The Rochambeau barracks

Although it was built several decades after the first barracks at Mont-Dauphin, Rochambeau followed the Vauban-style barracks layout.

The building comprises five wings that follow the course of the rampart. They are organised into a series of modules: a central stairwell leads, on each floor, to a room situated on either side. The various modules are stacked one above the other from floor to floor. The barracks comprises a total of 56 rooms, in addition to six storerooms in the basement.

The generous size of the rooms allows them to accommodate several soldiers. Nineteenth-century military documents indicate a theoretical capacity of 504 men, based on nine soldiers per room. However, as some of the premises were already being used as storerooms at that time, the actual number of troops accommodated may have been lower. As in the other barracks within the stronghold, the rooms are fitted with fireplaces for heating. Some rooms also feature features directly linked to defense: in particular, embrasures allow the Embrun Gate to be flanked.

In Mont-Dauphin, the barracks are not merely places of accommodation. Their location and architecture are directly tailored to military requirements.

Rochambeau is thus integrated into the Embrun front line defenses. Set against the escarpment, it helps to reinforce this section of the ramparts whilst providing the garrison with sheltered spaces for accommodation and the storage of equipment. The building follows the line of the rampart and is divided into several sections to adapt to the terrain and the existing defensive structures.

In 1783–1784, an imposing flying buttress was constructed on the outside of the barracks. This was a solution to a structural problem: the thrust exerted by the vaults of the various sections of the building was threatening its stability. The flying buttress served to contain this thrust whilst also supporting a monumental staircase providing access to the upper part of the barracks. This staircase is one of the building’s most spectacular architectural features. Even today, it offers an insight into how military engineers managed to combine defensive function, technical constraints and architectural innovation. The structure, meticulously constructed from cut stone, displays a genuine elegance despite its essentially technical and military purpose.

The Rochambeau Barracks are remarkable not only for their size, but also for the quality of their architectural details. The façade facing the courtyard is punctuated by the building’s different storeys, whilst the openings are framed with cut stone. The rooms are covered with basket-handle vaults and the internal staircases are made of stone.

In the courtyard, another feature catches the eye: a monumental double flight of curved steps frames a sculpted fountain. This was once the only water source for the Rochambeau casemates. Two human-faced masks spout water into a stone basin.

After several centuries of military use, the barracks are gradually being put to new uses. Now owned by the State and managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux, it is a venue particularly well-suited to hosting cultural, craft and economic projects.

The Rochambeau Barracks have been undergoing major restoration work for several years. An initial phase of work was carried out in 2015, followed by a further phase, funded under the Recovery Plan, in 2022 and 2023. This work focused in particular on the restoration of the roof structure and roofing, the refurbishment of the façades, and the restoration of the flying buttress staircase. The aim is to ensure the long-term preservation of this exceptional building whilst enabling its new uses to continue.

Since 2020, part of the building has been home to cheese-maturing cellars, set up as part of a partnership between the Centre des monuments nationaux and the Coopérative laitière des Alpes du Sud. Since 2026, a partnership with the Col Bayard dairy has extended this venture, enabling cheese maturing to continue within the monument itself.

The barracks also hosts artistic projects. Since 2021, it has been home to the ‘Little Bighorn’ exhibition, dedicated to the sculptures of Ousmane Sow, which is displayed in its vast vaulted spaces. This new use of the building illustrates the fortress’s ability to foster a dialogue between military heritage, artistic creation and contemporary activities, whilst preserving the architectural features that make it so fascinating.

Today, the Rochambeau Barracks thus offer a particularly comprehensive insight into the development of Mont-Dauphin: designed as a defensive military building in the 18th century, converted in the 19th century to meet new requirements, and then repurposed in modern times, it continues to thrive at the heart of the stronghold.