Fort de la Motte-Giron, Military fort in Dijon, France.

Fort de la Motte-Giron stands on the Bel Air plateau at 412 metres, between the combe à la Serpent and the Combe Persil. Its moats form an irregular, almost rectangular pentagon enclosing 4.2 hectares. The fort is built of stone masonry from the Premeaux-Prissey and Is-sur-Tille quarries, covered with a thick layer of earth; the vaulted barracks sits at the centre around a small rectangular courtyard, with shelter traverses and firing platforms all around. A large arched entrance with a portcullis faces a paved road, and an annex battery was built at the western end of the knoll.

Construction of the fort ran from January 1875 to September 1876, when 1,500 workers built it on the Bel Air plateau with stone from the Premeaux-Prissey and Is-sur-Tille quarries. It belonged to the ring of detached forts raised around Dijon after the 1870-1871 occupation. From August 1917 it held captured German officers, and from June 1940 to August 1944 German forces used it as a prison for French civilians.

The fort served as a training center and held captured German officers during World War I. It reflects the military importance France placed on protecting its borders and internal security during that period.

The fort is accessible via Avenue Gustave Eiffel, where a path leads directly to the main entrance and provides good access to the site. It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes since the terrain is hilly and you will be walking on the plateau.

The fort contains specialized defensive structures in its moats, including caponniers, which represent advanced military engineering of the 19th century. These underground or semi-underground structures allowed defenders to control the moats and block access to the fort.