Fort du Portalet, Historical fortress in Aspe Valley, France
Fort du Portalet is a military fortress perched at 765 meters on a cliff face overlooking the Gave d'Aspe river between Etsaut and Borce. The structure spans two levels and includes barracks, officers' pavilions, and defensive installations carved into the rock itself.
Construction began under Louis-Philippe I between 1842 and 1870 to protect the French border and control passage to Col du Somport. During World War II, the fortress was used as a detention facility for prominent political figures including Léon Blum, Édouard Daladier, and Marshal Pétain.
The name refers to the gateway to Aspe Valley that it commanded. The building still displays its military layout with barracks and officers' quarters, showing how troops lived and worked within its walls.
The fortress is open to visitors following its 2023 reopening, with guided tours available through Aspe Valley Tourism Office in Bedous. Its location on a high cliff demands good physical condition and suitable footwear for the climb.
The fortress was partially built directly into the cliff face, using the natural rock formation as an integral part of the defensive structure. This construction method made it extremely difficult to attack and allowed efficient use of space at this high elevation.
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