Dufour fortifications, Military fortress in Saint-Maurice, Switzerland

The Dufour fortifications are named after Guillaume Henri Dufour, who planned them from 1830 and began work at Saint-Maurice in 1831. On the Vaud side of the Rhône, above Bex, stand the Grande Tenaille, a hexagonal bastion reinforced in 1859 with a wall and ditch, the Petite Tenaille, the Arziller and Capucins batteries and the redoute de la Crête. On the Valais side, the château de Saint-Maurice, the Wielandy and Clocher batteries, the crenellated Dufour tower and the redoute de Vérossaz guard the gorge.

Construction began in 1831 under General Guillaume Henri Dufour during a period of European tension and military concerns. The fortifications were built to secure the Rhône valley route and provide Switzerland with strategic mountain defense capabilities.

The name honours Guillaume Henri Dufour, who planned the system after his 1822 treatise De la fortification permanente. The works were meant to be seen: they signalled to travellers on the Milan–Paris road through Saint-Maurice that Switzerland would defend its territory. Two signposted trails from Saint-Maurice castle now lead past the restored batteries.

A hiking trail connects the fortifications and departs from Saint-Maurice Train Station, taking about 2 hours to complete. Sturdy footwear and water are recommended since the route passes through mountain terrain with uneven ground.

The complex straddles two cantons, Vaud and Valais, making it a rare cross-cantonal military structure. This cross-border character shows how important the passage was considered for all of Switzerland.