Dauphiné

Named for the dolphin (dauphin) that graced the coat of arms of its prior rulers, the historic region of Dauphiné encompasses the territories south and southwest of Savoie, stretching from the Rhône River in the west to the Italian border in the east. It roughly corresponds to the départements of Isère, Drôme and Hautes-Alpes.

Mountain-backed Grenoble is Dauphiné's cultural centre and largest city. Barely a few kilometres southwest extends Parc Naturel Régional du Vercors, scarred with gorges and caves. East of here is rugged, glacier-carved Parc National des Écrins, with whopping, world-class ski resorts Les Deux Alpes and Alpe d'Huez on its northern flank.

Standing sentinel over lesser-loved winter sports area Serre Chevalier is Briançon, an underrated fortress town connected to Italy by a hair-raising mountain road.

Explore Dauphiné

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Dauphiné.

  • National Park

    Parc National des Écrins

    One of the greatest summertime pleasures of the French Alps is hiking in France’s second-largest national park. The glacier-carved, 918-sq-km park has…

  • Museum

    Musée de Grenoble

    For lovers of European art, this museum is an uplifting place to get lost for a day. There's an even spread of artistic eras on display: an antiquities…

  • Museum

    Musée Archéologique

    This highly impressive museum unveils the secrets of a 12th-century church and cloister using light effects, a haunting choral soundtrack and an…

  • Historic Site

    Vauban Fortifications

    Situated at the confluence of five river valleys, Briançon was highly vulnerable to attack by France's Alpine arch-rival of the 17th century, the Duchy of…

  • Park

    Parc Naturel Régional du Vercors

    Mountains, limestone cliffs and dense forests create a high-drama landscape within this 2062-sq-km preserve, a few kilometres southwest of Grenoble. The…

  • Fortress

    Fort de la Bastille

    After a fun ride in the téléphérique, or a steep, hour-long climb, the reward is a magnificent mountain panorama from Grenoble's stocky fortress, built…

  • Museum

    Musée Dauphinois

    This ever-evolving museum unleashes a century of regional history on visitors. Suits of armour are back-lit in brightly coloured rooms, 3-D family trees…

  • Historic Site

    Cité Vauban

    Surrounded by mighty starburst-shaped ramparts, Briançon’s hilltop old town looks much as it did centuries ago, its winding cobbled lanes lined with…

  • Cave

    Grotte de la Luire

    Filled with karst springs and enormous, spectacularly lit chambers, the Grotte de la Luire was used as an emergency hospital during WWII. When it's open,…

  • Museum

    Musée des Troupes de Montagne

    Though the subject is niche, this museum exploring France's elite Alpine regiments, which date to 1888, is riveting. An audioguide (in French, English,…

  • Museum

    Musée de l’Ancien Évêché

    A run-through of regional history, from prehistory through medieval times to the 20th century, is presented within the atmospheric walls of the 13th…

  • Museum

    Le Magasin

    A cavernous glass-and-steel warehouse built by Gustave Eiffel has been turned into one of France's leading centres of contemporary art. Many of the…

  • Cable Car

    Téléphérique Grenoble-Bastille

    Hop into a clear-panelled spherical pod for dreamy views of Grenoble's red roofs and magnificent mountains on this cable-car ride up to the Bastille. Les…

  • Cathedral

    Cathédrale Notre Dame

    The rose-brick rib vaults of Grenoble's elegant cathedral rise from the site of a 4th-century church. Its present form dates to the 1200s, though its…

  • Canyon

    Gorges du Furon

    Canyoning, abseiling and walking are all popular in the spectacular Gorges du Furon, carved through the Vercors limestone by the rushing Furon River. You…

  • Museum

    Musée Stendhal

    This modest museum, housed in the restored apartment of his maternal grandfather, Docteur Gagnon, celebrates the work of the author of The Red and the…

  • Cave

    Grotte de Glace

    Rainbow-lit caverns, tunnelled 30m into the Glacier des Deux Alpes, delight pint-sized visitors with ice statues of prehistoric and mythic beasts; grown…

  • Church

    Collégiale Notre Dame et St Nicolas

    Illuminated by its exterior Dauphiné coat of arms and sundial (among the oldest in the Alps), the twin-towered 18th-century church, designed by Vauban,…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Dauphiné.

  • Activities