Sisteron
From World travel guide
Sisteron is an attractive town ('commune') in France, in the département of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Its population in (1999) was 6,964 and in the région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. The inhabitants are called the 'Sisteronnais'.
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Location
It is situated on the banks of the River Durance just after the confluences of the rivers Buech and Sasse. It is sometimes called the 'Porte de la Provence' (The Gateway to Provence) because it is in a narrow gap between two long mountain ridges (Baume/Gache and The Lure/Moulard).
Latitude = 44° 11' 28" North, longitude=05° 56' 50" East
Altitude = 485 metres
It is 135 km from Marseille, also 135 km from Grenoble and 180 km from Nice.
Getting there
Sisteron is served by the A51 autoroute, which now by-passes the town, eliminating it as a notorious 'bottle-neck' for traffic. However the A51 autoroute from Grenoble has not been completed and so on Saturdays in July there are very severe traffic jams from Grenoble to Monestier. There is also a railway station on the line from Marseille to Briançon and to Grenoble.
What to see
The town has several important buildings including the mediaeval citadelle and the small 12th century cathedral. Many tourists also visit the town because of its climate (300 days of sunshine each year), quaint narrow streets, the beautiful surrounding countryside, its lido and the airfields at Vaumeilh and Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban which are both major centres for the sport of gliding. There is an annual festival with many events throughout the summer months and a market every Wednesday. A long distance walk, the GR 6 (Grande Randonnée) passes east-west through Sisteron. The river at the Gorge de Meouge (about 10km north west of the town) is another good place to swim.
What to eat
'Pieds and paquets' (pigs' trotters and tripe) follows the French policy of eating the entire animal. However the 'fougasse' (like an anchovey flavoured pizza) is highly recommended.
The best restaurants in the town are: Les Becs Fins and the Hotel de Cours, but there are many other reasonable places such as Hotel de la Citadelle, Hotel Tivoli and Lou Pebre. The nearest starred Michelin restaurant is the Bonne Etape at Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban but its offshoot next door called Au Gout de Jours is much better value.
Where to stay
The Hotel Du Rocher provides good basic accommodation and there is an inevitable Ibis just to the north of the town. Hotel de Cours is probably the best hotel in the town, though the Bonne Etape also has accommodation.
