When we were last in Oulx, in the Italian Alps, we decided to cross the broder and to go visit the French fortified city of Briançon. The oldest part of the city is named “Cité Vauban”, after the 17th century Marquis de Vauban, advisor to king Louis XIV and military engineer. The city itself has quite a fascinating history and volunteer guides will tell you all about it.
Briançon is less than one hour from Oulx. Thus, we spent an afternoon there, walking and exploring and we highly recommend it.
First of all, a few pictures from the old city….
Discover Briançon…
La place d’armes
Outside the city
Now, let us take you outside of the Cité Vauban, which is surrounded by mountains.
The 18th century Asfeld bridge over the Durance
An exciting discovery…
If you sometimes read this blog in French, you’ll know that I am a hardcore booklover!
Thus, it should not come as a surprise that when I randomly stumble upon an adorable second hand bookstore, I can’t help but feeling over excited. At La Muse Gueule you can find cheap books and real little treasures. It is also a tiny coffee shop where you can grab a book and start reading it while sipping a cup of something. I love the concept and loved the atmosphere.
Monsieur Chéri, exploring…
Verdict
To conclude with, we really liked Briançon. The city is really charming and unique. Its rich history, adorable little streets but also its fortifications and the landscape all around make it great stop if you are in this area.