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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.

Top attractions

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

  • See

    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 676km of trails spidering through its forests, alpine meadows and 100-plus peaks – they're best explored between mid-June and mid-September. The park's highest point is at the Barre des Écrins (4102m). Book 36 hours in advance with Rando Écrins (04 92 502 505; http://rando.ecrins-parcnational.fr/en/pages/transport) for seasonal bus services into the park from gateway towns Gap, Briançon and Bourg d'Oisans.

  • See

    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 Savoy. After an especially damaging raid in 1692, vast effort was expended on constructing hilltop fortresses to defend the remote town, under the instructions of master military planner Vauban. These marvels of engineering, along with a dozen other Vauban sites in France, were given Unesco World Heritage status in 2008.

  • See

    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 Gorges du Furon are a prime attraction for walkers, canyoners and abseilers, and the park is well known for caves like the vast Grotte de la Luire. Capping the park is the 170-sq-km Réserve Naturelle des Hauts-Plateaux, France's largest terrestrial nature reserve. Hikers can ply 3000km of trails, looking out for chamois, birds of prey and 75 different varieties of orchid.

  • See

    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 during the first half of the 19th century to strengthen the city against Alpine rival the Duchy of Savoy. On the viewing platform known as the Belvédère Vauban, panels (in French and English) indicate what you're looking at. On clear days you can see not only the peaks of the Vercors but also the snowy hump of Mont Blanc.

  • See

    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 wing with statuettes from ancient Egypt and Greece, and mostly European art from medieval religious paintings to an impressive assembly of 20th-century luminaries like Bonnard, Ernst, Léger, Magritte, Miró, Modigliani and Soutine.

  • See

    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 and highland traditions are reimagined as cutting-edge modern art. The museum, occupying a 17th-century convent, has permanent exhibitions on skiing and rural lifestyles, but installations constantly change. You're sure to find something interesting in this impressive collection.

  • See

    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 Italianate, pastel-painted townhouses. The steep main street, the Grande Rue – also known as the Grande Gargouille (Great Gargoyle) because of its gushing rivulet – was laid out in 1345. You can walk all the way around the interior of Vauban's upper ramparts, enjoying spectacular views, by following the streets marked as the chemin de Ronde.

  • See

    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 informative audioguide. Interactive, self-guided visits allow you to explore parts of the time-worn sanctuary at your own pace, from images projected on its lofty walls to 4th-century amphora burials in the basement.

  • See

    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, up to five tours depart daily (a dozen daily in July and August), but days of operation vary greatly throughout the year: check the website to be certain.