Fort Mont-Vaudois

Fort Mont-Vaudois is located in Héricourt in the Department of Haute-Saône. A linkage between the fortified camp of Belfort and the southern curtain wall, this fort, built between 1874 and 1877, was intended to control the Lizaine valley and Châlonvillars plain in Échenans, and protect the routes to Montbéliard. Several adjoining batteries built around the fort completed its function.

Designed to hold 650 men and some 50 artillery pieces, it is a large trapeze-shaped fort with a complex internal layout. A semi-circular massif central or central structure housing the barracks is preceded by a high crest for the long-range artillery which is itself preceded by a low crest for the infantry and light artillery.

Firing in the same direction, a group of four casemates for indirect fire was placed behind this central structure. Its rear faces a line of open-air outposts firing in the opposite direction. Two doors provide a route to the exterior.

In 1889, in response to the crisis of 1885, underground casemates were dug beneath the fort to serve as bulletproof barracks during war time. However, being far down on the list of priorities, the fort had to wait until 1913 until it received any major modernisation works. Two 155 turrets, three machine gun turrets and rampart shelters were planned.

However, when the war started, only the concreting of one section of the barracks, two observation points and some underground passages were completed. The modernisation was then abandoned and the fort was restored improvising with the resources at their disposal.

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Source text: Antoine Brolli