The fortified town of Briançon © Shesmax - licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons
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Last Updated: 30 January 2022

An imposing citadel on a rocky outcrop in a spectacular setting of high mountain peaks… this is the fortified town of Briançon. And it hardly leaves anyone indifferent! Here we are in the Hautes-Alpes département, in the northern edge of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. ‘Hautes-Alpes’ literally means ‘Upper Alps’. Indeed, Briançon is bordered to the west by the Ecrins, one of the highest massifs in the French Alps. Briançon is also noted for being the highest town of France at 1330 m.

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Why Briançon is worth visiting

In the 17th century, a certain Vauban described the region as such:

“The area includes mountains reaching for the sky and valleys sinking to incredible depths”.

Moreover, what makes Briançon such a fascinating place is its historic fortifications from the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

Briançon in the early 19th century
Briançon in the early 19th century

Unsurprisingly, the citadel town is situated in a frontier area (Italy is a mere 15 km away). In fact, French military engineer Sébastien Le Preste de Vauban (1633-1707) clearly understood its crucial position. He made it one of the greatest military strongholds of his time.

This explains Vauban’s formidable ring of forts that surrounds Briançon.

Briançon in the early 19th century
Briançon in the early 19th century

Let’s have a look at the sights and landmarks worth discovering in the town.

Roughly speaking, the fortified town of Briançon consists of two distinct towns.

  • the lower town (ville basse). In other words, this is the modern town with its shopping precinct (rue centrale) and railway station.
  • the upper town (ville haute), the major point of interest for tourists.

Cité Vauban: the fortified town of Briançon

The Romans already fortified the site of Briançon to guard the road from Milan to Vienne.

Perched above the valley, the upper fortified town of Briançon is surrounded by thick walls, a masterpiece of Vauban.

The fortified town of Briançon Vauban © Etienne Baudon - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
The fortified town of Briançon. © Etienne Baudon – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

The streets of the walled town

The narrow, steep winding streets are worth discovering, particularly if you’re fond of small-scale heritage. If you take time, you’ll observe sundials, old fountains, colourful 18th century-old façades reminiscent of Provence, arcades and columns…

Old street of Briançon @SteveAllenPhoto via Twenty20
Old street of Briançon. @SteveAllenPhoto via Twenty20

The Fontaine des Soupirs in the old town © René Boulay - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
The Fontaine des Soupirs in the old town. © René Boulay – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
The Sundial of Briançon's Collegiate © nicomic - licence [CC BY 2.0] from Wikimedia Commons
The Sundial of the Collegiate. © nicomic – licence [CC BY 2.0] from Wikimedia Commons

In addition, Grande Rue is the town’s narrow main street. It is lined with shops, souvenir stores, restaurants and cafés.

Fortified Town of Briançon © Maxence - licence [CC BY 2.0] from Wikimedia Commons
La Grande Gargouille, fortified town of Briançon. © Maxence – licence [CC BY 2.0] from Wikimedia Commons

It bears the nickname ‘La Grande Gargouille’ – in other words, the Great Gargoyle. This is due to the presence of a small canal where a little stream runs down the middle of the street.

Notre-Dame Collegiate

The Notre-Dame collegiate church was designed between 1703 and 1718 under the supervision of Vauban. It is a neo-Classical sanctuary with two bell towers topped with domes and small lanterns.

The fortified town of Briançon © Shesmax - licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons
The Collegiate in the fortified town of Briançon. © Shesmax – licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Collegiate © Shesmax - licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Inside the Collegiate. © Shesmax – licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons

Flanking the town-hall, the Cordeliers church features remarkable medieval frescoes from the late 14th century.

The Military structures

The military structures of the walled town are worth mentioning too.

The fortified town of Briançon in the snow @Architecture_and_Wanderlust via Twenty20
The fortified town of Briançon in the snow. @Architecture_and_Wanderlust via Twenty20

Four gates give access to the town:

  • to the north, porte Dauphine and
  • porte Pignerol (which is where you enter the town from the Champ de Mars car park),
  • to the southwest, porte d’Embrun, and
  • to the east, porte de la Durance.
Porte d'Embrun, Fortified Town of Briançon @SteveAllenPhoto via Twenty20
Porte d’Embrun. @SteveAllenPhoto via Twenty20

Porte Dauphine, fortified town of Briançon © MOSSOT - licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Briançon: Porte Dauphine. © MOSSOT – licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Porte Pignerol, fortified town of Briançon © MOSSOT - licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Porte Pignerol. © MOSSOT – licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

Take a walk along the chemin de ronde supérieur. The upper line of defence overlooks the roofs of the walled town.

The chemin de ronde, fortified town of Briancon © Alessio Sbarbaro - licence [CC BY-SA 2.5] from Wikimedia Commons
The chemin de ronde, fortified town of Briançon. © Alessio Sbarbaro – licence [CC BY-SA 2.5] from Wikimedia Commons

The formidable forts of Briançon

Vauban imagined the protection of the fortified city of Briançon with four forts dominating the Durance Valley on the adjacent highlands. 

Situation Map of the Fortified Town of Briançon

Access to the forts is restricted, however it is possible to visit many of them via guided tours (Fort du château, Fort des Têtes, and Fort des Salettes).

The forts form a network of fortifications that UNESCO listed in 2008 along with 11 other sites across France. For instance, these are

  • Besançon,
  • Neuf-Brisach,
  • Longwy,
  • Arras,
  • Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue,
  • Camaret-sur-Mer,
  • Saint-Martin-de-Ré,
  • Blaye,
  • Mont-Louis,
  • Villefranche-de-Conflent, and
  • Mont-Dauphin.
Briançon @SteveAllenPhoto via Twenty20
Briançon, Hautes-Alpes in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. @SteveAllenPhoto via Twenty20

In addition, the UNESCO-listed sites in Briançon include the following structures:

  • the rampart of the old town (including the Collegiate church, the Place d’Armes and the two powder magazines)
  • the Asfeld Bridge,
  • the Fort des Têtes,
  • the ouvrage de la communication Y,
  • the Fort du Randouillet, and
  • the Fort des Salettes.

Fort du Château

The top of the upper town’s outcrop is occupied by the Vauban citadel or Fort du Château. In the late 17th century it replaced a small medieval castle.

General View of the fortified town of Briançon © MOSSOT - licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
General View of the fortified town of Briançon. © MOSSOT – licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

From there the military could guard the strategic intersection of four valleys: the Durance, the Guisane, the Cerveyerette, and Clarée.

Pont d’Asfeld

The Pont d’Asfeld is a bridge that spans the Durance some 70 metres above the river.

Pont d'Asfeld © Alessio Sbarbaro - licence [CC BY-SA 2.5] from Wikimedia Commons
Pont d’Asfeld. © Alessio Sbarbaro – licence [CC BY-SA 2.5] from Wikimedia Commons

The military structure served as a direct link between the fortified town of Briançon and the Fort des Têtes that overlooks the town and its surroundings.

Work ended in 1734 and its daring height gave it the alternative name of Devil’s bridge.

However, it takes its name from the Marquis d’Asfeld (1665-1743), a French Marshal of France who continued Vauban’s work in Briançon.

The Fort des Têtes

The infantry fort occupies the Têtes plateau at 1440 m high. Vauban investigated the construction of the fort but died it commenced in 1721.

Fort des Têtes, fortified town of Briançon © Benj05 - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Fort des Têtes. © Benj05 – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

Moreover, the Fort des Têtes comprises three bastioned fronts overlooking the south of the Durance Valley.

The Fort du Randouillet

At 1604 m high, the fort du Randouillet (1724-1734) dominates the Fort des Têtes which in turn towers over the fortified town of Briançon.

It is an irregular-shaped structure which includes barracks, magazines and a single fortified front.

The army installed a cable car to connect the fort to the valley.

An atypical structure connects it to the Fort des Têtes: the communication Y.

Communication Y, fortified town of Briançon © Edouard Hue - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Ouvrage de la Communication Y and fort du Randouillet. © Edouard Hue – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

The ouvrage de la communication Y

The unusual structure served to prevent access to the east side of the Upper Durance valley, and particularly the Cerveyrette Valley that leads to the Queyras.

Ouvrage de la communication Y © Les Berges des Pierres - Moselle Association - licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Ouvrage de la communication Y. © Les Berges des Pierres – Moselle Association – licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons

As its name implies, the ouvrage de la communication Y is a 150 m long vaulted passageway that allows secure ‘communication / transfer‘ of provisions and men between the fort de Randouillet and the fort des Têtes.

The Fort des Salettes

Vauban initially planned the Fort des Salettes and it was the Marquis of Asfeld who constructed the fort between 1709 and 1712, after Vauban’s death.

Fort des Salettes, fortified town of Briançon © MOSSOT - licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Fort des Salettes. © MOSSOT – licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

The infantry fort guarded the route to Italy. It dominates the fortified town of Briançon at 1538 m high.

Other forts around Briançon

The great plan of Vauban remained incomplete in the 18th century.

In the 1870s, Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières (1815-1895) revolutionised the design of fortifications in France. The French military engineer and general created the Séré de Rivières system, an ensemble of fortifications built from 1874 along the borders and coasts of France.

For this purpose, five new forts complemented the fortified town of Briançon from 1874, at heights exceeding 2000 metres:

  • Croix de Bretagne,
  • Enlon,
  • Gondrands,
  • Infernet, and
  • Janus.
Fort de l'Infernet © Les Berges des Pierres - Moselle Association - licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Fort de l’Infernet. © Les Berges des Pierres – Moselle Association – licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons

The French army modernised the Janus fort in 1930 to include it in the Alpine Maginot Line.


Explore the surroundings of Briançon

Briançon makes an excellent base for exploring the upper Durance, bordered by the Ecrins massif in the west and the Queyras massif in the east.

In fact this region also takes the name of ‘Briançonnais’.

Croix de Toulouse

The Croix de Toulouse (Toulouse’s Cross) is an eagle’s nest perched at an altitude of 1,956 m.

The belvedere offers a stunning view of Briançon, its forts and the Upper Durance valley. An orientation table provides the name of all the major landmarks.

Briançon Panorama from the Croix de Toulouse © Etienne Baudon - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Panorama from the Croix de Toulouse. © Etienne Baudon – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

From Briançon the ascent takes 2 hrs.

Télécabine de Prorel

The gondola departs from avenue René-Froger in the Lower Town and connects Briançon with the ski-resort of Serre-Chevalier.

In addition, there are plenty of walks to enjoy in the area in summer time. One of them is the ascent to the nearby Sommet du Prorel (2,566 m / 8,418 ft). There’s an exceptional panoramic view to admire from the top: Briançon, the Upper Durance valley, the Ecrins massif, the Aiguilles d’Arves, Mont Thabor, Monte Viso…

The Ski-resort of Serre Chevalier

The people of Briançon are fortunate to have a ski-resort just around the corner: Serre Chevalier.

Serre Chevalier by Fredrik Lähnn [Public Domain]
Serre Chevalier by Fredrik Lähnn [Public Domain]

The station’s 250 ski runs cover the eastern edge of the Ecrins massif, making it the largest ski resort of the southern Alps.

The Ecrins National Park

Briançon is very close to the Ecrins National Park.

The picturesque mountain village of Vallouise (21 km) is one of the entrance gates to the National Park.

Vallouise © patano - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Village of Vallouise. © patano – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

The D204 road climbs up to the stunning mountain scenery of Pré de Madame Carle from where you can see the famous Barre des Ecrins (4,102 m / 13,458 ft).

Hamlet of Ailefroide in the Ecrins Massif © MOSSOT - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Hamlet of Ailefroide in the Ecrins Massif. © MOSSOT – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Pré de Madame Carle © MOSSOT - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Pré de Madame Carle. © MOSSOT – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Pré de Madame Carle © MOSSOT - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Pré de Madame Carle. © MOSSOT – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

The peak is the only mountain reaching 4,000 m outside the Mont Blanc massif. In fact, it was the highest mountain of France before the annexation of Savoy in 1860.

The Clarée Valley

To the north of the fortified town of Briançon, the Clarée Valley (in French, Vallée de la Clarée) is a listed natural site with stunning mountain scenery and preserved heritage.

Vallée de la Clarée © MOSSOT - licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Vallée de la Clarée. © MOSSOT – licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

Furthermore, you can drive via the picturesque mountain village of Névache to the chalets de Laval at 2,015 m high.

Hamlet of Névache in the Vallée de la Clarée © MOSSOT - licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Hamlet of Névache in the Vallée de la Clarée. © MOSSOT – licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Hamlet of Névache in the Vallée de la Clarée © MOSSOT - licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Hamlet of Névache in the Vallée de la Clarée. © MOSSOT – licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

Col de Montgenèvre

The Col de Montgenèvre (1,854 m / 6,083 ft) is an important mountain pass that links Briançon to the Susa Valley in Italy. It is one of the lowest road passes in the Alps between Lake Geneva and Menton on the French Riviera.

Above all this explains why several defensive forts have been built on the French side in the past (Briançon, Fort Janus, Fort du Gondran, Fort des Trois-Têtes, Fort de l’Infernet and Fort de la Croix de Bretagne).

Montgenèvre © Omonchic - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Montgenèvre. © Omonchic – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

As in 2020 the Tour de France crossed the Montgenèvre pass at least 10 times.

The Queyras massif

Beyond the Izouard Pass (2,361 m) stretches the Queyras. The massif is also a Regional Natural Park and boasts many quaint and picturesque alpine villages around the castle village of Château-Queyras. For instance, one of them is Saint-Véran, France’s most elevated commune.

Château-Queyras © patano - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Château-Queyras. © patano – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Church of Saint-Véran © Fabrice AMOROS - licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Church of Saint-Véran. © Fabrice AMOROS – licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Saint-Véran © Fabrice AMOROS - licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Saint-Véran. © Fabrice AMOROS – licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons


What makes Briançon a good holiday base?

The fortified town of Briançon © MOSSOT - licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Briançon © MOSSOT – licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

In conclusion, let’s end this discovery of the fortified town of Briançon by a number of thumbs ups!

  • The town boasts an amazing and rich architectural heritage, mainly military with castles and forts.
  • Then it is a great summer destination with lots of walks in the mountains (Ecrins and Queyras).
  • Briançon’s connection to the ski domain of Serre-Chevalier makes it a top destination if you enjoy skiing or any other winter activities.
  • Also, the town is 50 km / 31 mi from the town of Susa, which makes a nice day-excursion to neighbouring Italy.
  • And finally you can easily access Briançon by train: Paris (less than 7 hrs), Lyon (5 hrs 30) and Marseille (6 hrs).
Briançon's Railway Station © Alexdevil - licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Briançon’s Railway Station © Alexdevil – licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons

Have you ever visited the fortified town of Briançon? Leave a comment below with your favourite thing about the citadel town. I’d love to hear from you! 

 

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The old fortified town of Briançon @SteveAllenPhoto via Twenty20

The old fortified town of Briançon @SteveAllenPhoto via Twenty20

Featured image: © Shesmax – licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons

Gems of Paris by French Moments
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

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