Ouvrage Saint-Roch is a work (gros ouvrage) of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line, also known as the Little Maginot Line. Small for a gros ouvrages, the ouvrage consists of one entry block, one artillery block and two observation blocks overlooking Sospel at an altitude of . The position is located just to the southwest of Sospel, its entrance block in a narrow valley and the artillery block on the other side of the ridge overlooking Sospel. The ouvrage is laid out along a single line, with the entry block to the rear, immediately followed by the usine, with barracks farther along and Blocks 2 and 3 at intervals. The position's main armament is concentrated in Block 4, a massive blockhouse designed to protect against rockfalls from higher up the mountain.Mary, Tome 5, pp. 60–61Kaufmann 2011, p. 275
Description Ouvrage Saint-Roch was built between November 1930 and June 1932, starting with a contractor named Marting and finishing with Roussel. The cost was 12.7 million francs, of which the armament cost 2,128,000 francsMary|, Tome 4. p. 29 Block 1 (entry): one machine gun cloche and two machine gun embrasures. Block 2 (observation): one machine gun/observation cloche. Block 3 (infantry): one machine gun cloche and one grenade launcher cloche. Block 4 (artillery): three twin machine gun cloches, two twin machine gun embrasures, one 75mm/29cal gun embrasure, and four 81mm mortar embrasures.
A fifth block on the crest of the mountain was proposed but not built, to house a GFM cloche. Two observation posts were associated with Saint-Roch, including Campoast, armed with one machine gun and twin automatic rifle positions.
Saint-Roch and an associated museum are open for visitation year-round. The facilities are operated by the Association de l'Armée des Alpes,Kaufmann 2011, p. 276
See also List of Alpine Line ouvrages
References
Bibliography Allcorn, William. The Maginot Line 1928-45. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003. Kaufmann, J.E. and Kaufmann, H.W. Fortress France: The Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II, Stackpole Books, 2006. Kaufmann, J.E., Kaufmann, H.W., Jancovič-Potočnik, A. and Lang, P. The Maginot Line: History and Guide, Pen and Sword, 2011. Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 1. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2001. Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 4 - La fortification alpine. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2009. Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 5. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2009.
External links Musée des fortifications alpines Fort Saint Roch Saint-Roch (gros ouvrage) at fortiff.be Fort Saint Roch at Les Sentinelles des Alpes