The Fort des Têtes, also known as the Fort des Trois Têtes, is a fortification in the vicinity of Briançon in the Dauphiné region of southeastern France. Partially designed by Vauban, the fort was first established as a permanent fortification in the 1720s and was used by the French army until 1940. Owing to its testimony to the advancement of military fortifications and Vauban's influence in military architecture, it was listed as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 2008.
History
It was first surveyed by Vauban in 1700. In 1709 the Marshal Berwick established a fortified camp on the plateau, overlooking the valley of the
Durance
The Durance (; ''Durença'' in the Occitan classical norm or ''Durènço'' in the Mistralian norm) is a major river in Southeastern France. A left tributary of the Rhône, it is long. Its drainage basin is . The position was used by the French Army in the defense of Briançon until 1940, when it was part of the
Fortified Sector of the Dauphiné The Fortified Sector of the Dauphiné (''Secteur Fortifié du Dauphiné'') was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the Alpine Line portion of the Maginot Line facing Italy in the vicinity of Briançon. By compar ...
.
Description
The fort is connected to the main town by the
Pont d'Asfeld
Pont, meaning "bridge" in French, may refer to:
Places France
* Pont, Côte-d'Or, in the Côte-d'Or ''département''
* Pont-Bellanger, in the Calvados ''département''
* Pont-d'Ouilly, in the Calvados ''département''
* Pont-Farcy, in the Calva ...
, designed by Vauban. The fort has three principal frontages and a lower fort covering the approaches. The garrison comprised about 1,250 men serving 70 artillery pieces. The Fort des Trois-Têtes is linked to the nearby
Fort du Randouillet
The Fort du Randouillet, is a fortification in the vicinity of Briançon in the Dauphiné region of southeastern France. Briançon was surveyed by Vauban in 1692. His master plan for the defenses of the city would result in one of the most heavily ...
by an enclosed, fortified gallery known as "Communication Y". In the 1880s two ammunition magazines were excavated, one within the rock, the other trenched and covered with earth.
World Heritage Site
The Fort des Têtes, along with Communication Y, the Fort du Randouillet and other military works of Briançon, was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008, as part of a network of Vauban-related sites.