Gap (Hautes-Alpes)

Gap ( pronunciation [gap ] ) is the capital of the French department of Hautes- Alpes and is located in the Provence- Alpes- Côte d' Azur. The municipality is the capital of the eponymous arrondissement and also chief town of six cantons.

Gap was named to the Alpine town of the year 2002.

Geography

The city is located in the southeast of France in the Dauphiné between the Dauphiné Alps and their foothills, 100 km south of Grenoble and 150 km north of Aix -en- Provence and counts 40 654 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011). It is crossed by the river Luye.

History

In Roman times, Gap Vapincum was called. On the evening of March 5, 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in the city during his return from Elba on the eponymous Route Napoléon.

Demographics

Varia

  • The city is often stage start or destination of the Tour de France.
  • The region is known for its cheese Le Gapençais.

Twinning

Gap is connected by twinning with

  • Traunstein in Bavaria, Germany
  • Pinerolo in Piedmont, Italy

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Guillaume Farel (1489-1565), reformer of the French-speaking Switzerland, and predecessor and staff of John Calvin
  • Robert Thomas (1927-1989), French writer and director
  • Christian Pouget (born 1966 ), French ice hockey player
  • Emmanuelle Claret (1968-2013), French biathlete
  • Gilles Grimandi (born 1970 ), French footballer
  • Christel Pascal (born 1973 ), French alpine skier
  • Christine Duchamp ( b. 1974 ), French ice hockey player
  • Baptiste Amar ( b. 1979 ), French ice hockey player
  • Sébastien Ogier ( b. 1983 ), French rally driver
  • Laetitia Roux ( born 1985 ), French ski mountaineer
Arrondissement of Gap Cantons of France Postal codes in France Aix-en-Provence William Farel Robert Thomas (director) Aspremont (Hautes-Alpes) Chorges La Beaume La Faurie La Haute-Beaume La Rochette (Hautes-Alpes) Montbrand Orpierre Serres (Hautes-Alpes) Veynes
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