Tour Brune, Fortified tower in Embrun, France
The Tour Brune d'Embrun, also known as the Tour du Paysage, is a 13th-century fortified tower in the center of Embrun, standing next to the cathedral Notre-Dame du Réal. The square tower is built from local schist stone, stands about 90 feet (27 m) tall, and features small arched windows along its walls with a crenellated terrace at the top.
The tower was built in the 13th century as part of the bishop's residence, at a time when the bishops of Embrun held secular power over the town. Over the centuries it served as a residence, an armory, a prison, and a water reservoir before being listed as a historic monument in 1927.
Since 1996, the Tour Brune has housed the information center of the Parc des Écrins, with exhibits on geology, climate, and the history of the surrounding mountains. From the top terrace, visitors can see the cathedral Notre-Dame du Réal, the lake of Serre-Ponçon, and the peaks nearby.
The tower sits in the center of Embrun, right beside the cathedral, and is easy to reach on foot. Entry to the information center inside is free, but opening hours vary by season, so it is worth checking before you visit.
The crenellated roofline that crowns the tower today is not medieval but was added in the late 1920s, inspired by the Palace of the Popes in Avignon. Before that, the tower had a wooden pyramidal roof that has since disappeared entirely.
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