Ouvrage Sainte Agnes
Encyclopedia
Ouvrage Sainte-Agnès was a work (gros ouvrage) of the Maginot Line
's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line
, also called the Little Maginot Line. The fortification was built between 1932 and 1938. The site is at the south edge of the hill town of Sainte-Agnès, Alpes-Maritimes
at an elevation of 780 metres overlooking the Mediterranean Sea
.
In the 16th century the House of Savoy
built a fortification in Sainte-Agnès, which was a strategic location between the Counts of Provence and Genoa
. The fortress saw actions between the French and the Sardinians, becoming a possession of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardina
between 1814 and 1860 before returning to France.
The Maginot fortification was planned to defend the Bay of Menton
and to prevent attack on the coastal cities from the north. The ouvrage consisted of one entry block, two artillery blocks, two infantry blocks and one observation block facing Italy
. There are approximately 2000 square metres of underground space under more than 55 metres of rock cover.
to the north, reported to Saint-Agnès. The post comprised an entry block and an observation block with a unique example of a VP cloche. The design was by CORF, the primary Maginot design organization, but construction was managed by MOM (Main d’Œuvre Militaire), which carried out the construction of many of the lesser posts.
Nine smaller observation posts are associated with Sainte-Agnès, including Garuche, Banquettes, Cime de Biancon, Pic-de-Garuche-Sud, Siricocca, and cote 902. Cote 902 was a CORF project, located to the east of Pic-du-Garuche to protect the flanks of Sainte-Agnès and Castillon. Planned 81mm mortars were not installed.
.
The ouvrage remained in government hands until 1990, when it was transferred to the town of Sainte-Agnès and was opened to the public as a museum. It is open for visitation during summer months.
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,...
's Alpine extension, 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...
, also called the Little Maginot Line. The fortification was built between 1932 and 1938. The site is at the south edge of the hill town of Sainte-Agnès, Alpes-Maritimes
Sainte-Agnès, Alpes-Maritimes
Sainte-Agnès is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It is the highest coastal village in Europe, at 750m and one of the most beautiful villages in the Alpes-Maritimes....
at an elevation of 780 metres overlooking the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.
In the 16th century the House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
built a fortification in Sainte-Agnès, which was a strategic location between the Counts of Provence and Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
. The fortress saw actions between the French and the Sardinians, becoming a possession of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardina
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
between 1814 and 1860 before returning to France.
The Maginot fortification was planned to defend the Bay of Menton
Menton
Menton is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed la perle de la France ....
and to prevent attack on the coastal cities from the north. The ouvrage consisted of one entry block, two artillery blocks, two infantry blocks and one observation block facing 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...
. There are approximately 2000 square metres of underground space under more than 55 metres of rock cover.
Description
The ouvrage was built between November 1931 and October 1934 by a contractor named Borie, at a cost of 16.8 million francs. In 1940 it was commanded by Captain Panzani. Ten observation posts reported to Sainte-Agnès.- Block 1 (entry): One machine gun embrasure and one machine gun clocheGFM clocheThe GFM cloche was one of the most common defensive armaments on the Maginot Line. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant...
and one grenade launcher clocheLG clocheThe LG cloche was a defensive element common to many Maginot Line ouvrages. The fixed cupola was deeply embedded into the concrete on top of a combat block, with only the top surface visible. The opening permitted the ejection of grenades from the interior of the cloche, providing a means of...
. - Block 2 (artillery block): One machine gun turretGFM clocheThe GFM cloche was one of the most common defensive armaments on the Maginot Line. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant...
, one grenade launcher clocheLG clocheThe LG cloche was a defensive element common to many Maginot Line ouvrages. The fixed cupola was deeply embedded into the concrete on top of a combat block, with only the top surface visible. The opening permitted the ejection of grenades from the interior of the cloche, providing a means of...
, one twin machine gun port, two 75mm gun ports and two 81mm mortar ports. Block 2 was equipped with optical signalling equipment aimed at Ouvrage RoquebrunneOuvrage RoquebrunneOuvrage Roquebrune is a work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, two artillery blocks and one observation block facing Italy. The fortification is located on the heights behind Roquebrune at an elevation of 321 meters overlooking Cap...
and Ouvrage Mont AgelOuvrage Mont AgelOuvrage Mont Agel is a work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line, also called the Little Maginot Line. The 1930s ouvrage was built in and around the earlier mountaintop Fortress of Mont Agel. The ouvrage forms a backup to the main curtain of Alpine Line forts, and was not...
. - Block 3 (artillery block): One machine gun turretGFM clocheThe GFM cloche was one of the most common defensive armaments on the Maginot Line. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant...
, one observation cloche, one twin machine gun port, two 75mm gun ports, two 81mm mortar ports and two 135mm gun ports. Block 3 faces north, just under the ruins of the château. - Block 4 (observation block): One machine gunGFM clocheThe GFM cloche was one of the most common defensive armaments on the Maginot Line. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant...
/observation turret and one machine gun port. - Block 5 (infantry block): One machine gun port, not linked to the main ouvrage.
- Block 6 (infantry block): One machine gun port, not linked to the main ouvrage.
Observation posts
The observation post at Pic-de-Garuche 43°49′24.37"N 07°27′35.04"E, while closer to Ouvrage CastillonOuvrage Castillon
Ouvrage Castillon is a work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line, also called the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, two infantry blocks and two artillery blocks in a narrow ridge just to the west of Castillon, Alpes-Maritimes. It was built on the...
to the north, reported to Saint-Agnès. The post comprised an entry block and an observation block with a unique example of a VP cloche. The design was by CORF, the primary Maginot design organization, but construction was managed by MOM (Main d’Œuvre Militaire), which carried out the construction of many of the lesser posts.
Nine smaller observation posts are associated with Sainte-Agnès, including Garuche, Banquettes, Cime de Biancon, Pic-de-Garuche-Sud, Siricocca, and cote 902. Cote 902 was a CORF project, located to the east of Pic-du-Garuche to protect the flanks of Sainte-Agnès and Castillon. Planned 81mm mortars were not installed.
Actions
Ouvrage Sainte Agnes held against the Italian offensive of 1940, firing on Italian troops advancing along the coast. 1201 shots were fired from the 75mm guns, 80 from 81mm mortars, and 234 from 135mm guns. Saint-Agnès fired on the coastal roads on 21 June, and on the Col du Razet the next day to discourage Italians advancing toward the avants-postes of Scuvion and Pierre-Pontue. Firing from Sainte-Agnès' artillery blocks was supported by a nearby battery of mobile 155mm guns. On 23 June Block 3 fired again against infiltrators around Scuvion and Pierre-Pontue, and later on Italian columns around MentonMenton
Menton is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed la perle de la France ....
.
The ouvrage remained in government hands until 1990, when it was transferred to the town of Sainte-Agnès and was opened to the public as a museum. It is open for visitation during summer months.
External links
- Ouvrage Sainte-Agnès
- Fort de Sainte-Agnès at Chemins de mémoire
- Ouvrage de Sainte-Angès at Les Sentinelles des Alpes
- Sainte-Agnès (gros ouvrage) at fortiff.be