Fort of Beauregard, Military fortification in Besançon, France

Fort Beauregard is a long stone fortification built from 1791 to 1870 on a secondary hill of Mont de Brégille, above the Bregille district of Besançon. Its weathered gray-brown masonry walls follow the crest, with a raised block at the right end containing a dark arched opening, small rectangular windows, and a row of arched embrasures at the lower left. Modern terraced apartments with white balconies stand below.

A first earthwork stood on the site in 1791; it was taken by Austrian troops in 1814, when their artillery on the Bregille hill threatened the citadel. General Marulaz then pressed for a real fort, built from 1814 and finished in 1870, on the eve of the Franco-Prussian War. It was among the first French forts with a polygonal plan, meant to support Fort de Bregille and guard the eastern approaches to the old town.

The fort represents how France adapted military space in the 1800s, and today the site functions as a public green area where people gather to enjoy views and fresh air.

The fort stands on the Mandelier knoll of the Mont de Brégille, above the Bregille district; the site is reached on foot via paths on the wooded slope. The city of Besançon, owner since the 2010s, laid out a square there with views over the old town. The grounds are open to the public, and guided visits are offered during Heritage Days.

The fort's name likely comes from a farm called Beauregard that existed on the hill by the 17th century. The site also had an earthwork redoubt in 1791, which Austrian artillery seized in 1814 and used to threaten the citadel below.