CHEVALIER GREENHOUSE - Up there, in the low light of the mountains, Briançon reveals a different face. It's a town where you can discover its heritage at dusk, by bike or on board a chatty little train. With its UNESCO-listed Vauban fortifications, the Haute-Alpes town has been awarded the Ville d'Art et d'Histoire (Town of Art and History) label, and this summer is offering a programme of new, unusual and surprising tours - so you can rediscover its treasures in a whole new way.
For the first time, the town is offering a visit by lamplight with its Nocturnes de la Cité. When the sun goes down and the cobbled streets empty, the Cité Vauban reveals itself in a unique atmosphere. Mysteries, forgotten stories and whispers of stone punctuate this 1? hour tour on Thursday evenings in July and August (€7 full price).
And there's more: There's a whiff of gunpowder at the Fort des Trois Têtes!. A dive into the bowels of this 21-hectare giant, a veritable 18th-century fortified town. The visit ends with a spectacular demonstration of black powder firing with a flintlock pistol. A must-see on Friday mornings from July to August (€9, free for children under 6).
A little train, four journeys and stories in the carriages
In Briançon, you can also visit the town's heritage... on the little train! There are four guided tours, each with its own unique viewpoints and juicy anecdotes.
Itinerary Vauban - the most classic - criss-crosses the city several times a day. On Tuesday mornings, the Street Art for a modern take on the city's walls. Thursday is Grand Tour of Briançon. And in the evening, the Vauban Nocturne makes for a romantic stroll at sunset.
Tickets (€10 to €12, with reductions for children and senior citizens) also entitle holders to reduced rates on walking tours of the city. Information and bookings: petit-train-briancon.com
Heritage on two wheels... and with electric assistance!
Another way to discover the local historical treasures is by bike. Or, to be more precise, on a VTTAE (electrically-assisted mountain bike), for a gentle assault on the old military roads.
There are two routes: one through the town of Briançon, with its forts and ramparts (every Thursday morning in July and August), and the other through the Guisane valley. The latter - new for 2025 - starts at Pontillas in La Salle-les-Alpes and explores chapels, alpine churches and other cultural treasures, accompanied by a mountain bike guide and heritage mediator (€70, booking on serre-chevalier.com).
On foot, in the saddle or on rails, Briançon is bringing its heritage to life this summer like never before: alive, shared and unexpected. A mountain of stories to (re)discover.
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