![Lyon rings of fortification map-blank](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Lyon_rings_of_fortification_map-blank.svg)
The ceintures de Lyon ('Belts of Lyon') were a series of
fortification
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere' ...
s built between 1830 and 1890 around the city of
Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, third-largest city and Urban area (France), second-largest metropolitan area of F ...
, France, to protect the city from foreign invasion.
The belts comprised two defensive barriers that included forts,
lunettes,
ramparts,
batteries, and other defensive structures. Many of these structures proved to be ineffective in war due to advancement in weapon technology and the evolution of attack strategies at the time. Some of the fortifications of the ceintures de Lyon have been destroyed, though many remain today.
History
After the
July Revolution
The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution (french: révolution de Juillet), Second French Revolution, or ("Three Glorious ays), was a second French Revolution after the first in 1789. It led to the overthrow of King ...
in 1830 and the end of the
Bourbon monarchy, the government feared a new war.
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
was seen as the major threat to France at the time, and so protecting the east and south-east borders became a priority.
Construction of the first belt
![Caluire-Fort de Montessuy-2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Caluire-Fort_de_Montessuy-2.JPG)
In 1830 the
maréchal de camp,
Hubert Rohault de Fleury, commenced a project designed by military engineer
Baron Haxo. With a budget of
francs
The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' (King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th centu ...
(approximately € as of 2015) allocated for Lyon between 1831 and 1839,
this first project included the restoration of the fortifications between
Croix Rousse
La Croix-Rousse is a hill high in the city of Lyon, France, as well as the name of a neighborhood located on this hill. The neighborhood is divided into les pentes (slopes, belonging to the city's 1st arrondissement) and le plateau (atop the hil ...
and
Fourvière
Fourvière () is a district of Lyon, France, a hill immediately west of the old part of the town, rising from the river Saône. It is the site of the original Roman settlement of Lugdunum in 43 BC. The district contains many religious buildings i ...
; the construction of two forts on the plateau of
Caluire (
Fort de Montessuy and
Fort de Caluire, connected by the Enceinte de Caluire), facing the
Dombes
The Dombes (; Arpitan: Domba) is an area in eastern France, once an independent municipality, formerly part of the province of Burgundy, and now a district comprised in the department of Ain, and bounded on the west by the Saône River, on th ...
; closing access to the
Presqu'île
The Presqu'île (literally a combination of the French words "presque" and "île" for almost and island, respectively)''Le petit Robert de la langue française'' 2007 is the central part of the City of Lyon, France. Extending from the foot of th ...
by the construction of a south-facing building; building two forts –
Fort de la Duchère and Fort de Grange Blanche – to protect access routes towards
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
and
Auvergne
Auvergne (; ; oc, label= Occitan, Auvèrnhe or ) is a former administrative region in central France, comprising the four departments of Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal and Haute-Loire. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Au ...
.
The fortification of the city is divided into three sectors: The north was protected by the wall of Croix-Rousse and the structures between the
Rhône
The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...
and the
Saône
The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île.
The name ...
. The command was situated at
fort de Montessuy. The west was covered by the hillfort of Fourvière and the associated forts of Vaise at Sainte-Foy. The command was situated at fort Saint-Irénée. The east was defended by the Redoute du Haut-Rhône and Fort de la Vitriolerie on the left bank of the
Rhône
The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...
. The command was situated at Fort Lamothe.
The work required almost workers, which were locally sourced in an attempt to avoid insurrection such as the ongoing unrest of the Lyon silk workers (
Canuts) over increased capitalism. Work began in 1831 to build seven structures, each structure requiring between 400 and 500 workers. The scope of this project included the construction of
Fort de Montessuy and
Fort de Caluire to the north; Fort des Brotteaux,
Fort Montluc and Fort du Colombier to the east; the Redoute de
la Part-Dieu
Part-Dieu () is an area of Lyon Metropolis. It is also the second largest tertiary district in France, after La Défense in Greater Paris, with over 1,150,000 m2 of office and service space, along with 45,000 service sector jobs, 2,500 compan ...
to the west; and Fort Saint-Irénée, to protect the entire area.
In January 1831, an uprising began at a work site in Charpennes, however it was quickly stopped by the army. Other insurrections took place the same year, a series of
Canut revolts
The Canut revolts (french: Révolte des canuts) is the collective name for the major revolts by Lyonnais silk workers (french: canuts) which occurred in 1831, 1834 and 1848. They were among the first well-defined worker uprisings of the period kn ...
, which succeeded in rallying soldiers on the side of the Canuts, resulting in the death of captain Viquesnel,
aide-de-camp of Fleury, and the temporary withdrawal of the soldiers who eventually retook the city in December 1831.
In 1832, three other structures were built to reinforce the defenses to the east: The Redoute de la
Tête d'or, Fort La Motte, and the Redoute des Hirondelles. A treaty was signed between the city of Lyon and the War Department, which stipulated that the city had to cede the land necessary for the construction of military buildings to the War Department, while the forts themselves would still belong to the city if the military decided to abandon them. It is thanks to this treaty that the forts of
Croix Rousse
La Croix-Rousse is a hill high in the city of Lyon, France, as well as the name of a neighborhood located on this hill. The neighborhood is divided into les pentes (slopes, belonging to the city's 1st arrondissement) and le plateau (atop the hil ...
,
Fourvière
Fourvière () is a district of Lyon, France, a hill immediately west of the old part of the town, rising from the river Saône. It is the site of the original Roman settlement of Lugdunum in 43 BC. The district contains many religious buildings i ...
,
Loyasse,
Vaise
Vaise is a neighborhood of the City of Lyon (France), located along the Saône
The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department an ...
, and
Saint-Jean would later be returned to the city.
Construction resumed in 1840. First the Fort de la Vitriolerie in 1840, then Fort de
Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon
Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon (, literally ''Sainte-Foy near Lyon'') is a commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France.
Geography
It is a suburb of the city of Lyon, located to the west of the city.
It is locate ...
and the Lunette des Charpennes in 1842,
Fort de la Duchère in 1844, the Redoute du Petit Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon in 1852, and finally the Redoute du haut-Rhône in 1854.
![Plan de Lyon et Forts 1844](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Plan_de_Lyon_et_Forts_1844.jpg)
A law was voted in on 10 July 1851,
which defined the methods of destruction of these buildings or construction on their land. By 1854, 19 structures including 10 forts had been built around Lyon, creating a nearly fortified perimeter.
Franco-Prussian War
![Plan Lyon 1872](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Plan_Lyon_1872.jpg)
On 19 July 1870, France declared war on
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...
. On 20 August 1870, the Prussians besieged
Metz
Metz ( , , lat, Divodurum Mediomatricorum, then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers. Metz is the prefecture of the Moselle department and the seat of the parliament of the Grand ...
, and
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
on 19 September 1870. It was feared that
Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, third-largest city and Urban area (France), second-largest metropolitan area of F ...
would be next. The army in Lyon was commanded by the
général de division
Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
,
Ulrich Ochsenbein
Ulrich Ochsenbein (24 November 1811, in Unterlangenegg – 3 November 1890) was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council (1848–1854).
Professional life
He studied law and from 1835 he had a law firm together with his broth ...
at the time.
During the
Battle of Sedan
The Battle of Sedan was fought during the Franco-Prussian War from 1 to 2 September 1870. Resulting in the capture of Emperor Napoleon III and over a hundred thousand troops, it effectively decided the war in favour of Prussia and its allies, ...
on 2 September 1870, France learned that the Germans did not focus on enemy defenses to force cities to surrender. Rather they destroyed homes and population centers using long-range incendiary
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
shells. The forts that were already constructed in France were therefore ineffective in defending against these attacks.
The war ended after the signing of the
Treaty of Frankfurt The Treaty of Frankfurt may refer to one of three treaties signed at Frankfurt, as follows:
* Treaty of Frankfurt (1489) - Treaty between Maximilian of Austria and the envoys of King Charles VIII of France
*Treaty of Frankfurt (1539) - Initiated ...
on 10 May 1871, and the
Ministry of the Armed Forces requested a report on the construction of military works for the defense of Lyon on 4 August 1871. The ministry concluded that the forts constructed before 1870 (
Rohault de Fleury Rohault de Fleury is a French family name. It may refer to:
* Charles Rohault de Fleury (1801–1875), French architect
* Georges Rohault de Fleury (1835–1904), French archaeologist and art historian
* Hubert Rohault de Fleury (architect) (1777â ...
) were obsolete because they were too close to the city, and that new
rifled cannons could reach a distance of .
A budget of
francs
The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' (King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th centu ...
(approximately € as of 2015) was allocated for the defense of the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...
, half of that was used for the defense of Lyon to protect from invasion by the
Swiss. The project was awarded by then president
Patrice de MacMahon
Marie Edme Patrice Maurice de MacMahon, marquis de MacMahon, duc de Magenta (; 13 June 1808 – 17 October 1893) was a French general and politician, with the distinction of Marshal of France. He served as Chief of State of France from 1873 to 1 ...
, to the director of
Military engineering and
Brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières
Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières (20 May 1815 – 16 February 1895) was a French military engineer and general whose ideas revolutionized the design of fortifications in France. He gave his name to the Séré de Rivières system of fortificatio ...
in 1874. The proposed defenses included the construction of a fort and batteries on
Mont Verdun to protect the right bank of the
Saône
The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île.
The name ...
, the forts of
Vénissieux
Vénissieux (; Arpitan: or in the Lyonnais dialect) is a commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France.
Geography
Vénissieux is located on the southern outskirts of Lyon.
Toponymy
The name ''Vénis ...
,
Bron
Bron () is a commune in the Metropolis of Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, eastern France.
Geography
Bron lies east-southeast of central Lyon. It is the sixth-largest suburb of the city of Lyon, and is adjacent to its east side.
Climat ...
and
Cusset
Cusset is a commune in the department of Allier, in central French region of Auvergne. Situated in the foothills of the , the city is a suburb of Vichy and ranks fourth in population for the department.
Population
Geography Location
L ...
to protect the left banks of the
Rhône
The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...
, and a fortification between the
Rhône
The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...
and the
Saône
The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île.
The name ...
at
la Pape.
Powder magazines
Although most of the fortified structures had
gunpowder magazine
A gunpowder magazine is a magazine (building) designed to store the explosive gunpowder in wooden barrels for safety. Gunpowder, until superseded, was a universal explosive used in the military and for civil engineering: both applications ...
s to supply the artillery, fortified magazines were set up behind the defense lines. ''Place de Lyon'' was divided into four sectors, each with its own dedicated gunpowder magazine. The first, (
Fort du Mont Verdun
Fort Mont Verdun is the biggest highlight of the second belt of Forts around Lyon and is the only one considered to be a mountain fort. It rests at 630 meters altitude, dominating Lyon, Limonest, the lower Azergues valley and the Saône ...
) was created in
Fort de la Duchère, the second (
Fort de Vancia
The Fort de Vancia is a former military installation built between 1872 and 1878 in the municipalities of Sathonay-Village and Rillieux-la-Pape, north of Lyon. It is part of the second belt Lyon and more generally the system Sere de Rivieres.
This ...
) at Sathonay, the third (
Fort de Feyzin
The Fort Feyzin is a fort built between 1875 and 1877 in Feyzin. It is one of the forts of the second belt of forts around Lyon and more generally the Séré de Rivières fort system. This belt of forts included the forts of Bron, Vancia, Feyzi ...
) in an underground magazine at
Saint-Fons, and the fourth (
fort du Bruissin) in Fort de Sainte-Foy.
These magazines were connected by road or rail. The two underground magazines, Saint-Fons built in 1890 and Sathonay in 1894, each had a capacity of of gunpowder. An annex was built near Saint-Fons in 1895 to store
picric acid.
Construction of the second belt
![Panoramique Fort de Vancia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Panoramique_Fort_de_Vancia.png)
Military leaders saw an urgent need to construct four additional forts: The
Fort du Mont Verdun
Fort Mont Verdun is the biggest highlight of the second belt of Forts around Lyon and is the only one considered to be a mountain fort. It rests at 630 meters altitude, dominating Lyon, Limonest, the lower Azergues valley and the Saône ...
in 1874 to the north, the
Fort de Bron and
Fort de Feyzin
The Fort Feyzin is a fort built between 1875 and 1877 in Feyzin. It is one of the forts of the second belt of forts around Lyon and more generally the Séré de Rivières fort system. This belt of forts included the forts of Bron, Vancia, Feyzi ...
in 1875 to the east, and the
Fort de Vancia
The Fort de Vancia is a former military installation built between 1872 and 1878 in the municipalities of Sathonay-Village and Rillieux-la-Pape, north of Lyon. It is part of the second belt Lyon and more generally the system Sere de Rivieres.
This ...
in 1876.
Other projects started in 1878 include the Batterie de la Freta, connected to
fort du Mont Verdun
Fort Mont Verdun is the biggest highlight of the second belt of Forts around Lyon and is the only one considered to be a mountain fort. It rests at 630 meters altitude, dominating Lyon, Limonest, the lower Azergues valley and the Saône ...
; the Batterie de Sathonay and Batterie de Sermenaz, connected to
Fort de Vancia
The Fort de Vancia is a former military installation built between 1872 and 1878 in the municipalities of Sathonay-Village and Rillieux-la-Pape, north of Lyon. It is part of the second belt Lyon and more generally the system Sere de Rivieres.
This ...
; the
Fort du Bruissin; the Fort de Corbas; and the Batteries de Parilly and Lessignas.
![Lyon 1888](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Lyon_1888.jpg)
The construction of Fort du Paillet began in 1883, then Fort de Meyzieu and Fort de
the following year.
Picric acid began to be used on the battlefield at this time. The explosion caused by this chemical was so powerful that the forts proved to be ineffective, and consequently their construction was temporarily put on hold. The damage caused by this new weapon, along with the rifled-barreled weapons deployed in battle in 1860, proved to be a significant problem.
An experiment was conducted in 1886 by military engineers to verify the power of picric acid and its impact on their fortification systems.
Fort Malmaison, which had recently been constructed near
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, was the target of 171 test shells of all calibers containing picric acid. The results showed that the impacts of the new shells left craters 6 meters in diameter, and were capable of breaching the powder magazine to create a huge explosion. An expensive and more effective fortification material,
reinforced concrete, was available; however, it was only used on the forts of the
Maginot Line and certain strategic parts of the Lyon forts, such as the barracks of Cavalier de Vancia.
The decree of 21 January 1887 by
General Boulanger
Georges Ernest Jean-Marie Boulanger (29 April 1837 – 30 September 1891), nicknamed Général Revanche ("General Revenge"), was a French general and politician. An enormously popular public figure during the second decade of the Third Repub ...
, then
Minister of the Armies of the French Republic, renamed the military buildings to honor local military victors and victories. Therefore, Fort de Vaise became "Fort Clerc",
Fort de Loyasse became "Fort Blandan" after
Jean Pierre Hippolyte Blandan,
Fort Saint-Jean was renamed "Fort Maupetit", Fort Saint-Irénée became "Fort Dubois-Crancé" after
Edmond Louis Alexis Dubois-Crancé, Fort de la Vitriolerie became "Fort Chabert",
fort de Villeurbanne became "Fort Montluc" after
Blaise de Monluc, and the Barracks of Fort Part-Dieu became the "Barracks of Margaron" after
Pierre Margaron
Pierre Margaron (1 May 1765 – 16 December 1824) led the French cavalry at the Battle of Vimeiro in 1808. He joined a volunteer battalion in 1792. He rose in rank during the French Revolutionary Wars until he commanded a heavy cavalry regiment in ...
.
On 22 July 1887, it also specified several modifications to be made to the forts, including moving the artillery from the forts to the batteries, and using concrete in place of traditional
masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units, which are often laid in and bound together by mortar; the term ''masonry'' can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are bricks, building ...
. Fort de Saint-Priest was built with this new material in 1887,
followed by Fort de Chapoly in 1891.
First belt
The first belt, called the Rohault de Fleury system, consisted of 22 fortifications commissioned by
Rohault de Fleury Rohault de Fleury is a French family name. It may refer to:
* Charles Rohault de Fleury (1801–1875), French architect
* Georges Rohault de Fleury (1835–1904), French archaeologist and art historian
* Hubert Rohault de Fleury (architect) (1777â ...
. They were situated in a radius of about around the urban center of Lyon. This belt was constructed between 1830 and 1870.
![Lyon Rohault de Fleury fortifications map-blank](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Lyon_Rohault_de_Fleury_fortifications_map-blank.svg)
#
Fort de la Duchère () (destroyed, currently a sports complex)
#
Fort de Caluire () (destroyed, currently a stadium
Henri Cochet
Henri Jean Cochet (; 14 December 1901 – 1 April 1987) was a French tennis player. He was a world No. 1 ranked player, and a member of the famous " Four Musketeers" from France who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Born in ...
)
#
Fort de Montessuy ()
# Redoute Bel-Air ()
# Fort de Sainte-Foy ()
# Lunette du Petit Sainte-Foy ()
# Fort Saint-Irénée ()
# Lunette du Fossoyeur ()
#
Fort de Loyasse ()
# Fort de Vaise ()
#
Fort Saint-Jean ()
# Bastion Saint-Laurent ()
# Redoute du haut-Rhône () (destroyed, currently a park entrance)
# Redoute de la Tête d'Or () (destroyed, currently
Boulevard des Belges, Guimet Museum and
parc de la Tête d'Or
The Parc de la Tête d'or (English: "Park of the Golden Head") is a large urban park in Lyon, France, with an area of approximately . Located in the northern part of the 6th arrondissement, it features the Jardin botanique de Lyon, as well as a ...
)
# Lunette des Charpennes () (destroyed, currently
lycée du Parc
The Lycée du Parc is a public secondary school located in the sixth ''arrondissement'' of Lyon, France. Its name comes from the Parc de la Tête d'Or, one of Europe's largest urban parks, which is situated nearby.
It provides a ''lycée''-level ...
)
# Fort des Brotteaux () (destroyed, currently
Gare des Brotteaux
The Gare des Brotteaux is an old railway station located in the Brotteaux quarter, in the 6th arrondissement of Lyon.
History
Built by the Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée company (PLM), and especially by Parisian architect Paul d'Arbaut and engineer V ...
)
# Redoute de la Part-Dieu () (became the barracks of Part-Dieu, then later destroyed, currently
Centre commercial de la Part Dieu)
#
Fort Montluc ()
# Redoute des Hirondelles () (destroyed, currently the
:fr:Manufacture des Tabacs de Lyon)
# Fort Lamothe ()
# Fort du Colombier () (destroyed, was on the site of
place Jean-Macé)
# Fort de la Vitriolerie ()
# Rempart de la Croix-Rousse () (destroyed in 1865, currently
Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse
is a boulevard that marks the border between the 1st and the 4th arrondissements of Lyon, in the neighborhood Croix-Rousse.
Location
The boulevard runs east–west and is the border between the 1st and 4th arrondissements and the neighbo ...
)
# Enceinte de Fourvière ()
# Enceinte de Caluire () (destroyed, currently the streets of
Albert-Thomas and Place
Professeur-Calmette)
Fort de Grange-Blanche and the Batterie de Pierre Scize
were planned but never constructed.
Second belt
The second belt, called the
Séré de Rivières system
The system was named after Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières, its originator. The system was an ensemble of fortifications built from 1874 along the frontiers and coasts of France. The fortresses were obsolescent by 1914 but were used during ...
, consisted of twenty-six fortifications surrounding the suburban area of Lyon.
They were situated in an ring around Lyon. The belt was constructed between 1871 and 1890.
# Mur d'enceinte de Croix-Luizet in Gerland (1884). Currently the location of the Boulevard périphérique de Lyon
#
Fort du Mont Verdun
Fort Mont Verdun is the biggest highlight of the second belt of Forts around Lyon and is the only one considered to be a mountain fort. It rests at 630 meters altitude, dominating Lyon, Limonest, the lower Azergues valley and the Saône ...
(Air force, Mont-Verdun) ()
# Batterie des Carrières ()
# Batterie du Mont-Thou ()
# Batterie de Narcel ()
# Batterie de la Freta (approximation: )
#
Fort de Vancia
The Fort de Vancia is a former military installation built between 1872 and 1878 in the municipalities of Sathonay-Village and Rillieux-la-Pape, north of Lyon. It is part of the second belt Lyon and more generally the system Sere de Rivieres.
This ...
()
# Batterie de Sathonay ()
# Magasin de Sathonay ()
# Batterie de Sermenaz ()
# Redoutes de Neyron ( and )
# Fort de Meyzieu ()
#
Fort de Genas ()
#
Fort de Bron ()
# Batterie de Lessivas ()
# Batterie de Parilly ()
# Fort de Saint-Priest ()
# Fort de Corbas ()
#
Fort de Feyzin
The Fort Feyzin is a fort built between 1875 and 1877 in Feyzin. It is one of the forts of the second belt of forts around Lyon and more generally the Séré de Rivières fort system. This belt of forts included the forts of Bron, Vancia, Feyzi ...
()
# Fort de Champvillard ()
# Fort de Montcorin ()
# Fort de Côte-Lorette ()
#
Fort du Bruissin ()
# Fort de Chapoly ()
# Fort du Paillet ()
# Magasin de Saint-Fons ()
# Batterie de Décines ()
The fortifications of d'Azieu,
Vaulx-en-Velin
Vaulx-en-Velin () is a commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France. It is the third-largest suburb of the city of Lyon, and is located to its northeast, on the river Rhône.
History
The rivers, including th ...
,
Millery, and ''Chêne-Rond'' in
Dardilly
Dardilly (; frp, Dardelyé) is a commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France.
Its inhabitants are called ''Dardillois'' in French.
Geography
An undulating town to in the western lyonnais, Dardilly is cro ...
were planned but never constructed.
See also
*
List of fortifications
*
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Mémoire et Fortifications: La Place Forte de LyonLes Fortifications: La Métropole et l'héritage de son passé{{Séré de Rivières system
19th century in Lyon
Fortifications in France
Séré de Rivières system