Briançon is on UNESCO's World Heritage list for its Vauban fortifications
Briançon is part of the Réseau des sites majeurs de Vauban, a network of 12 emblematic sites included onUNESCO's World Heritage Listsince 2008. Why this listing? Because the fortifications that encircle the town are a unique example of military architecture adapted to the constraints of the mountains.
The work of Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, Louis XIV's engineer, the city was transformed from the XVIIᵉ century onwards into an impregnable stronghold. To defend this strategic lock on the Alps, Vauban devised an impressive defensive belt: bastioned enclosures, perched forts, covered galleries, communication works... All perfectly integrated into the steep relief of the Hautes-Alpes.
Among the most striking constructions
Fort des Têtes: the centerpiece of the system, it keeps watch over the Durance valley and communicates with other structures via military galleries.
Fort du Randouillet: perched higher up, it offered a 360° view of the surrounding mountains.
Fort Dauphin, Fort du Château and Redoute des Salettes, each with its own history.
Pont d'Asfeld: an engineering gem from the XVIIIᵉ century, this stone bridge spans a vertiginous gorge at a height of over 50 meters.
These fortifications are much more than walls: they tell the story of strategy, obsession with defense and man's adaptation to his environment. Today, they are a fascinating field of discovery.
Medieval Briançon is entered through gates cut into the thick stone wall.
Once you've straddled the now grassy moat, from top to bottom and from bottom to top, your soles pounding the ancestral cobblestones of the Gargouille, the little wonders come into view.
Here, the baroque Collégiale, there the Pont d'Asfeld, further on the Cordeliers church and its 15th-century murals, then the Maison des Templiersand the Pénitents chapel.
All enhanced by the painted charm of the sundials, punctuated by the gurgling of the characterful fountains, and joyously animated by the singular boutiques of this piece of history erected at an altitude of 1,326m.
A living heritage, all year round
Thanks to the Ville d'Art et d'Histoire label, Briançon offers a rich and accessible range of cultural activities. The town's heritage department organizes guided tours for all ages: classic, costumed, evening, family, duo... An original way to get to know this historic setting.
Temporary exhibitions, children's workshops, conferences and treasure hunts bring the town to life all year round. In summer and winter alike, there's always something going on in Briançon to help you better understand its history, while having fun at the same time.
📘 The brochure "Patrimoine - 2024-2025" (Heritage - 2024-2025) offers a full program of activities and visits around these historical treasures.
There's no doubt that a guided tour by the Heritage Department adds a special dimension to this lively, cultural experience. In July, the traditional Fête médiévale is a must to discover the mysteries of the citadel, while in August, the Forts en Fête festival adorns the military structures with a thousand artistic sparkles.
In Briançon, climbing is second nature! Since 1989, every year at the end of July, the international elite gather on the vertiginous wall of the Parc des Sports for the Mondial de l'escalade. A week dedicated to the discipline and the mountains, guaranteed to make your mouth water, or rather your feet tingle!
And then some...
A quick visit to the Maison du Parc National des Ecrins, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and the alert visitor has already made his way down the slope to the lower town to cool off in the Parc de la Schappe, a lush garden with a Japanese bridge and pagoda in a surprisingly oriental style.
The river Durance rushes through Briançon, carrying in its waves the most experienced rafters and kayakers, while the tree-lined courses are perfect for those with a penchant for branch-to-branch acrobatics.
All that's left to do is step through the door of the Bureau des Guides and treat yourself to an initiation, a beautiful route or a great run, roped up to a pro.
And why not on the Prorel side? A hop on the gondola, and you're sure to enjoy a peak of high altitude pleasure.
A land of history, the dynamic capital of the Briançonnais region also breathes sport from every pore. There's a huge playground to suit all tastes, whether on foot or in the water.
Briançon and its sports facilities.
Briançon is not only a renowned tourist destination: it's also an ideal playground for sports enthusiasts from all walks of life.
Equipped with a wide range of modern facilities, the town attracts both clubs looking for optimal training conditions and enthusiasts in search of sporting thrills. Briançon attracts many top athletes who come to take advantage of the benefits of altitude, pure air and an exceptional natural environment.
Let's take a look at the facilities that make Briançon an unmissable destination Find out more
Our answers
your questions
Guided tours of the city of Briançon are offered by the Heritage Department. These tours are not free and can be booked directly online or in the Tourist Offices.
The Tourist Office offers guided tours in the different villages of the valley. These visits are offered and the reservation is made on our website or in the Tourist Offices.
Serre Chevalier is a ski area that extends over the Guisane Valley (a river that rises at the Lautaret pass and flows into the Durance at Briançon). It extends over 27.7km and includes: a town, Briançon, labeled City of Art and History whose Vauban fortifications are listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, 3 villages, Chantemerle (town of Saint-Chaffrey), Villeneuve (town of La Salle les Alpes), Monêtier les Bains and 11 hamlets.
The valley began to be called "Serre Chevalier" following the inauguration of the cable car in 1941, leading to 2491m of altitude, at the top of the Serre Chevalier peak.
The name Serre Chevalier comes from the patois "Sarra Cambéou". "Sarra" round bump exposed to the wind - "Cambéou" family name of Provençal transhumants of the Middle Ages leading their herds to graze on this mountain.
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