Briançon-Vauban, unlike Briançon-Ste-Catherine, the lower town, still looks as it did in the olden days, with the porte Pignerol (Pignerol gate) and fortified church . Its steep, narrow streets, particularly the two main streets, the Grande and Pe..

The Croix de Toulouse (alt. 1 962m), the southern spur of a ridge separating the Guisane and Clarée valleys, dominates Briançon. A panoramic view over the River Durance and River Guisane valleys as far as the Lautaret pass.

“Mountains touching the sky and plunging valleys”: Vauban was ecstatic when he discovered this place. No fewer than four valleys (Guisane, Clarée, Durance and Cerveyrette) converge here and the hills rise to 2 000m. The Clarée Valley and the Rroute..

A number of mountain walks are possible from the summit (alt. 2 566m) and you will be assured of splendid panoramic views! You can return via Chantemerle or towards Puy-Saint-Pierre via the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges chapel.

High, severe façades, steps leading to doors decorated with ironwork: a narrow street, renovated with care and attention paid to detail.

The road leads to the castle fort (on the terrace, a statue by Bourdelle, La France). Continuing along the path, you will see a bell-tower with the Som de Serre bell. From the porte de la Durance terrace, a fine view over the River Durance and Asfeld..

With its single 40m arch, this extremely sturdy bridge spans the River Durance at a height of 56m. It connects Briançon with the Tête and Randouillet forts.

This small fort has small passageways cut out of the rock. A fine view over the upper town and the Têtes and Randouillet forts.

With its modern glass roof, the 18C building presents the life of nature and the men and animals of the parc des Ecrins, organised in a pleasantly biased museum atmosphere. Ski enthusiasts will be interested in the age-old history of this means of tr..

This Mediterranean look comes from the façades painted in warm colours and the café terraces (in fine weather) overlooking two sundials. In the centre, Vauban had a well dug which proved extremely useful during the 1815 siege.

The collegiate was built in the 18C. Note the tower on the left and the baroque sundial, one of the finest in the Alps. Behind the collegiate is a viewpoint indicator offering a view of the three levels of fortifications, the modern districts and the..

A street with 1,000m of paving stones and a fast-flowing stream running through the centre, originally for fire-fighting, hence the name Gargoyle. Depending on the time of day, visit the craft shops or compare the menus of the small restaurants. You ..

Only the fine steeple was restored after fire swept through the chapel in 1988. The rest of the building is still waiting to be restored.

The only visitors lucky enough to be allowed into this chapel are boy scouts belonging to the Eclaireurs de France movement.

With its drawbridge and portcullis, Briançon has long been well protected. Today its guardhouse hosts exhibitions, and another building is a heritage centre.

On the fort's terrace is a 9m high statue by Bourdelle : La France . Commissioned to be set up in Normandy, it ended up in a store-room at the Beaux-Arts institute and was finally erected here in 1933.

Access to the equipped rockface is just to the east of the Croix de Toulouse. You can make the downward journey via the Fort des Salettes path.

The small chapel is covered in touching, commemorative plaques. A fine view over the Serre-Chevalier valley. If you feel up to it, return to Briançon on foot through the mountain pastures: the path is signposted and you should allow 2hr30min.