Ouvrage Col des Gardes
Encyclopedia
Ouvrage Col de Garde is a lesser work (petit ouvrage) of the Maginot Line
's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line
, also called the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage consists of two entry blocks, one infantry block and one observation block, slightly more than 1 km south of Sainte-Agnès.
The ouvrage comprises four combat blocks at an altitude of 231 metres (757.9 ft), and was manned in 1940 by 115 men under the command of Lieutenant Juffet.
Col de Garde was sited to control the Col de Garde road between Saint-Agnès
and Menton
, as well as protecting the southern flank of the Ouvrage Sainte-Agnès. The ouvrage is closed and locked and in a good state of repair, although covered by vegetation. The position overlooks Autoroute A8
at the Col de Garde tunnel.
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 ouvrage consists of two entry blocks, one infantry block and one observation block, slightly more than 1 km south of Sainte-Agnès.
The ouvrage comprises four combat blocks at an altitude of 231 metres (757.9 ft), and was manned in 1940 by 115 men under the command of Lieutenant Juffet.
Col de Garde was sited to control the Col de Garde road between Saint-Agnès
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....
and 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 ....
, as well as protecting the southern flank of the Ouvrage Sainte-Agnès. The ouvrage is closed and locked and in a good state of repair, although covered by vegetation. The position overlooks Autoroute A8
A8 autoroute
The A8 autoroute, La Provençale, is a -long highway in France between Aix-en-Provence and the A7 to the Côte d'Azur.- Route :The A8 is an extension of the A7 starting to the west of Aix-en-Provence at La Fare-les-Oliviers. The road passes through the Departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Var and...
at the Col de Garde tunnel.
Description
Col de Garde is a compact site with two entries and a short set of rock-cut galleries with short branches for ammunition magazines, barracks and the usine.- Block 1 (south entry): One machine gun port.
- Block 2 (north entry): One machine gun port.
- Block 3 (observation 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...
. - Block 4 (infantry block): one37mm anti-tank gun port and one twin machine gun port.
External links
- Col de Garde (petit ouvrage) at fortiff.be