Overlooking the valleys of the Fontenil and Fontchristiane, the Fort des Têtes is the cornerstone of the city’s fortified defences and the most important structure in the part of the network built in the 18^th century.

The wrinkles and steps in the fort’s defences show the engineers’ stubbornness in resolutely defending Briançon, which was on the front lines after the transalpine Dauphiné was lost in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.

Back in 1700, Vauban had understood the importance of the Plateau des Trois Têtes, which overlooks the city beyond the Durance. In 1709, Marshal de Berwick set up an entrenched camp which was very useful in 1711 and 1712. From 1721 to 1733, the Marquis d'Asfeld, director general of fortifications, and the engineers Tardif and Nègre reorganised the structure into a permanent fort with bastioned fronts. Larger than the citadel of Briançon, the fort could house about a thousand men and materiel.

The use of the relief as an obstacle, the compartmentalisation of the defences brought about by the successive sieges, the firepower of the seventy-two embrasures combined with the neighbouring forts attest to the extraordinary mastery of mountain fortifications acquired by the King’s engineers. Access. Briançon is located at the intersection of the N91 and N94 highways, 87 km from Gap, 116 km from Grenoble and 125 km from Turin, Italy.

Office Briançonnais du Tourisme

Visits are often organised to show you the fortified city, the high-altitude forts and the monuments of Briançon.
Tél. 04.92.21.08.50 Fax 04.92.20.56.45
E-mail : office-tourisme-briancon@wanadoo.fr

Office Briançonnais du Tourisme website

Quiz: Fortifications

Halfway between the island of Oléron and the island of Aix to which it is attached, the impressive silhouette of Fort Boyard stands proudly like a "stone warship" perched on the fortified reefs. Shortly after the construction of the naval shipyard at Rochefort, the location of the current fort was the subject of a study that concluded that it was impossible to build a defensive structure on the sand bank that ran alongside Boyard.

Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, who would later become the General Commissioner for the Kingdom's fortifications, wrote the following to King Louis XIV: "Sire, it would be easier to grasp the moon between your teeth than to undertake such work on this site". Failing to materialise for technical reasons, the idea of building a defensive fort was dropped. Fouras, la Rochelle and the islands of Aix and Oléron were strategic positions that controlled access to the Charente until the beginning of the 19th Century. However, the protection of Rochefort and its channel by all these sites proved ineffective, as they were too far away from the corridor taken by the ships leaving the naval shipyard.
Robbed of its strategic importance, it became a target for German troops carried out target practice against its walls during the Second World War. The start of its film career dates back to 1966, when its upper level was used as the setting for the final scene in Robert Enrico's film "les aventuriers" ("The Last Adventurer") with Lino Ventura and Alain Delon. In 1980, the fort was bought by an audiovisual production company and then donated to the Charente-Maritime General Council, resulting in it being used for the purpose for which it is now world famous. No longer open to the public due to its new television vocation, its surroundings can still be seen from one of the many pleasure boats offering tourists a close up view.
Its defensive purpose reduced to nothing because of advances in artillery, it was used as a detention centre from 1870 onwards: a military prison for Prussian and Austrian soldiers and then a place of detention for hundreds of communards, before being abandoned after 1913.
 

Mairie of the island of Aix

Rue Gourgaud 17123 Ile d'Aix

Tel. + 33 (0) 5 46 84 66 09

Fax + 33 (0) 5 46 84 65 79

E-mail: mairie@iledaix.fr

Since the creation of the naval shipyard at Rochefort, the pointe Sainte-Catherine, opposite Fort Boyard on the southern part of the island, has been the home of the first fortifications on the Ile d'Aix. Drawing its inspiration from plans devised by Vauban, construction of the Fort de la Sommité began in 1699 and was completed in 1703. Accessed via a drawbridge and surrounded by moats, the fort is then flanked by five bastions, of which traces remain visible today at low spring tides. In September 1757, during the Seven Year War, the English fleet commanded by Admiral Hawke arrived in the harbour of the Ile d'Aix and completely destroyed this first fort. In 1779, Montalembert, along with his deputy Choderlos de Laclos, undertook the construction on the same site of a wooden fort, which proved temporary as it was destroyed in 1783 without ever seeing any action.

The Fort de la Rade owes its current appearance and name to work carried out in Napoleonic times. Equipped with an impressive central building designed to accommodate its artillery pieces, the fort has long ramparts that allow a full tour of the fort whilst providing an unobstructed view over the islands of Madame, Oléron and Ré, the two lighthouses on the Ile d'Aix and the famous Fort Boyard. Various refurbishment work was carried out during the second half of the 19th century, including the concrete shelters dating from 1890.
Since 1986 tourist facilities have been set up in the Fort de la Rade, which is open all year round and free to visit.
Le fort de la Rade Mairie de l'île d'Aix Rue Gourgaud 17123 Ile d'Aix Tel. + 33 (0)5 46 84 66 09 Fax + 33 (0)5 46 84 65 79 E-mail:mairie@iledaix.fr

In 1808, during an inspection of the site works at Fort Boyard, Napoleon decided to complete the defensive system of Rochefort harbour by having a fort built on the highest point at Aix, at the eastern end of the island. Square in shape, this bastioned fort measuring over 90 metres wide was built in stone and was fully casemated. Four galleries lead off in different directions from the interior courtyard, serving the casemates located beneath the bastions, with each curtain wall containing four vaulted casemates for accommodating the troops. Protected by a thick earth embankment and covered with a grass slope, the fort was surmounted by an impressive circular walkway.

Square in shape, this bastioned fort measuring over 90 metres wide was built in stone and was fully casemated. Four galleries lead off in different directions from the interior courtyard serving the casemates located beneath the bastions, with each curtain wall containing four vaulted casemates for accommodating the troops. Protected by a thick earth embankment and covered with a grass slope, the fort was surmounted by an impressive circular walkway. Between the 12th and 15th of July 1815, Napoleon spent his last days on French soil at Fort Liédot, before giving himself up to the British and leaving for Saint Helena. During the Crimean War led by Napoleon III, about a thousand defeated Russian soldiers were detained inside the fort, which was later abandoned, as the use of rifled artillery considerably reduced the resistance capacity of stone fortifications. That is why firing tests were carried out on Fort Liédot from 1863: although the casemates were able to withstand it, all the walls exposed to artillery volleys were destroyed. Despite this partial destruction, the fort's role as a prison was not weakened and several hundred communards were imprisoned within its walls from 1871 to 1872 as they awaited their departure for New Caledonia.
It was used as a detention centre for German prisoners during the First World War, before fulfilling a completely different role between the wars, when it was temporarily turned into a pleasant holiday resort for summer camps. Between 1959 and 1961, Fort Liédot held its last prisoners to date: the man who was to become President of Algeria, Ahmed Ben Bella, and several of his comrades of the FLN. In 1989, the Ministry of Defence donated Fort Liédot to the coastal conservatory, with the fort now being managed by the island of Aix local authority. There are guided tours in July and August and by appointment from September to June. The fort was restored at the end of the 19th Century, most notably for the installation of guns from the naval infantry on its terraces.
Fort Liédot Mairie of l'île d'Aix Rue Gourgaud 17123 Ile d'Aix Tel. +33 (0) 5 46 84 66 09 Fax + 33 (0) 5 46 84 65 79 E-mail:mairie@iledaix.fr

Off the mouth of the Charante in the Strait of Antioche, every year the southernmost of the islands of Ponant welcomes more than 300 000 visitors, thanks to the richness of its natural and historical heritage. The island of Aix with its 132 hectares is full of deserted beaches, wild creeks, rocks ... and fortifications. Indeed, the military security of the Rochefort naval shipyard became essential following the completion of its construction in 1666 at the instigation of Colbert. Subsequently considered an excellent defensive position because of its strategic position, the île d'Aix offers visitors an insight into developments in military architecture over the ages, with a clear predominance of elements dating from the 19th century.

Although the appearance of Aix is strongly marked by the imposing presence of its fortifications, in addition to its superb natural setting, the island is also home to several other sites worthy of a trip: there are no less than twenty buildings and listed sites to visit. A dynamic policy is now in place to highlight this rich natural and historical heritage. So, a walk has been marked out to guide visitors to those spots considered to be of interest, the island being dotted with numerous boards providing historical information next to heritage sites. What's more, a programme of cultural events is scheduled each year offering visitors activities based on the history of the île d'Aix, even out of season. Lastly, every day in July and August and by appointment from April to June and in September, the tourist office organises four themed guided walks (the Pointe Sainte Catherine and the Fort de la Rade, the streets of the village, Napoleon the First, Fort Liédot etc.) and a "heritage rally" introducing the island's most important monuments, accompanied by an illustrated booklet.
Throughout the year the following can be visited: - The church and priory of Saint-Martin, founded in 1067 by the abbey of Cluny; - The Napoleonic museum, inside the Maison de l'Empereur which was built in 1809 (open every day except Tuesday); - An African museum, established in 1933 inside the former house of the Military Engineers and displaying the zoological and ethnological collections assembled by Baron Gourgaud (open every day except Wednesday). In the summer season, horse-drawn carriage tours are available from the place d'Austerlitz, to peacefully enjoy this island, where there is almost no road traffic.
Access by sea In the summer season Several shipping companies provide crossings from La Rochelle, Rochefort, Fouras, Boyardville (Oléron), Sablanceaux (Ré) and La Tranche (Vendée). Some of these companies also offer visitors commentated crossings. Out of season Twenty minutes by boat from la Pointe de La fumée at Fouras. The île d'Aix has a marina that is open all year round.
Mairie of l'île d'Aix Rue Gourgaud 17123 Ile d'Aix Tel. + 33 (0) 5 46 84 66 09 Fax + 33 (0) 5 46 84 65 79 E-mail: mairie@iledaix.fr Heritage Events Department (open all year) Tel. + 33 (0) 5 46 83 01 82 & + 33 (0) 5 46 84 66 12 Fax + 33 (0) 5 46 84 65 79

The Fort of Guentrange is located 4 km north-west of Thionville, at the top of a wooded hill overlooking the city and the left bank of the Moselle at a height of 318 m.

The Feste (or fortified group) of Guentrange was part of the Moselle fortification programme drawn up under the Schliffen-Moltke plan, between the Luxembourg border and the strategic fortifications built around Metz. It was designed to protect the rail hub at Thionville, a crucial troop transit point between Germany and France. Festen are a group of units dispersed over a large area and connected by underground galleries. Unlike the compact fort surrounded by a polygonal ditch typical of the works inspired by Séré de Rivières, a Feste often covers several dozen hectares. The whole is defended by a large garrison, armoured artillery and a network of barbed wire and defensive grating protected by trenches surrounding the work.


Construction on the Feste Obergentringen (the fortified group of Guentrange) began in 1899 and was first completed in 1905. The fortified group then included three barracks and two armoured batteries each equipped with four rotating turrets with the Schuman system, armed with short 150-mm cannons with a range of 9,700 m. Reinforced with gratings, armoured doors, mine systems and underground galleries connecting the different concrete units, while a blockhaus in the rear controlled access to the Feste with a network of barbed wire. Starting in 1912, major consolidation work was undertaken on the slopes due to land sliding down the west glacis, then a line of flanking casemates were added to reinforce protection against attackers.


The Feste Obergentringen did not come under fire during the First World War, and it became French after the Armistice of 1918. In the 1930s, France integrated it into the Maginot Line as a second-line logistic support unit in the fortified sector of Thionville. At this time, the short 105-mm cannons were replaced with long cannons, increasing the artillery’s range to 12,700 m. In 1940, the fort was used as a munitions depot for the German army before it was taken back by the Americans in 1944.


Nowadays, several levels of the work and the central barracks are accessible. Along with an exhibition presenting the history of the fortified group, visitors can see the north battery’s fully restored artillery turret. They can also observe how the site was supplied by huge water reserves, machinery equipped with a diesel engine providing electricity to the entire group, and a complete central heating and ventilation system. The barrack rooms, kitchens and bakery, the infirmary and the operating theatre: the different spaces and equipment highlight the extraordinary comfort that the fort provided its troops with.

Like the French soldiers who took over the site in 1918, visitors will appreciate the luxury of this unit, unimaginable in France’s fortifications at the end of the 19th century.

Fort of Guentrange

Thionville Tourism Office

16 rue du Vieux Collège 57100 Thionville

Tél. 03.82.53.33.18

Fax 03.82.53.15.55

e-mail : tourisme@thionville.net

Access to the Fort of Guentrange:
24 km from the Ouvrage Hackenberg via Buding on the D 60 highway, then Stuckange on the D 918, then take the A 31 motorway toward Thionville (exit No. 40 "Linkling, zones commerciales et artisanales, hôpital Bel-Air, Cattenom"), then the D 14.
30 km from Metz on the A 31 motorway (exit No. 40 " Linkling, zones commerciales et artisanales, hôpital Bel-Air, Cattenom ), then the D 14 highway. 85 km from Nancy via Metz.
30 km from Luxembourg on the E 25 (exit No. 43 "Longwy, Algrange, Nilvange" ), then take the D 14.

Visits: the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month starting at 3.00 pm. Group visits by appointment.

Quiz : Forts and citadels

Situated on the southern bank of the entrance to the Old Port of Marseille, this fort is in the form of a system with a double compound, moats and bastions.

In 1660, Marseille was placed under royal power following an attack by an army of 7,000 men commanded by the Duke of Mercoeur. Louis 14th decided to build Fort St-Nicolas both to protect the harbour at Marseille and to control a town that had been hostile to him for a long time. Work was carried out following the "star-shaped" plans of the Marshall of Camps and General Commissioner of Fortifications, Louis Nicolas de Clerville, and was completed in 1664. Vauban only altered the work of his predecessor slightly: he had some low batteries and the false bray added, which we can still see today around the lower fort. Throughout the 17th Century, the citadel housed a garrison. On the 18th May 1790, it was partially destroyed by a crowd of revolutionaries who attacked the part of the compound that faced the town. In an act dated the 28th May the National Assembly, anxious to preserve a fortification that would be useful for defending the country, ordered an end to its demolition.
On the 4th January 1794, Bonaparte, then Inspector of the Mediterranean coast, wrote to the minister for war: "Fort St-Nicolas is not capable of defending. The three structures that enclosed the town on the fort side have been demolished, making it accessible from all sides. However, it is essential to restore it so that it can at least defend against any ill wishers. In order to do this we need to rebuild one of the three keeps. I am going to install canons along the fort in order to control the town". This letter earned the would-be emperor a summons from the Assembly, as the people's representatives appealed against the danger of a "Marseille Bastille". The citadel was not restored until 1834, using dull grey stones, which stand out against the pinkish tones of those used originally. On the order of Napoleon the Third, work on the roads split the citadel into two distinct forts and opened up the boulevard to traffic: christened Boulevard de l'Empereur in 1864, it became Boulevard Victor Hugo in 1870, Boulevard du Pharo in 1871 and then Boulevard Charles Livon in 1922. In 1887, the military authorities renamed the upper Fort St-Nicolas, which became Fort Entrecasteaux, from the name of a French navigator. The lower Fort St-Nicolas took the name Fort Ganteaume, in tribute to a former Vice Admiral and maritime prefect of Toulon. On the 14th January 1969, the whole fort was classified as a historic monument.
In 1696, five protestants accused of spying on behalf of William of Orange were imprisoned at Fort St-Nicolas. In 1823, following the Spanish expedition, the fort took in 569 prisoners. Afterwards, the citadel served as a place to hold soldiers given short sentences by military tribunals. In 1939, it was host to two famous people: Jean Giono, who wrote in his novel "Noé" about the cell where he was held in solitary confinement for twenty days without light and Habib Bourguiba, who would become president of the Tunisian Republic.
Fort Saint-Nicolas Impasse Clerville 13007 Marseille Access It is possible to access one of the fort's terraces by car, which provides a superb view over the Old Port. The only guided tours available are organised by the Tourist Information Office. Links Marseille Tourist Information Office Tel. + 33 (0) 4.91.13.89.00 Fax + 33 (0) 4.91.13.89.20 e-mail: info@marseille-tourisme.com

Located on the seaside, the town of Port-de-Bouc was founded on 2 September 1866 when it was detached from Fos and Martigues. It is now in the Martigues Industrial Park, at the Lavéra oil port.

The Fort de Bouc is owned by the town of Martigues. Also known as the Caserne Suffren de Martigues and Fort Vauban, the Fort de Bouc is located on the former Bouc Islet, at the entrance to the Étang de Caronte which connects the Étang de Berre to the Mediterranean Sea. Built on the south bank of the Passe which crosses Port-de-Bouc, the fort has been connected to land since the Canal de Canevielle was filled in.

Originally, in the 12^th century, it was a simple square stone tower that watched over the natural haven of Bouc and Martigues. In 1536, Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, invaded Provence and had the Genoese admiral, Andréa Doria; take possession of the islet and the fort. Valiantly defended by the residents of Martigues, it did not fall. In the 17^th century, Richelieu had many political prisoners locked up in the fort, including Laurent de Coriolis, President of the Parliament of Aix, guilty of having taken the side of Gaston d'Orléans, and he died in this State prison in 1644.

Upon the order of Louis XIV, Vauban improved the structure in 1664 by adding powerful ramparts around the tower. The citadel was now a bastioned fortification equipped with a typical defence system that eliminated blind spots and areas out of reach of fire.

The fort was handed over to the Ministry of War on 1 June 1932, before being occupied by the Lighthouses and Buoys Department. During World War II, German troops moved into the fort during the occupation.

The tower of the citadel now has a cylindrical turret with a 32-metre high lighthouse which has been electrified since 1936 and thus carries on the mission of the “farots” of the Middle Ages.

Access: 10 km west of Martigues on the N 568 highway. 45 km west of Marseille on the A 55 motorway.

Tourism Office: Rond point de l'Hôtel de Ville 13500 Martigues Tel.: +33 (0)4 42 42 31 10 Fax: +33 (0)4 42 42 31 11 E-mail : info@martigues-tourisme.com

Martigues Tourism Office website

In the middle of the 16th Century, Nice was one of the vital points in the defence system of the States of the Savoie against Turkish invaders who had been allied to the French since 1543. Because of its depth and sheltered position, the harbour at Villefranche-sur-mer was the region's principal commercial port until the port at Nice was opened in the 17th Century. It had also been the wartime port for the Savoie for four centuries.

In 1557, on the orders of Emmanuel Philibert, the Duke of the Savoie, the Fort du Mont-Alban was constructed by André Provana de Leyni, from plans by the architect and military engineer Domenico Ponsello.
This solid fortification was designed to complement the fortresses of Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer, and to control access between them: to the north of Mont Boron, the Fort du Mont-Alban flanks the Saint-Elme citadel and the Villefranche-sur-mer harbour basin, which were built at the same time and protects the west of the city.
Built at the summit of a hill at an altitude of 220 metres, it offers a superb panoramic view over the surrounding area: the harbour at Villefranche-sur-Mer and the Italian borders on one side and the bay of Nice and Estérel range on the other. Polygonal in shape, the Fort du Mont-Alban has sides measuring about forty metres long and is especially adapted to the great unevenness of the terrain.
On the 21st March 1661, it surrendered to the troops of the Duke of la Ferté without a struggle. Later, it was taken several times by French troops, including once by the Prince of Conti in 1744. In 1792, it was once again occupied by the French. The fort served as a prison from the end of the 17th Century, before Nice became part of France again in 1860. In 1944, it was bombed during the battles for the Liberation. The walled enclosure and the surviving moats along the north, west and south sides were classified as historical monuments in 1913. Despite the numerous attacks to which it was subjected, and because of the absence of any major alterations since its construction, it remains a valuable example of a perfectly preserved 16th Century fortification.

Only the outside of the fort is accessible, as the inside is not open to the public. Links Nice Tourist Information and Congress Office 5, Promenade des anglais 06000 Nice Tel.: + 33 (0) 892 707 407 Fax: + 33 (0) 4 92 14 46 49 e-mail : info@nicetourism.com

Clinging to a rocky outcrop above Condamine-Chatelard and towering over the right bank of the Ubaye, the most impressive fort in the Ubaye valley extends over more than 77 metres of uneven ground. In 1709, the French installed an entrenched camp on the rocks around Tournoux, which was designed to defend against the Savoyards and Piedmontese. Construction of the fort was agreed in 1837 by General Haxo, the director of fortifications under the reign of Juillet. Work started in 1843, to be completed in 1866 and required the participation of some 1,500 workmen.

At the end of the 19th century, General Séré de Rivières ordered the strengthening of the defence system using higher forts culminating at an altitude of over 1,800 metres: particular examples are the construction of the batteries of Vyraisse, Mallemort and le Cuguret and the redoubt of Roche-la-Croix. Liaison tunnels were dug into the rock between the high parts of the fortress and a cable car - which has since disappeared - linked the high battery and the middle fort with the valley below. During the First World War, the fort accommodated Serb volunteers, who underwent military training before going into action and it later served as a place of imprisonment for German soldiers. In June 1940, the fort housed the command posts of the units that defended the Ubaye valley. It had a baptism of fire, as its artillery fire accompanied that of the more modern forts in order to stop the Italian troops.
In April 1945, the fort was the French base for the troops who seized back the forts of Saint-Ours and Roche-la-Croix from the Germans. The fort was used as an ammunition store until 1987. Designed like a staircase along a ridge, the fort de Tournoux is composed of an upper fort and a middle fort, linked by a winding road. The upper fort is a square-shaped building and has a tunnel leading to a double caponnier. The scarp has vaulted casemates.
Access to the middle fort is through a fortified entrance with a wooden bridge. It comprises an officers' wing and barracks on the earth platform above the bastions, and is remarkable for its barrack rooms accessed by long external walkways attached to the rock. Troglodyte premises used for logistical purposes were built inside the excavated caves. The middle fort was completed with a casemated battery in 1934. Nicknamed the "19th Century Military Versailles" and often compared to a miniature Wall of China or to a Tibetan monastery, this majestic construction clinging to a steep slope has been the nucleus of the strategic system of the Ubaye valley since the middle of the 19th century.
The fort de Tournoux and the principal forts of the Ubaye valley are open to the public. Guided tours are regularly organised in season. Access to Barcelonnette, the heart of the Ubaye 85 km from Digne-les-Bains, via the D 900. 100 km from Briançon via the N 94, and then the D 954 (via Savines-le-Lac) and the D 900. Links Tourist centre of the community of towns of the Ubaye. 4, avenue des trois frères Arnaud 04400 Barcelonnette Tel. + 33 (0) 4 92 81 03 68 Fax + 33 (0) 4 92 81 51 67 e-mail: info@ubaye.com