The Chuise de Bauma Negra belongs to the system for controlling the gorges that lead to Nice within Séré de Rivières' system. The fortification was constructed between 1884 and 1887 to block the way to Nice from la Tinée. The Chuise is situated at the narrowest point of the valley, in the Mescla gorges, just before the confluence with the Var. Its design is identical to that of the Chuise de Saint-Jean-de-la-rivière. It is a fort built into a dam.

The limestone valley of La Roya is a communications route that has been controlled in turn by the Sardinians, the Spanish, the Austrians and the French. The southern part was incorporated into France in 1860 during the reintegration of the county of Nice. Control of this border region allowed the regulation of Italian activity. In this respect, the fort provided support for the Fort du Pic Charvet. It is built on the right bank of the gorge, on the edge of the road. It combines concrete parts with a two-storey façade in stone cut into the cliff. The structure comprises two equipped floors next to the road. It has openings for 40 and 120 mm canons. Underground galleries lead to the gun shelters and firing posts that in turn lead on to the main road. Two rolling bridges, which could be moved from inside the fort, allowed the road to be cut off. It could house between 30 and 60 men. There was no separation between the stores and billets. On the left bank of the gorge, the engineer had planned to install mortars to catch the enemy in crossfire. The fort is not open to the public.
Belvédère Tourist information office: + 33 (0) 4 93 03 41 23 Saint-Martin de la Vésubie Tourist centre: + 33 (0) 4 93 21 28

The Chuise de Saint-Jean-la-Rivière is part of the system controlling the gorges that lead to Nice in the Seré de Rivières system. A combination of stone and concrete, this Chuise is a cave-fort dug out of the cliff. It is a small building cut out of the cliff in the Gorges de la Vésubie between Saint-Jean-la-Rivière and Le Suquet. Like the Chuise de Bauma Negra, it is part of the system controlling the gorges in the Nice hinterlands. These are barrier forts.

The Valley of the Vésubie, called the Switzerland of Nice, is the shortest (48 km) valley in the Nice hinterlands. The lower valley, starting at Saint-Jean-la-Rivière, makes its way through the gorges of the Alpine foothills before joining the left bank of the Var River through the Défilé de Chaudan. The Ligures used this passage and it was a busy route in the Middle Ages, as it is one of the main salt roads leading to Piedmont via the Col de Fenestre. In the 16^th century the Valley of La Roya became the preferred route. Two hundred years later, the region opposed the English, Sardinians and Austrians during the War of the Austrian Succession. During the French Revolution, the region gave shelter to those who refused military service, the “barbets”, who carried out guerrilla actions against the regular troops.

In 1860, the County of Nice and Savoy became part of France, bringing the Italian threat closer just after France had been defeated by the Prussians and Italy had been unified by the King of Piedmont. The failure of the system of defences, which was unable to protect cities from enemy fire, led Seré de Rivières to develop a new system based on the principle of forward defence lines protecting a central core. Fortifications were set up near the border, making use of natural obstacles to monitor, control and block the passages, with their layout determined by area covered by each one’s fire.

The building comprises two floors on the side of the road. It is equipped with 40 and 80-mm cannon openings. The underground galleries lead to shelters and firing positions that cover the length of the national highway. Two movable bridges that can be manoeuvred from inside the fort were used to cut off the road. It can house 30 to 60 men.

The fort cannot be visited.

Syndicat d'initiative de Belvédère: +33 (0)4.93.03.41.23

Saint-Martin de la Vésubie Tourism Office: +33 (0)4.93.21.28

Fortweb website on European fortifications

Constructed between 1887 and 1890, it operated in conjunction with the fort des Mille Fourches, which is a copy of it. The Redoubt of les Trois Communes, built later, protects them both. Its construction was brought about as a result of the Treaty of Turin of 1860. The Savoie and Nice had become part of France once more. The Valley of the Roya, a communications route running north to south in the heart of the Alpine mountain range, was shared between France and Italy. Sealing off the new border had thus become a strategic matter of utmost importance. This small fort was in response to the increase in power of the house of Piedmont, which was gradually uniting Italy under its strict control with Italy's entry into the Triple Alliance and its policy of fortifying the Tende mountain pass.

Le fort de la Forca belongs to the first generation of the Séré de Rivières system. A belt of forts, built upon natural obstacles at a distance of a few kilometres, provided a range of artillery cover to protect a town (or central nucleus) from 6 kilometres to the rear from enemy bombardment. La Forca is a small fort with a façade with very few openings. It is surrounded by a moat and flanked by concrete caponniers. The internal courtyard was replaced by a vaulted chamber. The redoubt of les Trois Communes, built later, protected them. It reflected the rise in tensions between France and Italy and technological developments in particular, such as the "torpedo shell crisis", which rendered some of the Séré de Rivières system obsolete. New projectiles came in the form of cylindrical warheads, which exploded in the open air, with steel replacing cast iron; the new mixes of explosives were more powerful and no longer created smoke; canons (Bange 155 mm and 220 mm) could fire further. Armour plating and surface stonework could therefore be pierced and obstacles on the ground (moats and parapets, caponniers etc.) shattered.
Belvédère Tourist Information office: + 33 (0) 4 93 03 41 23 Saint-Martin de la Vésubie Tourist centre: + 33 (0) 4 93 03 21 28 Access The D 2566 via the Turini pass, towards the resort of Camp d'argent and then Authion. Car park in les Trois Communes On foot from les Trois Communes car park

Ever since the 16th century, the glacial rock bar that blocks the Le Guil valley has been the site of a castle designed to provide cover for the side of Le Queyras that faces downriver. It would appear that the first castle constructed there dates back to the 11th century. Its role was to protect the valley from looters arriving from Provence.

Positioned at an altitude of 1,400 m, the construction looks over the Le Guil valley. Château-Queyras served as an outpost designed to stall the enemy and give the towns of Montdauphin and Briançon the time required to prepare their defences.
In 1692 the fort resisted an attack from the people of the Savoie, at which time Vauban decided to reinforce it. He recommended an enlargement and modernisation programme. He created an advanced redoubt on the northern side and also planned an extension to the fort in the western part. In 1700, he planned the construction of a new compound on the eastern side and the work was carried out in the 18th and 19th centuries.
He ordered the destruction of some of the buildings considered to be out of keeping with his plans as the narrowness of the premises prevented the accommodation of an expanded garrison to control the region. This monument combines the 14th century towers and square dungeon with a Vauban-style structure: a bastioned envelope, parapets with slits for firing and demi-lune entrance. The curtain has retained its watch turrets. Batteries were constructed downriver in the 18th century.
Mairie 05250 Château-Ville-Vieille Tel: + 33 (0) 4 92 46 86 89 Fax: + 33 (0) 4 92 46 82 00

This small fort was constructed rather belatedly in 1898, to complete Seré de Rivières' "second generation" system. It controlled access to the Col des Banquettes between the Fort du Mont-Agel and the Fort du Barbonnet. It served as their lookout post. Its construction came about during a period of intense Franco-Italian confrontation, marked by Italy's entry into the Triple Alliance in 1882 and the tariff war of 1888-1898.

The small Fort du Mont-Ours belongs to a group of covering fortifications. The defensive organisation in effect consisted of a "holding" or "damning" fortification designed to save on armed forces: it was more powerful and also staggered across the terrain, with two sub-groups of covering fortifications. The first type consisted of blockhouses, high altitude army camps and batteries that could be manned quickly and hold out until reinforcements arrived, whilst the second comprised of blockhouses positioned on the main access routes and provided the link between the forts of the first group.
The construction of this relay building was as a result of a development in military tools. The first factor was technical and saw the improvement in armaments and the manufacture of a more powerful shell with a delayed detonation known as the "torpedo shell", which rendered obsolete Seré de Rivières' heavy defensive system (moats, open air structures etc.). The second was related to the dissolution, in 1888, of the Defence Committee established by Adolphe Thiers. This was succeeded by the Upper War Council, which was more politically involved and decided to limit the allotted funding. Most of the forts on the south east of the line thus remained built in stone, with concrete being used as a priority on the structures on the northern part of the line, which were geographically and militarily more exposed, especially in 1902 when France signed an agreement to neutralise potential Italian aggression. The military leaders preferred to increase the number of relay stations, high altitude stores and forces along the border. That is why the Army of the Alps was set up from 1887 onwards. It would gradually come to permanently occupy the military sites.
The fort consists of a single main building with two floors, with a surrounding wall that overhangs its immediate edges. Below there is a collection of walls sloping beneath a platform designed to support light artillery. A track leads to one of the blockhouses of the Maginot line. The site is currently occupied by the fire service.
The period between the wars was only to strengthen these strategic positions in the face of Mussolini's irredentism. In 1925, General Degoutte, the appointed commander of the Army of the Alps, drew the Upper War Council's attention to this threat. A Committee for the Defence of the Borders was formed. It was presided over by General Guillaumat. The first works on the southeastern Maginot line of the "redoubt programme for the defence of Nice" were started in 1927 under the impetus of General Degoutte. In 1930, funding for the construction of the Maginot line was approved and the execution of the work was assigned to the Committee for Organising the Fortified Regions (Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées or CORF).
The Committee for the Defence of the Borders suggested 75 forts of several types: "Sturdy" well armed and well equipped structures; intermediary forts of the main line of defence, whose armaments complement the former; artillery forts and, behind the line, "shelters" (3 types) where troops would be accommodated between battles. In April 1934, fortress troops, battalions of detached alpine fortress infantry regiments and alpine fortress battalions were set up. These troops were complemented by artillery and specialist units.
In 1937, in order to contain the Italian threat, the Caval plan hastened the reinforcement of the most exposed zones. In 1939, France could rely on an (incomplete) system of two lines of defence, consisting of 36 casemates in the southeast. The second fort at Mont-Ours is a result of this initiative. Like all the large forts in the area, the blockhouse was equipped with 81 mm and 75 mm mortars. Priority was given to underground transmissions, both radio and optical. Supplies and munitions arrived in small trucks.
Useful information Sospel Tourist centre: + 33 (0) 4 93 04 15 80 / + 33 (0) 6 85 96 72 88 Edelweiss Association Access By car via the col de Segra and the col des Banquettes Pedestrian access to the platform from the col du Castillon

Colmars-les-Alpes is a mountain village in the Alps of Haute Provence, located in the high valley of the Verdon between the Col d'Allos and Saint André les Alpes and controls the border with the Savoie river Ubaye via the Col d'Allos. Its military history bears witness to its strategic position: the village is surrounded by ramparts and guarded by two forts. At the end of the 14th Century, Colmars-les-Alpes was in fact a border town with the territory of the Duke of the Savoie, who was in alliance with the Spanish. Its situation on an outcrop in the valley forced the people and the authorities to modify and complete their defensive system. In the 17th Century Colmars-les-Alpes was provided with the system of well-developed fortifications that gives it its current appearance. The system, conceived from the recommendations of Vauban, who never went to the town, demonstrates the adaptability of the architect's plans to suit existing structures and the terrain.

The collection of fortifications comprises the town and a large walled enclosure marked by monumental gates, supported by the Fort de France and the Fort de Savoie. This plan was suggested by Niquet, who was director of fortifications for Provence. Initially, the town was enclosed by fortified towers, which Vauban considered to be too weak. He therefore suggested flanking the square with two forts. These structures were built by Richerand.
Downstream, from the side of the entrance to the town, Fort Calvaire or the Fort de France was built to a square plan.
Upstream, Fort Saint-Martin or the Fort de Savoie was built, which was trapezoid in shape. It was flanked by a tower whose lines were criticised by Vauban - his recommendations were not followed. The Fort de Savoie, perched on a hill to the north of Colmars-les-Alpes, was built from 1793 onwards. The building was a contemporary of the citadel at Entrevaux. It was supposed to contain any invasion from the Savoie. It could house up to 150 men.
Access is via the D 908 which links Saint André les Alpes to Barcelonnette The fort de Savoie is open in July and August Guided tours every day at 10 am Tourist Information Office: + 33 (0) 4.92.83.41.92 The Fort de France is not open to the public

The fort des Mille-Fourches was constructed between 1887 and 1890. It operated in conjunction with the fort de la Forca, of which it is a copy. The Redoubt of les Trois Communes, built later, protects them both.

Its construction was brought about as a result of the Treaty of Turin of 1860. The Savoie and Nice had become part of France once more. The Valley of the Roya, a communications route running north to south in the heart of the Alpine mountain range, was shared between France and Italy. Sealing off the new border had thus become a strategic matter of utmost importance. The military defeat of 1870 forced the complete reorganisation of national defences: reforms within the system of command, the general staff and the armed services and the redefining of the military constituencies into eighteen military regions. All these initiatives were designed to help in preparing to reverse territorial losses and avenge the insult of losing the Alsace-Lorraine. The northeastern border was the subject of all the attention. However, General Seré de Rivières was aware of developments in Franco-Italian relations.
The redoubt of les Trois Communes, built later, protected them. It reflected the rise in tensions between France and Italy and technological developments in particular, such as the "torpedo shell crisis", which rendered some of the Séré de Rivières system obsolete. New projectiles came in the form of cylindrical warheads, which exploded in the open air, with steel replacing cast iron; the new mixes of explosives were more powerful and no longer created smoke; canons (Bange 155 mm and 220 mm) could fire further. Armour plating and surface stonework could therefore be pierced and obstacles on the ground (moats and parapets, caponniers etc.) shattered. The fort des Mille-Fourches belongs to the first generation of the Séré de Rivières system. A belt of forts, built upon natural obstacles at a distance of a few kilometres, provided a range of artillery cover to protect a town (or central nucleus) from 6 kilometres to the rear from enemy bombardment. Le Mille-Fourches is a small fort with a façade with very few openings. It is surrounded by a moat and flanked by concrete caponniers. The internal courtyard was replaced by a vaulted chamber.
With Mussolini's rise to power and the deterioration of Franco-Italian relations, the Authion became a fortified mountain range. The construction in 1929 of a cable car linking the road from Moulinet to Turini and the camp at Cabanes Vieilles made it easier to get supplies to troops all year round. As part of Maginot's programme, the forts of Plan Caval, Raus, la Béole and la Déa were under construction from 1933 onwards. The group was part of the fortified section of the Alpes-Maritimes département (secteur fortifié des Alpes-Maritimes or S.F.A.M.). On the 10th June 1940, Italy declared war on France (Mussolini was hoping to annex Nice and the Savoie). The Italian offensive took place from the 20th to the 25th June. On the 25th June, the armistice was signed. The Alpes-Maritimes was part of the free zone, with the exception of Menton and part of the towns of Isola and Fontan.
In 1942, following the allied landings in North Africa, the Alpes-Maritimes was occupied by the Italians. They were replaced by the Germans in 1943. After the allied landings of the 15th August 1944 at Dramont in the Var, most of the département was liberated on the 6th September, although the high valley of la Roya and the Authion mountain range were still occupied by the Germans who rebuilt the fortifications. General de Gaulle wanted Tende and La Brigue to become part of France again. He hoped to force the hands of the Allies who were quite hostile to any changes to the borders. So, in Nice on the 9th April 1945, he announced the offensive on the Authion and la Roya. Operation "Canard" (Duck) began on the 10th April. On the 12th April, the French took the Authion. French sovereignty over these former Italian territories was recognised by the Treaty of Paris.
Belvédère Tourist Information office: + 33 (0) 4 93 03 41 23 Saint-Martin de la Vésubie Tourist centre: + 33 (0) 4 93 03 21 28 Access The D 2566 via the Turini pass, towards the resort of Camp d'argent and then Authion. Car park in les Trois Communes On foot from les Trois Communes car park

The first fort in the Alps to be built of reinforced concrete, the Redoubt of Les Trois Communes is part of the system for securing the countryside around Nice developed by Seré de Rivières. Constructed in 1897 on the site of a former Sardinian battery, the Redoubt of Les Trois Communes occupies one of the Authion's strategic positions and controls the La Roya and Vésubie valley. It watches over the crest of the Ortiguié which leads to the Raus pass and the former border. It is the highest point in the Authion range at an altitude of 2080 metres.

The limestone valley of La Roya marks the easternmost edge of the Nice hinterland. Belonging first of all to Provence in the 13th century and then to the Savoie at the end of the 14th century, it is a transit zone for goods from the coast towards Piedmont. Controlled in turn by the Sardinians, Spanish, Austrians and French, in the 18th century it was the setting for many confrontations, most notably around Sospel, between Sardinian anti-revolutionary troops and republicans. The lower valley of La Roya became French during the reattachment of the county of Nice to France in 1860. The upper valley was retained by Italy, giving more weight to the strategic role of the forts. The aim of the redoubt was to protect two other forts built on the Authion: Forca and Mille Fourches. It thus played its part in securing the valley.
Small in size, built on high ground and surrounded by a moat, the fort was one of the first to be built from reinforced concrete at the end of the 19th century and the first fort in the Alpes-Maritimes to use both stone work and reinforced concrete. It was thus a "prototype" that demonstrates the development of fortification techniques. It is of note that, to save money, only the sides exposed to Italian fire were reinforced with concrete. During the construction of the Alps Maginot line, protection was provided by Fort Saint-Roch. Violent battles took place there in 1945. Preserved as it was, the fort bears witness to the violence of the fighting of April 1945 that allowed the 1st DFL to take back the Authion range from the Germans.
Tours from June to October Belvédère Tourist Information Office: +33 (0) 4 93 03 41 23 Saint-Martin de la Vésubie Tourist centre: +33 (0) 4 93 03 21 28 Access Via the col de Turini on the D 2566, towards the resort of Camp d'argent and then Authion. Car park in Les Trois Communes

Built by the Germans (Organisation TODT) in 1943, the Eperlecques bunker was the first base for launching V2 missiles built in France.

At the same time, in the same forest, a V1 launchpad was under construction. It is 20 km from the coast, between Dunkirk, Calais, Boulogne and St-Omer.

From March to 27 August 1943, construction of the Eperlecques bunker was making good progress. On 27 August, the site was bombarded by the Allies. Work began again and the deported and prisoners began to arrive in November. The initial project was altered to install a liquid oxygen production plant (combustive fuel for V2).

Visitors walk around a park set out with diorama and military equipment, following a marked route with sound in several languages, as follows: A page in history

•         Comparison of V1 and V2;

•         Development of the Eperlecques bunker;

•         Construction of this concrete giant;

•         The bombings;

•         Modifications to plans after the bombings;

•         The result of an artificial earthquake.

Visitors then enter the building, where the visit continues. Inside the bunker, an audio-visual projection plunges visitors into cold and darkness.

On leaving the bunker, visitors listen to conclusions relating the past to modern day, such as the fact that the V2 was the ancestor of space conquest. The final message emphasises the necessity to work for peace.

Eperlecques Bunker
Rue du Sart 62910 Eperlecques
Tel.: +33 (0)3.21.88.44.22
Fax: +33 (0)3.21.88.44.84

Open in March from 11am to 5pm. In April and October from 10am to 6pm. In May, June, July, August and September from 10am to 7pm. In November from 2.15pm to 5pm.
 

Eperlecques Bunker
 

Quiz: Forts and citadels

This commune includes the villages of Beaumont, Gare-de-Beaucourt and Hamel. These villages were situated just behind the German Lines. At the time, Newfoundland was a British colony and on this basis - as with all the countries of the Empire - it raised a volunteer army. On 1st July 1916, at 0900, the men of the first Newfoundland Regiment had scarcely left their trenches before coming under fire from German machine-guns. Half an hour later only 68 of them were left unscathed. All the officers were either killed or injured. Proportionally to the number of troops involved, this action was one of the most murderous of the entire the Somme offensive. The village was finally taken on 13th November 1916 by the 5th Scottish Highland Regiment.

Designed by landscape architect Rudolph Cochius, the park covers 16 hectares and was inaugurated in 1925. At the entrance there is a monument to the 29th Division to which the Newfoundland Regiment was attached. A path leads to a viewing table at the top of the Caribou mound - so called because it is surmounted by a bronze statue of a caribou, the symbol of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, which is the work of English sculptor Basil Gotto -, from where the overview of the battlefield enables the trench "system" to be understood. Three bronze tablets at the base of the mound serve as a national memorial to the fallen. A single petrified tree escaped the devastation: this is the skeleton of the "tree of danger", so-called because it was located at a particularly exposed observation point. The German front line passed through the bottom of the park, close to the statue of the Scotsman in the kilt of the 51st Highland Division, which seized the enemy position on 13th November 1916 ...
Young bilingual Canadian students lead guided tours from early April to the end of November. On-site Centre for Interpretation.
Newfoundland Memorial 80300 Beaumont-Hamel Tel.: +33 3 22 76 70 86 Fax: +33 3 22 76 70 89 e-mail: newfoundland_memorial@vac-acc.gc.ca Open every day from 15th January-15th December 9am-5pm (1st May-30th October, 10am-5pm). Comité du tourisme de la Somme 21 rue Ernest-Cauvin 80000 Amiens Tel. : +33 (0) 322 71 22 71 Fax : +33 (0) 322 71 22 69 e-mail : accueil@somme-tourisme.com The Comité du Tourisme de La Somme is at your disposal for all information relating to the Battlefields of the Somme and the Route of Remembrance: commemorations, access, transport, guided tours for groups and individuals, helicopter flights, accommodation, etc ... The CDT also publishes a range of brochures on Remembrance Tourism.

This museum, in Camaret near Brest, has been installed in the bunkers of the Kerbonn battery in Pointe de Penhir. These old bunkers on the Atlantic Wall were built on the ruins of a Third Republic-style fort, itself constructed on fortifications built by Vauban. Geographically this place was made for fortresses!

The superb site overlooks the sea from atop a vertiginous cliff.

Nearby off the coast, a large granite riprap, the Lion of Toulinguet, faces Pointe Saint-Mathieu and marks the north entrance of the Brest bottleneck. To the far west of Point de Penhir was erected, on the request of General De Gaulle, a Cross of Lorraine-shaped monument that commemorates the Breton sailors, the first men to join the France Libre resistance organisation.

The museum is the only one in continental Europe dedicated to the Battle of the Atlantic. If it had been won by the Germany navy, the United Kingdom could not have been used as a base that served to help liberate western Europe. It also pays tribute to all the sailors, whose average age was 20, lost at sea.

Maps allow visitors to track the losses incurred by the merchant navy and German submarines geographically and chronologically.

In its small space, the museum presents photos, maps and models to show a complete overview of everything the Battle of the Atlantic represented. Although this museum is the work of passionate patriots, the historical balance between the two sides has been thoughtfully respected. The museum celebrates, amongst other subjects, the memory of the Free French Navy Forces whose flag is on display. The majority of the men fighting for the Free French Navy Forces came from Brittany. The memory of the sea fishermen from the Ile de Sein who collectively rallied to the support of France Libre is kept alive today.

Special attention is given to the crews working on the merchant ships. These men are the great forgotten participants in the victory. If their ship was torpedoed, they had a fifty percent chance of survival. This probability was reduced to almost zero for crews on oil tankers, vessels carrying munitions or Arctic convoys.

Memorial Museum to the Battle of the Atlantic in Camaret

Fort de Kerbornn B.P. 44 29570 Camaret

Tel: +33 (0)2 98 27 92 58

Opening dates and times: 

Every day during school holidays from 10 am to 7 pm.

By appointment for groups.

Parking for around 50 cars.

Getting there:

From Crozon follow the signs for Camaret then Pointe de Penhir.

Admission:

Adults: 3 €

Children: 2 €

Family ticket for two adults and two children or more

Free for war veterans, military, school, holiday camps and students.

Tourist Information Office

15, Quai Kleber B.P. 16 29570 Camaret-sur-Mer

Tel: +33 (0)2 98 27 93 60

Fax: +33 (0)2 98 27 87 22

Email: ot.camaret@wanadoo.fr

Quiz: Fortifications

Source: MINDEF/SGA/DMPA

It was from Brest that squadrons departed to support the Americans in the War of Independence.

Louis XVI, who wanted to turn the port into an impenetrable fortress, decided to complete Vauban's fortifications with the construction of a line of defence to the west of the town. It consisted of five independent forts.

The largest, Fort Montbarey, was designed to withstand a siege lasting three weeks with 500 to 600 soldiers. Its construction lasted from 1777 until 1784.

Completed after the American War of Independence, it only ever had a role as a deterrent.

The French Navy made it available to the Memorial Association in 1984 in order that it could be used to tell the history of Finistère during the Second World War.

The museum occupies some of the 3 hectares and consist of:

5 main rooms: Cell I : Accommodation for 100 soldiers. Screening room for the video "Brest at war during the Second World War". Cell II : Artillery workshop also used as accommodation for 50 soldiers in the garret. The exhibition "Old boats in the turmoil" recounts the departure of boats to Great Britain following the appeal of 18th June 1940. Cell III: Hall of honour: Maps tracing the development of the conflict of 1933 to 1945. Finistère's decorations and towns awarded medals. Model of the Fort as it was designed. Churchill's tank. Map tracing the American advance on Brest. Crypt of Remembrance. Gallery for the people of Finistère who "died for France" and the Allies who died in battle. Cell IV : Artillery workshop with accommodation for 50 soldiers. Here we find models and vehicles, as well as the "Brest at war" exhibition Cell V: Accommodation for 100 soldiers. Exhibition: the 1st French army and the Provence landings.

Northern Quarter - Pharmacy which also served as accommodation for the surgeons and the chaplain. Along with the infirmary, it houses a 1940 exhibition. - Infirmary. It was the first time that a place for confining the sick and wounded had been incorporated into the design of a fort - Room of the Résistance. - Room of the Deportation. It is important that this is seen by the younger generation, but it is not advised to bring very young children.
Southern Quarter: - Flour store with accommodation for the quartermaster in the garret. During the Second World war it was used as the mess for German officers. It was they who drew the eagle and horses' heads and carved the mottos. Bottom right "Fidelity is the essence of honour". It is a quote from Bismark. On the right as you enter "The struggle leads us to victory". On the left "Germany will live on if we must die". An exhibition covers the involvement of aviators from Finistère in the Free French Forces (FAFL).

- Bake house : the oven designed to bake 300 loaves a day is still in working order. The hook was used to hang the sacks of flour so they could be emptied onto the table. In the wall, a pipe brought the water required for baking.

Exhibitions: "The American War of Independence". "Overseas theatres of operations" (Free French). - Quartermaster's stores. On the right as you enter is the wood store. On the left is the back of the oven. At the end there was a small well from which the water was drawn to feed the waterspout that comes out in the bake house. - Wine store.

Deportation wagon : It was in wagons like this that deportees were taken to the camps; the journey lasted about a fortnight with 100 to 120 or even 150 people inside. It is dedicated to the wartime railwaymen and to Finisterian deportees.

Blockhouse: Constructed in 1953 by the French navy, it housed a Radar command post during the cold war. Room 1: The presence of the Kriegsmarine in Brest, most notably the Scharnhorst, the Gnelsnau and the submarine base.

Room 2 : Ammunition found in the area.

Well : Fed by a spring, it contained 4,000 litres of water. Between the 12th and 16th September 1944, it served as an improvised command post to the soldiers of a battalion of the 2nd Parachute Infantry Regiment who were entrenched in the fort. To liberate the fort, the Americans had to call upon the British who were armed with Churchill Crocodile flamethrower tanks, of which an example from the period can be seen at the entrance to the courtyard.

Vehicles: They are all original. With the exception of the tank they are all in working order. Most of them served during the Normandy landings (a painted star on the vehicle). They are on show at the fort as a tribute to the action of the allies that allowed the liberation of France.

Musée Mémorial des Finistériens

Fort de Montbarey – Allée Bir-Hakeim

BP 53111 - 29231 Brest cedex 3

Tél. : 02 98 05 39 46        @mail : fort.montbarey@free.fr

Visites :

Le mardi, mercredi, jeudi et vendredi de 14h à 17h (jusqu’à 18h en été)

Le dimanche de 14h à 17h (jusqu’à 18h en été)

Groupes (≥ 10 pers.) : visites guidées sur rendez-vous ; autres jours/horaires possibles.

Boutiques (livres, documents sur la Seconde Guerre mondiale).

Parking à l'intérieur du fort pour environ 40 voitures

Tarifs :

Adulte : 5 €

Anciens Combattants (1) : 3 €

Enfants de 9 ans et plus, étudiants (1) : 3 €

Enfants de moins de 9 ans : gratuit

Gratuité pour les personnes adhérant à l’association Mémorial (25 €/an)

Forfait scolaire : 25 € par classe

Tarif pour groupe supérieur à 10 visiteurs avec visite guidée

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Accès : Rocade Ouest de Brest Prendre la Direction Le Conquet,

dans un grand rond-point, le musée est clairement signalé.

Quizz : Forts et citadelles

Short history of the construction In February 1806, Napoleon I orders the construction of the Arc de Triomphe, in order to commemorate the victories of his armies. Finally the emperor decides to built it in Place de l'Etoile. The first stone of the monument is placed on August 15th 1806. The plans of this construction are those of the architect CHALGRIN. In 1870, in occasion to Napoleon's wedding with the archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria, he will built a trompe-oeuil of wood and painted material. Finished in time for the ceremony, the decoration gives an idea of what the monument will be once completed. CHALGRIN dies in 1810. He is replaced by Louis-Robert GOUST. At the end of the year 1813, the Arc reaches 19 meters height. The events of 1814 questions everything. Under the "Restoration", the works doze. Louis Philippe, who became king in 1830, decides to give life to this project again. The works start again and the Arc de Triomphe, dedicated to the Armies of the Revolution and to the Empire will be completed by the architect Guillaume - Abel BLOUET. The monument will be inaugurated on July 29th 1836.

The Monument The proportion of the Arc de Triomphe are enormous : it measures 49 meters height and exceeds 45 meters width. The arch of the two frontages reaches 20,50 meters of height for a width of 14,50 meters. The transversal frontages are pierced of an arch of 19 meters height on a width of 8,50 meters. The big frieze surrounding the four façades represents the great personalities of the Revolution and the Empire, or furthermore the return of the armies from Italy and Egypt.
The most imposing ornament is without any doubt the one formed by the four colossal groups erected on each pier of the two great façades : - Avenue de Champs Elysées : the Departure of the volunteers (left), still called La Marseillaise, of François RUDE and on the Triumph of the emperor (left) sculpted by Jean-Pierre CORTOT - Avenue de la Grande Armée, the two sculptured alto-rilievo represent the Resistance on the right, and the Peace on the left. On the interior surfaces of the big and small arches, the names of the generals and the great battles of the Revolution and the Empire are engraved. On the ground, near the grave of the unknown soldier, several bronze plaques commemorate important events of the contemporary history : the proclamation of the Republic on September 4th 1870, the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France on November 11th 1918 the call to arms on June 18th 1940. It also evocates the memory to the fighters and the resistant fighters of the Second World war, as well as the memory of "the dead for France" in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
Climbing up the Arc de Triomphe Climbing up the Arc de Triomphe means climbing up 284 steps (an elevator gives access to handicapped persons), but it also means to have access to different museum halls and to the terrace. The big hall of the museum, situated under the terrace, exhibits a vast number of documents : engravings, drawings, photographs, models and various original parts of projects (for example the elephant), the construction and the decoration of the Arch, as well as great events, for example the return of Napoleon's I ashes (the 15th of December 1840),Victor HUGO's dead guard (May 29th 1885), the march of the Victory (on July 14th 1919), the arrival of the unknown soldier (January 28th 1921), the homage to General de Gaulle on the grave of the unknown soldier in a released capital (August 26th 1944). The terrace allows/gives a splendid view of Paris, the Champs Elysées, the Louvre, the Eiffel tower, the Dome des Invalides, and westwards the Arche de la Défense.
The Unknown Soldier The armistice, which puts an end to the First World war, is signed on November 11th 1918 in Rethondes (near Compiègne in Oise). Nevertheless the joy of the victory is plunged into mourning of 1 500 000 victims, for the majority very young. Soon in the small villages as well as in the big cities, monuments in memory of all the dead will be raised and in companies, in high schools and colleges commemorative plaques are carried out. On November 20th 1916, whereas the terrible Verdun battle is in the mind of everyone, F SIMON, President of the French Memory, has the idea to honour a soldier in the Panthéon, who like many others fought and died bravely for his fatherland. The project is finally adopted by the deputies on November 12th 1919. One year after, at the beginning of the month of November, the Parliament decides that the remainders of one of the unidentified soldiers, died during the war on the Field of Honour, will be buried under the Arc de Triomphe. Eight bodies of unidentified French soldiers, chosen among the different front sectors, are then transported in the Verdun citadel. November 10th 1920 at 3 p.m. the soldier Auguste THIN, son of a fighter, who died himself in the war, indicates by depositing a bunch of flowers on one of the coffins which will be carried to Paris. On November 1920, in the morning, after a ceremony at the Panthéon, the coffin is deposited in one of the halls of the Arc de Triomphe, arranged in a chapel of rest. On January 28th 1921, the coffin of the Unknown Soldier is buried in the centre of the principal arch, facing the Champs Elysées.
The Symbol of the flame Following the suggestion made early in 1921 by sculptor Gregory Calvet, then in October 1923 by the writer Gabriel BOISSY, the sacred flame under the Arc de Triomphe was lit for the first time November 11, 1923 to 18 hours by Andre Maginot, minister of war, while troops of the 5th RI presented arms as the band played Chopin's Funeral March." Since that date the flame was never extinct. Every evening at 6:30 p.m. the flame is revived by the representatives of the Association of Veterans or associations, whose good citizenship is recognized (such as the Red Cross). This ceremonial never stopped, not even during the occupation between 1940 and 1944. Obviously the Parisian high-school pupil and student, turn toward the flame and the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, during the processions defying the occupant. The Flame under the Arc de Triomphe evokes also for some people the Flame of the Resistance, of which a certain Charles de Gaulle once used to talk. Nowadays, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Flame of Memory symbolize for all the French, but also for the tourists of the entire world, the sacrifice of all those who died on the battlefield. The Flame of Memory also symbolizes the tribute paid to those who gave their lifes, to make us live in a free country. Lastly, since the tragic days of the occupation, the symbol of the flame found an additional vocation, the one of hope in the future and faith in the destiny of our country.
The ceremony of the revival Since November 11th 1923, each evening at 6:30 p.m. the flame is revived by the representatives of the Association, following a planning established by the Committee of the Flame. A precise ceremonial takes place. Each day, at least two members of the Committee, are appointed to accommodate the Associations and organise the ceremony. The associations meet either at the crossroad Champs Elysées/ Balsac, or at the top of the Champs Elysées, or directly at the Arc the Triomphe, when the participants are not too many. They are then taken under the Arc de Triomphe. At the top, the flower carriers lead the procession, followed by flag holders and the members of the association. They reach their final destination by taking the principal alley of the Champs Elysées. The participants take position on both sides of the Holy Flagstone and the flag holders take place in a circle on the west side of the flagstone. Before the ceremony the Commissioner and the Service Guard set up the flag of "the Flame", the bugle and the drum of the Republican Guard. Lastly the Commissioner of the flame and the different Presidents of the Associations join the Flagstone, they ascent the alley accompanied by the the call "The Flame". he delegations are then invited to lay their wreath, then while placing themselves near the flame, the Commissioner gives the sword to the president, who is invited to make the gesture of the revival. The call "To the Deaths" resounds, the flags are inclined, followed by a minute of silence. When a military melody (or other) is played, the call "to the Death" is followed by the refrain of the Marseillaise. The president is accompanied by the authorities and together they sign the Golden Book, then of a fraternal gesture they greet the flag holders, the Commissioners of the Flame, the members of the Associations and the guests aligned along the Flagstone. Everybody unite at the foot of the tomb and the musicians play the anthem "Honour of the Unknown Soldier". Then they are accompanied by the Commissioner in service, whereas the music plays "the Flame". This ritual is the same even when the General, President of "the Flame under the Arc de Triomphe" is present. The delegations are then invited to sign the Golden Book.
Arc de Triomphe Place de l'étoile 75008 Paris Acces Métro Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (1, 2, 6) RER A Charles de Gaulle-Etoile

In 1935, military members of the gendarme movement and public figures came together to study and propose plans to commission a monument. After gathering the required funds and obtaining free land in the commune of Versailles, a competition was held to determine the design of the monument and was won by Mr. Charles Nicod and Mr. Robert Auzelle. The monument, which was built by Mr. Rispal, was completed in November 1941; however, due to circumstances it was not officially inaugurated until 1946.

The monument erected in Versailles in honour of the gendarmerie was recently completed. It consists of a majestic central statue flanked by two massive pylons, 12 metres high and 3 metres wide, some distance from the statue so as to not block the view of the façade of Saint Antoine de Padoue church, which dominates the horizon. Around the pylons are groups of sculptures that have been harmoniously arranged and which provide a brief history of the gendarme movement. The magnificent four-metre high statue symbolises the force at the service of the Law. The statue's right hand leans on a shield, which symbolises the protection that the Gendarmerie offers the country and its citizens in serving the interests of Order and Justice. The other arm is making a powerful gesture, symbolising the energy with which the courageous soldiers of the elite armed forces carry out their mission. Each group of sculptures represents modern-day gendarmes, accompanied by their military ancestors who have played a role in other events in French history: Louis XV, The French Revolution, the First Empire, the conquest of Algeria, the Great War, tanks, gendarmes and modern-day guards. On the left, there is a statue of a gendarme on horseback, dated 1880, while to the right there is a statue of a Republican guard, also on horseback, dated 1936.
The uniforms have been recreated in extremely accurate detail and inspired by uniforms from the military museum and by information supplied by the head of the Bucquoy Company, a PhD in social sciences, the director of the magazine "Le Passepoil" and an expert in European military uniforms. At the foot of the statue, a hypogeum crowned with a bronze shield holds the ashes of Le Gallois de Fougières, the provost marshal of France killed in the battle of Azincourt (or Agincourt) in 1415 and buried close to the scene of the battle on the grounds of the Auchy-Ies-Hesdin church (Pas-de-Calais).
The monument is located in Versailles Saint-Antoine junction At the end of Boulevard du Roi

The decision to build Fort Médoc was made by Louis XIV in 1689. The construction work that had started in 1690 was far enough advanced in 1691 to allow a first garrison to move in, even before the fort was finished. Fort Médoc has the classic appearance of a Vauban-style fortification, with its grassed ramparts, moats and large open spaces leading up to the fort. Basically rectangular in shape, it is flanked on its four corners by bastions linked by curtain walls. The moats communicate with the Gironde by a system of locks that allow the water level to be maintained regardless of the tide.

After crossing the royal demi-lune in front of the buildings and the moats, visitors reach the heart of the fort by the Porte Royale, whose pediment is decorated with a sun, the emblem of Louis XIV. The vaulted corridor beneath the central building was sealed by a wooden lattice-work gate and by a portcullis, which has since disappeared. Lateral casemates with arrow loops provide security for the passage. The central building, the royal guard house, originally accommodated the garrison's commanding officer on the first floor and consisted of weapons storage rooms on the ground floor and fine vaulted rooms in the basement.
The enormous interior esplanade was bordered by two barracks on a single level, capable of accommodating up to three hundred men. These buildings never held more than around a hundred people and the only things that remain today are the floors, a few sections of wall and a fireplace. The guard house overlooking the bastions, the fresh water tank, the chapel and the powder store are, however, still there to be admired. From 1700 onwards, the defensive purpose of this fort, which was deemed to be barely operational, was questioned by military engineers and later by the bursar, Tourny: the earth supporting the bastions and curtain walls proved to be too weak to prop up the fort's defences, the marshland around the site led to several epidemics amongst the company, who had to be relieved too frequently and, most importantly, it was easier for ships to take the Blaye channel than the shallower Médoc channel.
Playing only a negligible role in the defence of the Gironde estuary, Fort Médoc was never to be tested under fire. A garrison was stationed there until 1916 and in 1930 it became the property of the Cussac-Fort-Médoc local authority. Today the town council manages the site in conjunction with the association of the friends of Fort Médoc. The fort is currently the subject of an ambitious renovation programme and has for many years hosted various cultural events in the summer season.
Tours The fort is open for tours every day in the summer season. More information from the mairie of Cussac-Fort-Médoc Access 40 km from Bordeaux via Blanquefort and Margaux, on the D 2. Mairie of Cussac-Fort-Médoc 34 Avenue du Haut-Médoc 33640 Cussac-Fort-Médoc tel. + 33 (0) 5 57 88 85 00 fax. + 33 (0) 5 57 88 85 15

The Memorial is situated on the left bank of the Marne on a hill overlooking the river and the town of Dormans. When the plan to erect a large monument to remember all of the battles in Marne was confirmed, this site was chosen by Marshal Foch as a place that represented both battles. The building was made possible thanks to an association founded by Madame de la Rochefoucauld in 1919, overseen by the Cardinal of Reims and the Bishop of Châlons. A vast park with a chateau was purchased, and the first brick was laid on 18 July 1920. The building work, which took 10 years from 1921 to 1931, was funded by numerous donations, in particular those collected by the ‘national subscription’ in 1929 dubbed "four monuments day” (the association which became a charity, was recognised as a public interest organisation by presidential decree on 20 May 1932).

The impressive ensemble was designed by architects Marcel and Closson. A monumental staircase leads to a large square with a sundial and a viewpoint indicator that shows the names of the villages in the Marne Valley where the Battle of 1918 was fought. The square itself leads to a crypt that is overlooked by the church that boasts a bell tower and two ridge towers.

The inside of the chapel is entirely dedicated to the glory of the “soldiers, the army and the fatherland".

The stained-glass window in the choir represents Christ welcoming a soldier to symbolise all those who died during the Great War, presented to him by Joan of Arc and St Michael. On each side, angels intercede in his favour.

The stained-glass windows at the sides of the transept (by the renowned Lorin firm in Chartres) represent the patron saints of the different branches of the army.

The four columns standing on the crypt’s vaulted bases are decorated with sculptures depicting the four great invasions of France by the Huns, the Arabs, the English and the Germans, which were all contained (the Catalunian Plains in 451, Poitiers in 732, Orleans in 1429 and Dormans 1914-1918).

The 52-metre tower houses several bells, the largest weighing 304 kg. Beside the chapel is a cloister. Rather austere in appearance with its pointed arch, from the side it is attached to a funerary building housing the ossuary, close to a lantern tower for the dead. At its entrance, a medallion features the effigies of marshals Foch and Joffree, the two victors of the battles of the Marne, while the names of all the soldiers who fought in the battles are engraved in the wall plaques.

Inside the ossuary, the mortal remains of 1,332 French soldiers who fell between 1914 and 1918 are held in 130 coffins; only 11 of these men were identified. The funerary chamber also holds two urns: the first one contains earth taken from the cemetery in Italy where soldiers of the Free French Forces killed during the battles in 1943-1944 in Monte Cassino are buried; the other holds the ashes of deportees returned from Dachau in 1948.

Every year since 1993, during the Armistice commemorations, an official ceremony is held in the ossuary where a wreath given by the French President is laid by a delegate Senior Officer from the Elysée Palace.

Opening times

From 1 April to 11 November every day from 2-6 pm and Sundays from 10 am to 12 pm and 2-6 pm.

Contact

Dormans Tourist Information Office, Château de Dormans - 51700 DORMANS
Tel: +33 (0)3 26 53 35 86

Memorial secretariat: +33 (0)3 26 57 77 87

Memorial: +33 (0)3 26 59 14 18

Site du 90e anniversaire des batailles de la Marne

Office de tourisme de Dormans 

Source: MINDEF/SGA/DMPA - Vincent Konsler

After the signing of the Treaty of Nijmegen, to command the respect of the Spanish garrison in Luxembourg and to close the opening in the Ardennes between the Meuse and the Moselle, Louis XIV decided to create a fortified town at Longwy. He had the old château and medieval Longwy-Haut destroyed in order to build the "new town" slightly further north, on the edge of the plateau which overlooked the Chiers valley and the lower town. Construction began in 1679. Longwy holds a very special place among the 160 towns on which Vauban worked: it was one of nine towns he constructed "ex nihilo" (from nothing) and which therefore best portray his vision of an ideal town.

The fortress was constructed to a star plan with six bastions. All the equipment needed for a wartime base was provided: a sizeable church, a large arsenal, eleven barracks and five wells. The wall was surrounded by ramparts, with two entrances: Porte de Bourgogne (destroyed in 1914) and Porte de France, which were built symmetrically north and south of the parade ground (today known as Darche Square, from the name of the colonel who defended the Longwy site in 1914) set in the centre of the hexagon.

Longwy was besieged four times, with the siege of 1914 causing the most damage. The north-western part was completely destroyed. The buildings around place Darche also suffered: the third floor of the tower of Saint Dagobert Church fell in 1871, and the governor's palace was destroyed in the same siege, whilst the interior of the town hall was bombed in 1914. Despite this, certain buildings survived and are now Historic Monuments: the Siege Well, the Porte de France (finely decorated for the king's visit) whilst others have been given new uses: the Ordener barracks, the military services building, etc.

Guided tours of these surviving buildings are now available to visitors. A large number of structures recount the history of Longwy.

Longwy fortified town

Tourist Office:

Place Darche 54400 Longwy-Haut

Tel: +33 (0)3 82 24 27 17 - +33 (0)3 82 24 94 54

Fax: +33 (0)3 82 24 77 75

e-mail: ot-longwy@wanadoo.fr

The strategic location of Saint-Nazaire led the Germans to build a huge submarine base there during World War 2.

The construction of this base began at the beginning of 1941. The base was 300 metres long and 150 metres wide, and 450,000 cubic metres of concrete were needed to build it.

It contained 14 cells: 8 for repairs and 6 larger cells in which the submarines could remain afloat. It housed two U-Boat fleets. It spread over a total surface area of 4 hectares and its concrete ceiling was 4 metres thick.

The immensity of this construction and the characteristics of the port of Saint-Nazaire, which was one of the only ports on the Atlantic capable of housing battleships, forced the Allies to carry out particularly intense bombing raids on it.

In 1942 a British commando raid attempted to destroy the base. The civilian population suffered greatly from this Allied policy and 80% of the town was destroyed.

The German garrison of 24,000 men defended the base to the bitter end, making Saint-Nazaire one of the last Atlantic ports to surrender on 11 May 1945.

Since then, this gigantic concrete edifice has become a major focus in the reconstruction and development of the town.

The base is still there today and dominates the port and the estuary. It is now hosts various tourist attractions including the International Ocean Liner Centre, the tour of the submarine 'Espadon' ('Swordfish') and an 'ecomuseum', which give an extra dimension to this historical site.

The public can also visit the panoramic terrace, which offers an unbeatable view of the town.

Base sous-marine

Boulevard de la Légion d'Honneur - 44600 Saint-Nazaire

Situated in the eastern part of the Alpes-Maritimes département, the village of Sospel lies to the south of the green valley of la Bévera, on the edge of the Mercantour park and the valley of les Merveilles, 15 km from Menton and the Mediterranean. Fort Suchet, also known as du Barbonnet, is one of a group of fortifications in the region that constitutes the last bastion ahead of the road to Nice that prevents any potential invader coming from the col de Tende pass.

2 km south of Sospel, perched on the narrow rocky outcrop of Mount Barbonnet, Fort Suchet looks down on the village from an altitude of 847 m. Constructed between 1883 and 1886 with the objective of sealing the la Bévéra and le Merlanson valleys, this compact, Séré de Rivières type fort is pentagonal in shape, surrounded by a wide moat and flanked by three caponniers.
The building work was carried out by Captain Azibert, whose name is still engraved on the façade of the entrance to the fort. In 1891 a cavity was dug out of the rock in order to contain a powder store. Then, in 1914, two three-storey high turrets, armoured with lead were added to the structure. One of the two double 155 mm Mougin turrets has been perfectly preserved until the modern day, which is extremely rare.
This first construction was seconded by a Maginot fort built into the rock on the side of the mountain, constructed between 1931 and 1935. It was an artillery block, controlling the le Merlanson valley as far as the col de Castillon, with an entrance and barracks protected by more than twenty metres of rock.
In June 1940, the 95th artillery foot regiment, who resisted the Italian attacks with orders not to surrender until after the armistice, occupied the place. Tours organised in the holiday season allow comparisons to be made between the defensive systems of the 19th century Séré de Rivières fort with the more recent structure, most of which is underground.
In addition to Fort Suchet and the Maginot structure built on Mont Barbonnet, there are several fortified structures close to Sospel, and the most notable ones played an active part in the fighting of June 1940.
Constructed between 1932 and 1936 on the crest of Mount Agaisen, this fort is one of the links in the Maginot line, in the heart of the fortified sector of the Alpes-Maritimes. Equipped since its completion with powerful artillery, the structure is composed of three concrete blocks set upon an infrastructure of underground galleries. Owned by the town of Sospel since 1964, it is currently undergoing restoration and its annex has been converted into a water tower. Public tours are organised in season, with groups welcome all year round by appointment. Site: perso.wanadoo.fr/agaisen/contacts.htm
The impressive Fort Saint-Roch was constructed between 1931 and 1933 and flanks the Maginot structure at l'Agaisen. The four blocks in reinforced concrete were built above a network of galleries dug out of the rock, which were used for logistical purposes. . Reaching depths of up to thirty metres, this fort was designed to hold more than two hundred soldiers for three months. Fort Saint-Roch is open to the public and holds a permanent exhibition tracing the history of its building and the battles fought there, highlighting its technological prowess at the time if its construction.
Getting to Sospel 40 km from Nice via the A 8 (exit no. 59 "Menton and Sospel ") and then the D 2566. Sospel Tourist information and activity centre Le Pont-Vieux 06380 Sospel Tel. + 33 (0) 4 93 04 15 80 Fax + 33 (0) 4 93 04 19 96 e-mail: infos@sospel-tourisme.com

To the south east of la Croisette, the archipelago of the Lérins islands separates the Gulf of Napoule to the west from the Gulf of Jouan to the east. It comprises four islands: two large ones (Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat) and two small ones (the islet of la Tradelière and the islet of Saint-Féréol). The island of Sainte-Marguerite is the closest to Cannes, just 700 metres from the Palm-Beach headland, and the most extensive, covering more than 160 hectares. The island takes its name from a chapel built there in honour of the martyr of Antioche during the first centuries of Christianity. After the occupation of the island by the Romans, whose traces still remain today, for many centuries Sainte-Marguerite belonged to the monks of Lérins. In 1617, the Duke de Guise gave Jean de Bellon the task of building a fort intended to block access to Cannes. Constructed between 1624 and 1627 on the site of remains dating back to Roman antiquity, at the time it was nothing more than a simple fortified house.

This small fortification was enlarged and strengthened by the Spanish who occupied the islands of Lérins from 1635. Two bastions and the first barrack buildings were added to the existing construction. With a garrison of approximately 800 men on the island of Sainte-Marguerite, the Spanish troops were faced with the vital question of supplying drinking water and invented a system for collecting rainwater, which fed into a large well built upon enormous tanks. Today you can still see the four decantation basins where the water was purified before filling one of the two tanks set under the well. In 1637, the French took back the Islands of Lérins, and named the citadel the Royal fort. The fortification was then considerably strengthened: the moats were made deeper, the curtain wall was raised and two demi-lunes were then linked to the fort by elevated walkways, which have since disappeared. The royal governor, Guitaut, also had a "tenaille" built, a low bastion placed in front of the entrance gates to the fort, which bears his name today.
At the end of the 17th Century, Louis XIV's general commissioner of fortifications personally inspected the fort, and gave instructions to strengthen the square. Work carried out as a result of Vauban's visit give the fort most of the appearance that we still recognise today. 26 metres above sea level, the structure projects over a rocky cliff on the northern coast of the Island of Sainte-Marguerite, opposite cape Croisette. It is a small fort that is pentagonal in shape, flanked by four bastions at its weak points, on the land side. On the coastal side, the structure's stone ramparts are supported by an earth embankment and blend remarkably into the sheer cliff. Inside the compound, a chapel, and several barns used to house the troops and the artillery stores still survive today. Amongst the latter, we can see the impressive building that constituted the powder store, surrounded by the walls of the royal bastion to the south of the fort, probably intended to reduce the consequences of any accidental explosion. After this, the structure was the subject of minor alterations. And so, in 1862, a semaphore was constructed by raising one of the fort's old towers. Later, during the occupation by German troops during the Second World War, a surveillance station was established on one of the fort's triangular promontories Today, several buildings are in ruins and the invading vegetation is gradually taking over the demi-lunes and the ramparts. However, teams of young workers from Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur have been helping to renovate the fort for more than thirty years. The ramparts have been made safe and building repairs and much restoration work have been carried out so as to make visits possible to this fortification, which is unique along the Cannes coastline.
From 1637 onwards the first cells were fitted out in the governor's château. But it was in 1685, at a time when the Royal fort accommodated a large garrison, that the fort was dedicated definitively and first and foremost to be used as a state prison. So, in 1687, Governor Saint-Mars, on the orders of Louis XIV, had a parallelepiped stone building constructed inside the compound, inside which several cells were soon fitted out. The prisoners held inside the fort include most notably: [list]the famous, but nevertheless unidentified, Iron Mask, held for 11 years from 1687 to 1698; [list]Six protestant pastors, imprisoned following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, from 1689 until their death in 1713; [list]Jean-Baptiste Suard, who would become the eternal secretary of the French Academy, incarcerated between 1751 and 1753; [list]The Smala d'Abd el-Kader, from 1843; [list]600 Austrian prisoners, detained in 1859 after the battle of Montebello; [list]Marshall Bazaine, the only prisoner to have escaped from the Royal fort in 1873, in what legend describes as a fantastic escape and after whom a terrace of the fort is today named. The Royal fort also has a smaller detention area, reserved for soldiers. The Museum of the Sea, located inside the fort, allows visitors to look at some of the cells, including that of the Iron Mask, as well as those occupied by the protestant pastors, to whom there is now a memorial.
On the Island of Sainte-Marguerite Although the Museum of the Sea allows visits to the inside of the Royal fort compound and its dark cells, it also has a second museographic area, which houses an important collection of submarine and land archaeology. In the heart of the old roman reservoirs and recently restored chambers, the museum exhibits the wrecks of boats that ran aground off the shores of the Islands of Lérins. Visitors can also see a model reconstruction of the roman water reservoir system, a collection of painted designs dating back to antiquity and a room housing aquariums presented by the permanent centre of initiatives for the environment, which display the underwater flora and fauna of the Mediterranean. Inside the fort, an entertainment and accommodation centre has been established which is able offer different types of holidays to a varied clientele: introductory classes and training courses for sport or cultural activities for schools, playing host to business associations or committees, organising seminars etc. Lastly, the island of Sainte-Marguerite is able to welcome around half a million visitors per year because it can also offer an extraordinary natural heritage. The island is criss-crossed by forest paths and a coastal path that allows a circuit of the island close to the clear seabed. A well-marked botanical trail allows visitors to spot the many kinds of maritime plants and trees. To the west of the island, the Batéguiers lake offers shelter to the many migrating birds that can be observed throughout the year. Its 150 hectares of pine and eucalyptus forests make the island of Sainte-Marguerite a unique setting for quiet walks along the coastline of the Alpes-Maritimes. The national forestry office is responsible for the protection of the island's remarkable forest plantations, welcoming the public by offering activities as an introduction to this rich natural environment. On the island of Saint-Honorat The island of Saint-Honorat has several chapels, constructed very early on to welcome pilgrims. Although today one of them is in ruins, the six others were restored in the 17th century and more recently with the aid of the original plans. At one end of the island there is a cannonball oven, employed by the artillery of the First Empire to heat the projectiles used to set fire to the wooden boats that threatened the coasts. The island is also home to the abbey of Lérins, which houses a community of about thirty monks of various nationalities, who cultivate lavender and work the vines. A jewel of the feudal architecture of the Provence area, the fortified monastery was constructed between the 11th and 14th centuries and is open to the public. The abbey produces a liqueur made from around thirty aromatic plants, whose recipe remains secret and which must be consumed in moderation.
Cannes Tourist Information Office Esplanade Georges Pompidou BP 272 06403 Cannes Cedex Tel. + 33 (0) 4.92.99.84.22 Fax + 33 (0) 4.92.99.84.23 e-mail: tourisme@semec.com The Museum of the Sea Open every day, except Monday and some Bank Holidays. Closed annually in November. The museum is free on the first Sunday of every month and on a permanent basis for the under 18's and students under 26 years of age. Free guided tours can be arranged by appointment. Museum of the Sea Parking Pantiero Fort de l'île Sainte-Marguerite Tel. + 33 (0) 4.93.38.55.26 Access by sea from Cannes. Several maritime transport companies operate along the islands' quays, at the end of the Laubeuf car park. Services to the Islands of Lérins operate all year round (allow around twenty minutes to cross to the Island of Sainte-Marguerite).