Best things to do in Briançon

Briançon Essentials

Briançon, the highest city in France at 1,326 meters, is a masterpiece of military engineering. This list highlights the UNESCO-listed fortifications designed by Vauban in the 18th century to protect the Alpine passes. Key sites include the massive Fort des Têtes, the single-arch Pont d'Asfeld spanning the Durance gorge, and the medieval Cité Vauban. You will also find the 14th-century Cordeliers Convent and the collegiate church of Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Nicolas, alongside narrow streets featuring the historic Gargouille water channel.

Briançon Essentials — Map

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A

Fort des Têtes

The largest fortification in Briançon, built between 1721 and 1734 to command the Durance valley. It features a massive parade ground and was designed to house over 1,000 soldiers.

B

Enceinte urbaine de Briançon

These 18th-century defensive walls surround the upper town, featuring bastions, curtain walls, and monumental gates like the Porte de Pignerol. They form the core of the city's UNESCO World Heritage status.

Alessio Sbarbaro / CC BY-SA 2.5

C

Pont d'Asfeld

A daring single-arch stone bridge built in 1734. It spans the Durance gorge at a height of 55 meters, connecting the town’s ramparts to the Fort des Têtes.

D

Fort du Randouillet

The Fort du Randouillet, is a fortification in the vicinity of Briançon in the Dauphiné region of southeastern France.

E

Fort des Salettes

Constructed between 1709 and 1712, this fort was designed to prevent enemy artillery from occupying the heights overlooking the road to Italy. It features a central Haxo-style tower.

F

Église Notre-Dame, Saint-Nicolas (Ancienne Collégiale)

An 18th-century collegiate church featuring two massive towers and a classical facade. The interior houses a 17th-century organ and decorative woodwork, designed to integrate into the city's defensive ramparts.

G

Fort d'Anjou

A 19th-century fortification located on the southern slopes, built to reinforce the city's defensive perimeter and monitor the road from the south.

H

Fontaine des Soupirs

An 18th-century fountain located on the Grande Rue. It is part of the 'Gargouille' system, a central stone channel that has carried water down the steep streets since the Middle Ages.

I

Maison des Têtes

A historic residence in the old town distinguished by its facade adorned with sculpted stone heads representing various social classes and characters from the 18th century.

Les Bergers des Pierres - Moselle… / CC BY-SA 4.0

J

Fort de l'Infernet

The Fort de l'Infernet is a fortification complex near Briançon in the French Alps.

K

Fort Dauphin

Built in 1709, this advanced fortification was designed to protect the Fort des Têtes and monitor the Fontenil valley, serving as a crucial link in the high-altitude defensive chain.

L

Maison du Temple

A historic building in the medieval center featuring traditional Alpine masonry and architectural elements from the Middle Ages.

M

Centre d'art contemporain

Housed in the former courthouse within the Cité Vauban, this gallery hosts rotating exhibitions of modern art and photography across three floors of historic vaulted rooms.

N

Ancienne église du couvent des Cordeliers

A 14th-century church featuring rare 15th-century frescoes and a distinct bell tower. It is one of the few buildings to survive the city's great fire of 1692.

Other Lists

Briançon Fortifications Historic Churches & Chapels Alpine Adventures