Italian Forts, Colle di Tenda (border with South France)

[Katsuhiko JiNNai]

Here some Forts I visit often during summer time.
The Forts were done between 1881-95 but used until 1945. Now are part of the french territory (in 1947 after the IIWW the France taken italian Tenda and Briga towns and some meters of the border with italy to take all the forts). There are 6 Forts.

Forte Colle Alto (Fort Central), 1908 m
Forte della Margheria (Forte de la Marguerie), 1842 m
Forte Taborda (Fort Tabourde), 1942 m
Forte Pernante (Fort Pernante), 2117 m
Forte Giaura (Fort de Giaure), 2253 m
Forte Pepino (Fort Pepin), 2263 m

The pictures I've taken personally during my trekking.

http://fratersinister.deviantart.com/gallery/37846020/Fort-Centrale
Forte Centrale, the bigger, seem that the french will restor it one day to create an impressive hotel for summer and winter holidays.

http://fratersinister.deviantart.com/gallery/37794550/Fort-Pepin-Italy-France
Forte Pepino (2284m) and Forte Taborda (1942m)

http://fratersinister.deviantart.com/gallery/38075759/Fort-Giaura
Forte Giaura (2253m)

[Shawnt63]

Awesome shots! Thanks for posting!

[fred]

Very nice. Was there a lot of fighting around these forts?

[Katsuhiko JiNNai]

Very nice. Was there a lot of fighting around these forts?

These forts were never used during IWW (the real fight were done in the Eastern front). Italy attacked France in 1940 but the fight was in french territory. After the armistice of 1943 the forts were abandoned, and then occupied by the germans. "France libre" forces occupied the forts after the germans were defetead and fled in 1945. During the italian civil war 1943-45 many small skirmish were fought between partisans against italian SS, RSI ang Germans.

[fred]

Thanks for the info. I didn't think there was much battle damage, but hard to tell on the first pictures with the general collapse of the walls and buildings.

Just had a look on Google maps to see where these are, and they are near the Med, fairly near Nice.

[OSHIROmodels]

Interesting stuff 

cheers

James

[Katsuhiko JiNNai]

Probably some fights were done from germans and french during the last months of the war...

here more pictures of the forts:
www.alpicuneesi.it/itinerari/vallevermenagna/index1001.htm

Here a map, the forts are exactly in the border, between tende (now france) and limone piemonte (italy) towns


Many trekkers, mountain motorcyclists or simple tourists visit these forts each year... there are still many military roads still used just for fun, during summer.
There is still an ancient paved roman road too. In fact the "Colle di tenda" was yet used from romans and before them the Greeks of Marseilles and Phoenicians.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Col_de_Tende

here a video about some trekkers going to fort giaura
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0yc6GjBEoQ