Briançon Information Page

The Cols

Col Agnel (2744m)	Col d'Izoard (2360m)

Briançon is the highest town in Europe, situated at over 1,300 metres on the eastern edge of the French Alps. The Durance and Guisane rivers converge in Briançon. The town is only a few kilometres from Italy, and two of the local mountain passes (Agnel and Montgenevre) climb up to the border. The town claims to have 300 days sunshine a year, which means that you should have good weather if you visit.

Surrounded by walls built by Vauban, the eighteenth-century old town is certainly worth a visit. The town is full of little alleyways, squares for sitting and enjoying a drink, sundials and a pretty church with views of mountains in every direction. The main street Rue Grande is also known as the Grand Gargoille because of the stream that runs down the centre in a small channel. A second stream runs down Rue Mercerie, and is also called Petite Gargouille. Briançon is one of only two towns in France where you can see this.

Briançon sits at the junction of four strategic valleys, the Durance, Guisane, Cerveyrette and Clarée. There are a number of forts that are situated just above the town including the Fort des Trois Têtes and the Fort de Randouillet . The strategic location of Briançon becomes even more apparent when looking at a map of the surrounding mountains. Many of the mountains have forts built at the summit, forts that have been built above 2000 metres including the Olive, Gondran and the Fort de l'Infernet.

For shopping, the lower town is an active commercial centre with shops, cafés and restuarants and less tourist shops.

Briançon is situated about 115 kilometres east of Grenoble over the Col du Lautaret. The town has regular rail connections to and from Paris, Lyon and Marseille in the south of France.