Mont Chaberton
Encyclopedia
Mont Chaberton is a 3131 metres (10,272.3 ft) peak in the French Alps
in the group known as the Massif des Cerces
in the département of Hautes-Alpes
.
Chaberton is in the municipality of Montgenèvre
in the Briançonnais region. It is easily recognisable by its pyramidal shape and flat top.
.
Between 1898 and 1910 Italian troops built an artillery battery on the summit that pointed towards France, in particular at the town of Briançon
, and the pass to Italy over the Col de Montgenèvre
. A road was built to the summit from the village of Fénils in the Susa Valley
. The fort was dubbed the "Fort of the Clouds" and mounted eight 149mm guns in individual masonry turrets, which were often hidden in the clouds.
When Italy entered the Second World War, they bombarded the French positions around Briançon, but they did not advance. On June 21, 1940 the 154th Artillery Regiment destroyed 6 of the 8 turrets using 280mm marine mortars which had served in The First World War at Verdun. These were placed out of sight at Poët Morand below Fort de l'Infernet and were guided by observers on the nearby Mont Janus. Shell craters are still visible from the air on the slopes to the west of the mountain
At the end of the war France acquired the mountain, and the border was moved to the edge of the Italian village of Claviere
.
French Alps
The French Alps are those portions of the Alps mountain range which stand within France, located in the Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions....
in the group known as the Massif des Cerces
Massif des Cerces
The massif des Cerces is a region of the French Alps on the Franco-Italian border. On the French side it lies in the departements of Hautes-Alpes and Savoie....
in the département of Hautes-Alpes
Hautes-Alpes
Hautes-Alpes is a department in southeastern France named after the Alps mountain range.- History :Hautes-Alpes is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
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Chaberton is in the municipality of Montgenèvre
Montgenèvre
Montgenèvre is a commune of the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Geography:Montgenèvre is located in the French Cottian Alps. It is on the Franco-Italian border at the top of the Col de Montgenèvre....
in the Briançonnais region. It is easily recognisable by its pyramidal shape and flat top.
History
Until 1947 Mont Chaberton was in Italy, located in the municipality of Cesana TorineseCesana Torinese
Cesana Torinese is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km west of Turin, on the border with France.-External links:*...
.
Between 1898 and 1910 Italian troops built an artillery battery on the summit that pointed towards France, in particular at the town of 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....
, and the pass to Italy over the Col de Montgenèvre
Col de Montgenèvre
The Col de Montgenèvre is a high mountain pass in the Cottian Alps, between France and Italy.The pass takes its name from the village Montgenèvre , which lies in the vicinity...
. A road was built to the summit from the village of Fénils in the Susa Valley
Susa Valley
The Susa Valley is a valley in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, located between the Graian Alps in the north and the Cottian Alps in the south. It is the longest valley in Italy. It extends over in an east-west direction from the French border to the outskirts of Turin. The valley takes its...
. The fort was dubbed the "Fort of the Clouds" and mounted eight 149mm guns in individual masonry turrets, which were often hidden in the clouds.
When Italy entered the Second World War, they bombarded the French positions around Briançon, but they did not advance. On June 21, 1940 the 154th Artillery Regiment destroyed 6 of the 8 turrets using 280mm marine mortars which had served in The First World War at Verdun. These were placed out of sight at Poët Morand below Fort de l'Infernet and were guided by observers on the nearby Mont Janus. Shell craters are still visible from the air on the slopes to the west of the mountain
At the end of the war France acquired the mountain, and the border was moved to the edge of the Italian village of Claviere
Claviere
Claviere is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 km west of Turin, on the border with France....
.