The Builder's Trail on foot

It's not by chance that the Forts de l'Esseillon were built here! Built on a glacial

lock at the entrance to the vertiginous Arc Gorges, their role is to protect the

border and prevent French troops from passing through.

As you follow the trail that connects the five constructions, you'll be astonished

by the ingenuity of those who designed and built these walls. All along the

path, you'll come across reading tables that explain how such constructions

were built according to the principles of the Marquis de Montalembert.

Structured like a small village, Fort Victor-Emmanuel invites you to stroll

through its labyrinthine alleys. You'll get a glimpse of what it was like to be

a soldier in those days as you explore the various buildings that shaped their

everyday life: chapel, hospital, gunpowder factory, and even... prison and

cemetery! It can't have been fun all the time... But luckily, that's no longer

the case, as there are now a wide range of activities on offer at this fortress,

truly one of a kind in France.