Gap is a commune in south-eastern France, the capital and largest settlement of the Hautes-Alpes department. At 750m above sea level, it is France's highest prefecture (departmental capital).

Together with other Alpine towns Gap engages in the Alpine Town of the Year Association for the implementation of the Alpine Convention to achieve sustainable development in the Alpine Arc. Gap was awarded Alpine Town of the Year 2002.

An Alpine crossroads at the intersection of D994 and the Route nationale 85 or Route Napoléon, Gap lies 745 metres (2,400 ft) above sea level along the right bank of the Luye River. The region around Gap is known as Gapençais.

Originally founded by the Gauls, the Roman emperor Augustus seized the town in 14 BC and renamed it Vapincum. Eight years later, a Roman road was started, which linked the city to what is now Valencia, Spain. Vapincum grew as a transportation hub and was fortified by later Roman Emperors to protect it against Barbarians. From 28 December 986, the Bishop of Gap had sovereignty over the city due to concerns about future Muslim invasions, and held that power until Revolutionary reforms in 1801 despite Gap being annexed by the French crown in 1512.

When the former royal province of Dauphiné was re-organised by the French Revolutionary government in 1790, Gap was made prefecture of the new Hautes-Alpes department, which it remains to this day.

Napoleon I left Elba in February 1815 and had reached Gap on 15 March with 40 horsemen and 10 grenadiers where he had thousands of copies of his Proclamations printed. The whole population of the city accompanied Napoleon when he left Gap.

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