Built on a hillside in southern France, this thermal spa town has 16th-century architecture, winding streets, and a central fountain at Place de la République.
Digne-les-Bains lies in southeastern France's Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, where the Alps meet fields of purple lavender. You can swim in 50°C thermal pools, climb to the 15th-century Saint Jerome Cathedral, or time your visit for August's Corso of Lavender festival, when twelve flower-decorated floats and 500 musicians fill the streets with color and sound.
Thermal Springs and Wellness
The thermal springs in Digne-les-Bains emerge from 870 meters underground at 50°C, rich in chlorides, sulfates, sodium, and calcium. You can choose between medical treatments for respiratory conditions and rheumatism at the main spa complex, or swim in the Hot Waters aquatic center's sports and family pools. The center includes outdoor terraces where you can rest between swims while looking across the town center.
Historic Center and Architecture
Walk through the Rochas district's narrow medieval streets to reach the 15th-century Gothic Cathedral of Saint Jerome. The Clock Tower's bell tower rises above the old town, with its 1830s campanile visible from most streets. From rue Saint Charles near the cathedral, you'll see the town's red terracotta roofs spread out below, backed by the peaks of the Préalpes de Digne.
Museums and Cultural Sites
The Gassendi Museum, opened in 1885, links art with scientific discovery through its exhibits. You can examine 19th-century archaeological finds, then move on to rooms of contemporary art installations. The museum tells the story of Pierre Gassendi, the local 17th-century philosopher and scientist. In the adjacent Museum of the Haute-Provence Geological Reserve, you'll find regional fossils and can visit a garden where local butterfly species flutter among native plants.
Lavender Festival and Local Culture
The Corso of Lavender festival transforms the town during the first weekend of August. Since 1939, this celebration has grown into a major event with twelve floats covered in fresh lavender flowers. You can watch 500 musicians and dancers perform throughout the streets, visit the traditional funfair, and end your evening watching fireworks. The Lavender Museum explains cultivation techniques and displays historic farming tools used to harvest this fragrant crop.
Sports and Mountain Activities
The town maintains free public tennis courts, while local clubs run a golf course and equestrian center. At the stadium, you can watch regional sports competitions throughout the year. Hiking trails start from the town edge and lead into the surrounding Alps, with signs marking routes to viewpoints. Local paragliding schools organize tandem flights from nearby peaks, and cyclists can follow the Route Napoléon, which traces the emperor's historic journey through the mountains.
