Washington D.C., the White House staircase, the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, the Escurial in Spain, the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, the altar of the Underground Basilica in Lourdes and many others.

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DID YOU KNOW?

The Hauteville-Lompnes and Champdor quarries have been mined since 1840.

Wood and agriculture

The forest takes up around half of the surface area of the Plateau. It represents an important resource for the local economy.

Here, the timber sector plays a major role and the sawmills now have advanced technologies for each phase of the process, from cutting down trees, transport and sawing to planing.

The natural highland meadows are in the designated Comté cheese area. A highly diverse plant life is ideal for traditional cattle breeding and production of a rich and popular Comté.

Waterfalls and castles of Plateau d'Hauteville

Discover!

The Plateau in images

The Plateau on video

Informations

Office de Tourisme Haut-Bugey – Espace Trois Lacs
14 rue du docteur Mercier – 01130 NANTUA

Tél. +33 (0)4 74 12 11 57

On your way

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