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Only 26km south of Modane and nearly 100km east of Grenoble on the N91, you'll come to BRIANCON , the capital of the Ecrins. An imposing citadel set on a rocky height above the valleys of the Durance and Guisane only 10km from the Italian border, the town guards the road to the desolate and windswept Col de Montgenevre , one of the oldest and most important passes into Italy. Originally a Gallic settlement, the town was fortified by the Romans to guard their Mons Matrona road from Milan to Vienne. During the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the Republique des Escartons, a federation of mountain communities grouped together for mutual defence and the preservation of their liberties and privileges. But, in marked contrast to the relatively untouristy Queyras , Briancon and the other towns and villages on the northern side of the Parc National des Ecrins are crawling with people in summer. The old town , mainly eighteenth-century, is enclosed within a set of Vauban's stout walls. If you come in a car the best thing is to stop at the Champ de Mars at the top of the hill and look around from there. You enter the walls by the Porte Pignerol . In front of you the narrow main street, bordered by ancient houses, tips steeply downhill. It is known as the grande gargouille because of the stream running down the middle. To your right, you'll see the sturdy, plain collegiate church , designed under the supervision of Vauban, again with an eye to defence. Beyond it there is a fantastic view from the walls, especially on a clear starry night, when the snows on the surrounding barrier of mountains give off a silvery glow. Vauban's citadel above the Porte Pignerol, the highest point of the fortifications, can be visited for free at any time, and there are also daily guided tours in July and August at 3pm.
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