Fortifications in the Southern Alps – France, Italy. Vol. 3

In this third instalment of "Fortifications dans les Alpes", the reader discovers at the outset the geostrategic aspects of the Southern Alps region, as well as the difficult movement through the high valleys and the advantages of the narrow passes that are easy to barricade.

The illustrated narrative then explains the complex tactical operations in the mountains around the fortifications, as well as the historical context of the Southern Alps, with the shifting of territories between Dauphiné, Savoie, Provence and Piedmont.

The second part of Vol. 3 is devoted to a description of the major fortified sites in the central section of the French Alps, with three highly detailed chapters on the great strongholds of Briançon, Mont-Dauphin and Fort Queyras.

The extraordinary history of the Chaberton — the highest fort in the world at 3,130 m altitude, built by Italian engineers — is also extensively covered, along with its far-reaching consequences for the French fortified works in the Briançon area.

In Vol. 4, to follow, readers will discover the French and Italian fortified sites between the Ubaye, the Val Stura, the French valleys, the Roya, and as far as Nice. Thus, with all four volumes, the extraordinary history of the fortifications of the Alps will be complete!