Ouvrage Les Aittes, Military museum in Cervières, France
Ouvrage Les Aittes is a mountain fort at 2,029 meters altitude featuring three infantry blocks, one observation block, and a 215-meter-long tunnel carved into the rock. The entire structure was excavated directly into the mountain.
The fort was completed in 1937 as part of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension. During the Italian invasion of 1940, it housed 92 soldiers defending the mountain border.
The fort displays military equipment and fortification methods developed between the world wars. Visitors can see how French engineers designed mountain defenses.
The fort opens for guided tours during summer months, allowing visitors to explore the underground tunnels. Sturdy shoes and warm clothing are recommended since the tunnels stay cool year-round.
Each infantry block contains specialized machine gun positions with designed fields of fire. Unlike most other Maginot Line forts, this one was built entirely without concrete galleries.
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