The perfect state of preservation of the stronghold of Mont-Dauphin in the Hautes-Alpes department comes from the fact that it was never besieged and never had to defend itself thanks to the move further east of the French border in 1713. The still unfinished fortress of Vauban then lost its usefulness and was able to preserve all of its pink stone ramparts as well as its military buildings. Gradually abandoned by the army, the site has retained all its importance as a paragon of the Grand Siècle military architecture. Listed as a Historical Monument in 1966, it is now managed by the Center of the National Monuments (CMN).