Sébastien Le PrestreDo you know him? Perhaps… but if we say Marquis de Vauban, that name inevitably evokes the great French architect and engineer, the great builder of the fortresses protecting French territory alongside the Sun King, Louis XIV.

Against the assaults of the Duke of Savoy's armies, he built strongholds: Mont-Dauphin, Fort Queyras, and the fortress of Briançon. Mont-Dauphin is located about an hour from the Sérigons campsite. It is a major Vauban site, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018.

Admire the pink marble ramparts and, behind them, discover the old barracks of this garrison town where the soldiers of Louis XIV lived mixed with civilians to avoid desertions.

Mont-Dauphin, built by the great Vauban, is the archetype of the mountain bastion overlooking a strategic crossroads, an ideal place to observe the enemy.

Follow in the footsteps of Vauban and meet at Fort-Queyras, located on a rocky outcrop, at an altitude of 1400 meters on the glacial barrier overlooking the Guil gorges.

Fort-Queyras was listed as a protected natural monument and site in the Hautes-Alpes department by ministerial decree on November 22, 1937, to protect it from any commercial exploitation or degradation. This fort is part of the Sentinels of the Alps network, which brings together the most remarkable fortifications.

Due to its strategic location, it is likely that it was developed as early as Roman times. And, at the end of the 17th century, Vauban transformed it into its current form. He doubled the size of the original castle and enclosed the fort within a vast wall. 
Fort-Queyras will remain the property of the army until the end of the 60s.
Visit this fort, open in summer from June to September. Cross the drawbridge, explore the medieval keep, and be sure to visit the crypt, which houses all the geological treasures of the Queyras region.
As a side note, Philippe de Broca, charmed by the picturesque and beautiful setting, filmed “Le Bossu” there in 1997, a swashbuckling film starring Daniel Auteuil, Fabrice Lucchini, Vincent Perez and Marie Gillain.

Spend a day at BriançonThis Vauban City is located less than 100 km from the "Parc des Sérigons" campsite and includes fortifications erected by Vauban which have been listed since July 2008 on the prestigious list of the World Heritage of Humanity alongside eleven other French sites grouped within the Network of Major Vauban Sites.

Labeled “City of art and history” Briançon offers its visitors an exceptional cultural heritage, including a fortified complex unique in Europe, and a fortified church, both built by Vauban, an exceptional architect.
Explore the history-laden alleyways, climb the fortifications and witness nearly three centuries of military architecture, from Vauban to Maginot.