The Team Sky leader became the first Briton to win the Tour warm-up race since Robert Millar in 1990, and the first Englishman since Brian Robinson in 1961.
Wiggins, who finished fourth overall in the 2009 Tour de France but crumbled in the mountains last year, snatched the yellow jersey after Wednesday's time trial and hung on to his lead thanks to a solid display in the final two mountain stages.
Australian Cadel Evans of the BMC team, who like the other top guns used the Dauphine to fine-tune his Tour preparation, was second overall, one minute 26 seconds behind.
Kazakh Alexandre Vinokourov was third, 23 seconds further adrift for the Astana team.
The day's stage win went to Spain's Joaquim Rodriguez after the Katusha rider, still riding on his Giro d'Italia form, attacked with less than one kilometre to go in the demanding 117.5-km mountain trek from Pontcharra.
French hot prospect Thibaut Pinot was second in the seventh and final stage, with Dutchman Robert Gesink taking third as Wiggins finished safe in the favourites' group 10 seconds behind Rodriguez, who had also won Saturday's mountain stage.
Wiggins, who lost 11 kg since winning the individual and team pursuit on the Beijing Olympics track in 2008, resisted his rivals' attacks on Saturday and Sunday to snatch a prestigious win.
He looked barely troubled as the peloton tackled the intimidating Col de la Croix de Fer -- a 22-km climb at an average gradient of 7 percent via the punishing Col du Glandon, and the final, 14.8-km ascent at 5.8 percent to La Toussuire.
He will be hoping he can repeat his performances from this race in July's Tour de France.
(Editing by Sonia Oxley) ;
