Briançon

Briançon (Latin: Brigantium) is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in theProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in south-eastern France. It is the sub-prefecture of the department.

At 1,350 metres it is the second highest city in Europe after Davos. It is built on a plateau nucleated around confluence of the Durance and the Guisane.

The historical centre is a strongly fortified town, built by Vauban to defend the region fromAustrians in the 17th century. Its streets are very steep and narrow, though picturesque. Briançon lies at the foot of the descent from the Col de Montgenèvre, giving access to Turin, so a great number of other fortifications have been constructed on the heights around it, especially towards the east. The Fort Janus is no less than 4,000 ft (1,200 m). above the town.

The parish church, with its two towers, was built 1703-1726, and occupies a very conspicuous position.

The Pont d'Asfeld, east of the town, was built in 1734, and forms an arch of 131 ft (40 m). span, thrown at a height of 184 ft (56 m). across the Durance.

The modern town extends in the plain at the southwest foot of the plateau on which the old town is built and forms the suburb of Ste Catherine.

Briançon is located close to the Parc National des Ecrins.

On 8 July 2008, several buildings of Briançon were classified by the UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, as part of the "Fortifications of Vauban" group. These buildings are: the city walls, Redoute des Salettes, Fort des Trois-Têtes, Fort du Randouillet, ouvrage de la communication Y and the Asfeld Bridge. Along with Briançon, 11 other sites of fortified buildings in France were classified. Among them is theplace-forte of Mont-Dauphin, also in the Hautes-Alpes department. These pieces of art were designed by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban(1633-1707), a military engineer of King Louis XIV.

Briançon has often been a start or a finish of Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Dauphiné Libéré

Briançon has featured regularly as a stage start or finish in the Tour de France and is thus a popular base for cyclists. Since 1947, the town has been the start point for a stage of the tour 22 times, and has also been the stage finish 22 times.

In 2007, the town was the finish of the 159.5 km (99.1 mi) stage 9 on 17 July from Val-d'Isère crossing the Col de l'Iseran, the Col du Télégrapheand the Col du Galibier with a 37 km (23 mi) downhill finish in Briançon.