The town of Briancon...

Locals call Briancon 'Le Ville d'Art et d'Histoire' - the town of art and history. The main tourist office for Serre Chevalier is in Briancon and offers details of guided tours and information about all the activities available in the town – in addition to the skiing, that is! You can skate at the Olympic Ice Rink, swim in the newly opened pool with relaxing sauna and Jacuzzi facilities…. and much more besides. Some other points of interest are the tennis courts, an extensive library, two cinemas, a bowling alley, a theatre, a night club called Le Dune and aerial sports offered by Surf'Air. There really is something for the whole family in Briancon!

Tiny cobbled lanes, ancient buldings, boutiques, traditional restaurants and many endearing cafés are all part of 'La Ville d'Art et d'Histoire' - the town of art and history, better known as Briancon.

Mostly known for it's skiing location in the valley of Serre Chevalier, Briancon is perched on a hill - actually the highest town in the European Union. It is surrounded by a rural stone wall that makes for an amazing walk, if you ever feel like a change from alpine sports.

Statistially, Briancon has about 300 sun-filled days per year, and pleasantly low humidity levels, averaging at about 40%. Although the population of the old town triples during the ski season, many people also spend their holidays here in summer and late spring.

The main tourist office for Serre Chevalier is in Briancon and can provide details about guided tours and all the activities available in the town – in addition to the skiing, that is!

Skiing

During the winter season, the town is simply bustling with activity. Briançon is the base for the large ski resort of Serre Chevalier, so skiing is the main focus for nearly all its visitors. There are classes and groups for every level - from a fun beginners group to the New Generation Ski and Snowboard School's thrilling ProXplore Steeps Experience.^*

Cycling

Because of its altitude of 1,326 meters, Briancon has often hosted the starts and finishes of ’étapes’ in the renowned Tour de France. For this reason, cycling has become a prominent local sport and a great activity for visitors during the summer season. The fact that it is also one of the sunniest places in France greatly adds to the appeal of the area and the variety of outdoor sports available.

Kayaking

Along with the cycling, Briancon also holds great appeal for kayakers. The town is situated around the confluence of the Durance river and its tributary the Guisane, which are fed with melting snow in the spring season. Tourists come from all over Europe to kayak and raft on these fast running whitewater rivers and their tributaries: the Ubay, the Guil, the Gyronde, the Rabioux, and the Onde.

Others activities in Briancon

Briancon really has something for everyone: a broad variety of outdoor activities such as skiing, skating (in both the town and the Olympic ice rink) aerial sports with the company Surf'Air – as well as relaxing sauna and Jacuzzi facilities.