Montluc Fort, Military fort in 3rd arrondissement of Lyon, France

Montluc Fort is a stone fortification in Lyon's 3rd arrondissement, built of light grey rectangular blocks. Its surviving watchtower has a rounded corner turret with a crenellated cap, and the walls are pierced by narrow vertical slits and two recessed arched niches. Since 2007 it has housed Lyon's second police headquarters.

The fortress was built between 1831 and 1835 as part of Lyon's outer defensive belt protecting the eastern part of the city. It was constructed during a period when France was equipping its major cities with fortification systems.

The fort is named after Blaise de Montluc, a marshal of France. Originally called Fort de Villeurbanne, it took its present name in 1887 after the ramparts and bastions were levelled. The surviving watchtower at the entrance gate, with its four bartizan turrets, is the only element of the original fortifications still standing.

You can view the fortress from the street, but interior access is not available to the public since it remains in official use. It is best explored by walking around the perimeter to appreciate the architecture and massive stone walls from different angles.

The fort was originally called Fort de Villeurbanne and was renamed Fort Montluc in 1887, after the 16th-century marshal Blaise de Montluc. Of the original fortifications, only the nearly cube-shaped watchtower with four bartizans and the central cavalier survived the 1870s demolition.