Briançon & the Upper Durance form one of the most distinctive alpine landscapes in France — a high-altitude crossroads where walking holidays, outdoor adventures, and centuries of movement converge. Centred on the fortified town of Briançon, this area sits at the meeting point of major Alpine valleys, historic military routes, and some of Europe’s most important long-distance trails.
For walkers, the Upper Durance offers journeys shaped by elevation, history, and scale. Routes climb from wide valley floors into high mountain passes, linking villages, borderlands, and refuges that have served travellers for generations. The landscape supports everything from extended walking holidays and serious hiking adventures to classic cycling journeys across legendary Alpine cols. Across the area, carefully placed places to stay — from valley hotels to high mountain refuges — shape how these journeys unfold.
This is an alpine region defined not by a single valley, but by connection.
The Upper Durance Valley follows the upper reaches of the River Durance through the Hautes-Alpes, with Briançon at its heart. At over 1,300 metres above sea level, Briançon is one of Europe’s highest towns and has long been a strategic gateway between France and Italy.
The town’s famous Vauban fortifications, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reflect its historic role as a defensive stronghold controlling Alpine passes such as Montgenèvre and the Col de l’Échelle. Beyond the town, the Upper Durance opens into a landscape of high valleys, border ridges, and historic routes used for trade, migration, and seasonal farming.
Today, this area remains a key junction for self-guided Alpine travel — culturally rich, geographically complex, and deeply walkable.
The GR5 passes through Briançon as part of its north–south journey between Chamonix and the Mediterranean at Nice. This section reaches Briançon via high passes, refuges, and remote Alpine terrain after crossing Mercantour National Park.
A classic multi-day circuit through the Queyras region, offering sustained high-level walking, traditional villages, and quieter Alpine landscapes close to the Italian border.
Historic crossings such as the Col du Montgenèvre and Col de l’Échelle link Briançon to Italy, forming key walking and cycling corridors shaped by centuries of movement.
Lower-level routes connect Briançon’s fortifications, nearby villages, and defensive structures, blending cultural exploration with mountain scenery.
Briançon & the Upper Durance are exceptionally well suited to self-guided outdoor adventures. Walking remains central — from long-distance routes and multi-day hiking to shorter cultural and valley walks — but the area also supports iconic cycling journeys on quiet mountain roads and high passes.
The combination of accessible valley towns and serious high-mountain terrain allows travellers to move at their own pace, choosing routes that respond to season, experience, and conditions. Whether crossing borders on foot, climbing toward high refuges, or following ancient paths between fortified settlements, adventure here is defined by depth rather than speed.
