© bunkertours
Fort St Roch, Sospel
Second world war fortifications, part of the Maginot line
This remnant of the second world war is a huge engineering feat made from lots of concrete and once housed machine guns and barracks.
The fort, or bunker, was part of the Maginot line of French defences against the Germans, and this section lies in an Alpine extension of that line sometimes called the Little Maginot line.
A large exhibition space has been built inside the fort that you can come and look at.
Adult price for entry is 6 euros and 5 euros for children.
Worth knowing
Maginot was Minister of War between 1922 and 1924. However, even after 1924, Maginot was involved in the project. In 1926, Maginot and his successor, Paul Painleve, got the funding for a body that was known as the Committee of Frontier Defence (CFD). The CFD was given the funding to build three sections of an experimental defence line – based on what Petain had recommended – which was to develop into the Maginot Line.
Visitor comments
- "It was perhaps a stroke of good luck that the museum was still open end of September, for a special promotion event. It is a wonderful experience to be inside such a defensive construction. I remember my visit to another Maginot fort (Ouvrage Grande Hackenberg in Lorraine) and saw a lot of analogies. This fort is smaller but impressive anyway" - Trip Advisor
- "There is still a lot of equipment in the rooms so you can get a sense of their use (I like others I've been to which are just the empty shell), along with sounds and some basic but effective staging with manikins etc. at 6 euro each, we thought we got excellent value. If you were into war stuff, the museum has heaps more things to take your interest." - Trip Advisor
When to come
The fort is open on weekends from 14:00 to 18:00 from April to June and in September. In July & August it's open every day except Mondays from 14:00 to 17:00.
