The Route des Forts in the Alpes-Maritimes | Côte d’Azur France / French Riviera

The Alpes-Maritimes, an open-air conservatory of the art of fortification

Over the centuries, the turbulent history of the Alpes-Maritimes, their strategic position and the need to defend this territory have given rise to an exceptional fortified heritage. Built between the XVIᵉ and XXᵉ centuries, this heritage bears witness to a singular maralpine history profoundly marked by geopolitical issues.

Set off to discover these jewels of stone and memory, often nestled in grandiose natural sites. Whether you’re a hiker, a history buff, a family or just curious, this route invites you to explore the Côte d’Azur in a different way.

A remarkable, open-air yet fragile heritage

In a constantly changing geostrategic context in Europe, from the XIVᵉ to the XXᵉ century, the current territory of the Alpes-Maritimes found itself at the heart of confrontations between France, the House of Savoy and then Italy. On either side of the river Var, which marked the border between the two states, military engineers initially built bastion-type fortifications.

With the annexation of the county of Nice to France in 1860 and the advent of rifled artillery, new architectural forms adapted to the mountainous terrain emerged. Designed on the French side by General Séré de Rivières, they were mirrored on the Italian side.

Between the wars, Fascist Italy’s territorial claims made it necessary to create a new line of defence: the Alpine extension of the Maginot Line. Buried, concreted and armoured works, equipped with the latest technological advances of the time, were built to counter the Italian offensive of June 1940.

At the end of the XXᵉ century, these forts were gradually abandoned by the army and exposed to the risks of deterioration and vandalism. Aware of their heritage, memorial and tourist value, on 1ᵉʳ October 2021 the Département des Alpes-Maritimes launched an ambitious programme to restore, enhance and open up this fortified heritage to the public.