Fort du Replaton
Encyclopedia
The Fort du Replaton is a fortification of the Séré de Rivières system
in Modane
, France
. The fort was built to provide artillery cover for the French end of the Fréjus Rail Tunnel
800 metres (2,624.7 ft) away horizontally. It is connected to Modane by an aerial tram, which continues on from Replaton to the Fort du Sapey on a much higher eminence.
The Fort du Replaton was built between 1884 and 1892 using an arrangement that anticipated the later Maginot Line
fortifications, and resembles Fort Saint Michel near Toul
. It cost approximately 2 million francs. Unlike a Maginot fortification, Replaton was enclosed by a perimeter wall and had surface barracks. The original armament consisted of two 95mm and two 155mm guns along a communicating gallery on the rock behind. The fort received concrete reinforcement in the early 1900s.
A renovation project in 1930 added 75mm guns in place of the 95mm weapons. The fort was fired upon in 1940 and 1944. It is presently the property of the Association de la Traversée es Alpes. It is not presently open to the public, but is in a good state of preservation.
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...
in Modane
Modane
Modane is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia until 1860.-Transportation:...
, 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...
. The fort was built to provide artillery cover for the French end of the Fréjus Rail Tunnel
Fréjus Rail Tunnel
The Fréjus Rail Tunnel is a rail tunnel of length in the European Alps, carrying the Turin–Modane railway through Mount Cenis to an end on connection with the Culoz–Modane railway and linking Modane, France and Bardonecchia, Italy...
800 metres (2,624.7 ft) away horizontally. It is connected to Modane by an aerial tram, which continues on from Replaton to the Fort du Sapey on a much higher eminence.
The Fort du Replaton was built between 1884 and 1892 using an arrangement that anticipated the later 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,...
fortifications, and resembles Fort Saint Michel near Toul
Toul
Toul is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Toul is located between Commercy and Nancy, and situated between the Moselle River and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin....
. It cost approximately 2 million francs. Unlike a Maginot fortification, Replaton was enclosed by a perimeter wall and had surface barracks. The original armament consisted of two 95mm and two 155mm guns along a communicating gallery on the rock behind. The fort received concrete reinforcement in the early 1900s.
A renovation project in 1930 added 75mm guns in place of the 95mm weapons. The fort was fired upon in 1940 and 1944. It is presently the property of the Association de la Traversée es Alpes. It is not presently open to the public, but is in a good state of preservation.
Redoute du Replaton
A smaller fortification occupies the eastern extremity of the small plateau, about 150 metres (492.1 ft) above Modane. It was armed with a single 95mm gun.External links
- Replaton (fort du) at fortiff.be
- Replaton (redoute du) at fortiff.be
- Fort du Replaton at fortiffsere.fr