Barrier of Esseillon

The Barrière of Esseillon is a series of five fortifications built at the 19th century to protect the Piedmont from a possible French invasion. It includes/understands four forts and one fears, which bear the names of members of the family of Savoy:

strong Victor-Emmanuel (largest, able to accommodate a garrison of 1500 men)
strong Charles-Albert (ever completed)
strong Charles-Felix (destroyed on order of Napoleon III in 1860)
strong Marie-Christine
fears Marie-Therese (isolated from the other side of the Arc)

These fortifications were built by the Sardinians between 1817 and 1834 on the model of Montalembert which, contrary to the model of Vauban, rests on a principle of fortifications perpendicular and lathes to guns. The forts are protected mutually by cross shootings. They form a barrier just cutting the valley of the Arc in lower part of the commune of Aussois.

These forts never saw the least combat. After the fastening of the Savoy to the France in 1860, the French Army planned work in order to make use of it to protect, in opposite direction, France of an Italian invasion. This work was however not completed.

Classified Historic buildings, restored or in the course of restoration, they are now sport and gastronomy, culture, tourist resorts (Via ferrata around the Arc).

An association, the Association of the Forts of Esseillon , organizing a building site of voluntary, restores the Forts of Esseillon since 1972.

External bond

The site of the Association of the Forts of Esseillon www.esseillon.fr

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