Saint-Véran
Encyclopedia
Saint-Véran is a commune
in the Hautes-Alpes
department in southeastern France
in the Queyras
Regional Natural Park.
is the most elevated commune of the French Republic (and of Europe). It is the third highest village in Europe
after Trepalle
in Italy
and Juf
in Switzerland
.
Permanent population is around 300 but this is swelled by tourists in both summer and winter. In addition to tourism the main activities are agriculture and wood crafts.
The Observatoire de Saint-Véran was constructed nearby by the Observatoire de Paris in the early 1970s.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Hautes-Alpes
Hautes-Alpes
Hautes-Alpes is a department in southeastern France named after the Alps mountain range.- History :Hautes-Alpes is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
department in southeastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the Queyras
Queyras
The Queyras is a valley located in the French Hautes-Alpes, of which the geographical extension is the basin of river Guil, a tributary of the Durance...
Regional Natural Park.
Geography
Saint-Véran, located in the French AlpsFrench Alps
The French Alps are those portions of the Alps mountain range which stand within France, located in the Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions....
is the most elevated commune of the French Republic (and of Europe). It is the third highest village in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
after Trepalle
Trepalle
Trepalle is a village in the Italian Alps, a frazione of Livigno, Lombardy. It is considered to be the village located at the highest altitude in Europe...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Juf
Juf
Juf is a village in the municipality of Avers in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. At above sea level, it is the highest village with permanent residents in Switzerland and in Europe. Juf has a population of about 24 inhabitants divided over 6 families in a concentrated settlement. They were...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Permanent population is around 300 but this is swelled by tourists in both summer and winter. In addition to tourism the main activities are agriculture and wood crafts.
Name
The village is named after Saint Véran, 6th century Bishop of Cavaillon who in legend drove away a dragon.The Observatoire de Saint-Véran was constructed nearby by the Observatoire de Paris in the early 1970s.