Close to Barcelonnette, the Mercantour National Park, the Grandes Alpes Route, the Serre Ponçon Lake and the ski resorts of Pra Loup, Le Sauze, Montclar and Sainte Anne, the MEANS have dominated the valley since the 12th century. Elisabeth & Frédéric, ski instructors and high mountain guides, spent 30 years renovating and embellishing their historic mansion, originally occupied by monks of the order of the Chalaisians who occupied these high mountain valleys.