The Meuse-Line is the chain of French

fort A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...

s and other

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

installations closing the passages of the

Meuse The Meuse or Maas is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a total length of . History From 1301, the upper ...

between

Verdun Verdun ( , ; ; ; official name before 1970: Verdun-sur-Meuse) is a city in the Meuse (department), Meuse departments of France, department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. In 843, the Treaty of V ...

and

Toul Toul () is a Communes of France, commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle Departments of France, department in north-eastern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the department. Geography Toul is between Commercy and Nancy, Fra ...

. These lines formed part of the defensive scheme adopted by France in 1873–1875. The total length of the line was 31 m, and the ''forts d'arrêt'' are disposed along the right bank. The forts are: between Verdun and

Saint-Mihiel Saint-Mihiel () is a commune in the Meuse department in the Grand Est region in Northeastern France. Geography Saint-Mihiel lies on the banks of the river Meuse. History A Benedictine abbey was established here in 708 or 709 by Count Wulfoalde ...

Génicourt-sur-Meuse Génicourt-sur-Meuse (, literally ''Génicourt on Meuse'') is a commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. See also *Communes of the Meuse department *Parc naturel régional de Lorraine Lorraine Regional Natural P ...

and Troyon; near Saint-Mihiel, Les Paroches (left bank) and Camp des Remains; and near

Commercy Commercy () is a Communes of France, commune in the Meuse (department), Meuse Departments of France, department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. History Commercy dates back to the 9th century, and at that time its lords were dependent on th ...

, Liouville-Saint-Agnant, Gironville-sous-les-Côtes and Jouy-sous-les-Côtes. Above the circle of the Toul defences there are barrier forts on the Upper Meuse at Pagny (la-Blanche-Cote) and near Neufchâteau; but these last are practically in second line, and between Toul and

Épinal Épinal (; ; ) is a Communes of France, commune in northeastern France and the prefecture of the Vosges (department), Vosges Departments of France, department. Geography The commune has a land area of . It is situated on the river Moselle, so ...

the frontier districts are designedly left open. At Épinal the Moselle-Line begins.

References

* Forts in France Land warfare {{europe-mil-stub