Ouvrage Pas du Roc, Alpine fortification in Modane, France
Ouvrage Pas du Roc is a fortification located at 2,390 meters (7,840 feet) altitude with an entry block, infantry block, two artillery blocks, and an observation block. The structure was designed as a unified defensive system that organized multiple functions in separate reinforced structures.
Construction began in 1931 but the structure remained incomplete by 1940 when Italian forces attacked during their invasion of France. The fortification was overtaken by the events of the war's opening before its defensive purpose could be fully realized.
The fortification represents French military engineering from the interwar period, showing construction methods and defensive ideas of that time. It stands as evidence of the technical solutions engineers developed during those years.
The site is located about 6 kilometers south of Modane at high altitude and requires special permission to visit. Anyone interested in seeing the fortification should contact the relevant authorities beforehand and bring proper hiking gear for the elevation.
The fortification depended on an aerial cable system for resupply, but Italian forces destroyed the cable during combat on June 21, 1940. This detail shows how vulnerable high-altitude installations were to attacks on their supply lines.
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