Fort de l'Infernet
Encyclopedia
The Fort de l'Infernet is a fortification
complex near Briançon
in the French Alps
. It was built as part of the Séré de Rivières system
of fortifications in 1876-78 to defend France
against invasion from Italy
. It specifically overlooks the valley of the Durance
behind and the Fort du Gondran, closer to Italy. Built at an altitude of 2380 metres (7,808.4 ft), the fort was accessed by an aerial tramway
, which connected to the older Fort du Randouillet
at lower altitude. It was the last French fort to be built from cut stone masonry.
The construction of the fort required that its mountaintop be leveled, a process that produced landslides.
The 210-man garrison served an armament consisting of seven 138mm guns, five 155mm guns, two 220mm mortars, two 150mm mortars and six more 138mm guns in a separate battery. Much of the armament was placed on a cavalier or gun platform on top of the masonry barracks. The garrison was accommodated in two barracks at somewhat lower altitude, La Cochette and La Seyte, with a portion of the total contingent rotated into the fort for duty. The aerial tramway was operated by mule power.
In 1940 the fort was manned as a backup fortification to the Alpine Line
fortifications of the Maginot Line
program, and was bombarded on 21 and 23 June 1940 by mortars at Fort Chaberton. 280mm field mortars placed at Infernet replied, silencing the Italian battery.
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
complex near Briançon
Briançon
Briançon a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department....
in the French Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. It was built as part of the Séré de Rivières system
Séré de Rivières system
The Séré de Rivières system was an ensemble of fortifications built from 1874 and first used at the beginning of the First World War along the frontiers and coasts of France...
of fortifications in 1876-78 to defend France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
against invasion from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It specifically overlooks the valley of the Durance
Durance
The Durance is a major river in south-eastern France.Its source is in the south-western Alps, in Montgenèvre ski resort near Briançon and it flows south-west through the following départements and cities:* Hautes-Alpes: Briançon, Embrun.* Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Sisteron, Manosque.* Vaucluse:...
behind and the Fort du Gondran, closer to Italy. Built at an altitude of 2380 metres (7,808.4 ft), the fort was accessed by an aerial tramway
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
, which connected to the older Fort du Randouillet
Fort du Randouillet
The Fort du Randouillet, is a fortification in the vicinity of Briançon in the Dauphiné region of southeastern France. Briançon was surveyed by Vauban in 1700. His master plan for the defenses of the city would result in one of the most heavily fortified locales in France over the next forty years...
at lower altitude. It was the last French fort to be built from cut stone masonry.
The construction of the fort required that its mountaintop be leveled, a process that produced landslides.
The 210-man garrison served an armament consisting of seven 138mm guns, five 155mm guns, two 220mm mortars, two 150mm mortars and six more 138mm guns in a separate battery. Much of the armament was placed on a cavalier or gun platform on top of the masonry barracks. The garrison was accommodated in two barracks at somewhat lower altitude, La Cochette and La Seyte, with a portion of the total contingent rotated into the fort for duty. The aerial tramway was operated by mule power.
In 1940 the fort was manned as a backup fortification to the Alpine Line
Alpine Line
The Alpine Line or Little Maginot Line was the component of the Maginot Line that defended the southeastern portion of France...
fortifications of the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
program, and was bombarded on 21 and 23 June 1940 by mortars at Fort Chaberton. 280mm field mortars placed at Infernet replied, silencing the Italian battery.
External links
- Fort de l'Infernet at Chemins de mèmoire
- Fort de l'Infernet at fortiffsere.fr