The Fortified Sector of the Dauphiné (Secteur Fortifié du Dauphiné) was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the Alpine Line portion of the Maginot Line facing Italy in the vicinity of Briançon. By comparison with the integrated defenses of the main Maginot Line, or even of the Fortified Sector of the Maritime Alps to the south, the Dauphiné sector consisted of a series of distinct territories that covered two main invasion routes into France: the route from Turin over the Col de Montgenèvre to Briançon and Grenoble, and the route from Coni over the Col de Larche to Barcelonette and Gap. The sector was the scene of probing attacks by Italian forces during the Italian invasion of France in 1940, in which the French defenses successfully resisted Italian advances until the June 1940 armistice that granted Italy access to southeastern France.

The sector was extensively subdivided into informal districts, sub-sectors and quarters or quartiers, reflecting the fragmented nature of the Alpine landscape in which each valley was a distinct defensive entity. Small units were employed to patrol the border and to man individual posts ranging from observation bunkers to excavated mountaintop artillery ouvrages.

Concept and organization The area around Briançon and the Ubaye Valley had already been extensively fortified by Vauban and Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières, culminating in the enormous Fort de Tournoux. The Italian Fort Chaberton presented a menace to the area with its heavy battery on a commanding peak just across the border, from Briançon. Measures were proposed in 1929 to counteract the threat by building four large ouvrages at Gondran, les Aittes, Janus and les Alberts. These major Alpine positions were to be built by the Commission pour l'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées (CORF), the primary organization dedicated to the planning and funding of the Maginot Line. Resources were soon diverted into fortifications for the SF Alpes-Maritimes to the south, and initial improvements were limited to a reconstruction of the old Fort du Janus.Mary, Tome 5, pp. 22–23

Other funds were provided to create border posts (avants-postes) close to the frontier. These projects were administered by the Military Works Administration (Main d'Oeuvre Militaire (MOM)), which built more economical but less secure and less strongly-armed versions of the CORF works. MOM avants-postes superficially resembled CORF ouvrages, with underground gallery systems linking individual combat blocks, but lacked heavy armament and thick concrete shielding, as well as independent (or any) electric power supplies and underground troop accommodations. A number of the later CORF-proposed ouvrages were carried out by MOM, many of which were incomplete in 1940. These MOM-built positions covered secondary passes and mountain basins. The Col de Larche corridor was defended by the CORF-built gros ouvrage Roche-la-Croix, its upper battery and the Forts Tournoux and Viraysse, as well as a variety of CORF positions around Saint-Ours. The Montgenèvre corridor was covered by the extensive network of forts around Briançon, centering on the renovated and expanded fortifications at Janus. The Col de la Bonette received attention as well, despite its altitude, with the gros ouvrage Restefond and three subsidiary petits ouvrages.

Troop units for these fortifications were extensively customized to deal with the fragmented nature of the military positions. Typical, somewhat confusingly-named units included: Alpine Fortress Demi-Brigade (Demi-Brigade Alpin de Forteresse (DBAF) ) Alpine Hunter Demi-Brigade (Demi-Brigade des Chasseurs Alpins (DBCA) ) Alpine Infantry Regiment (Régiment d'Infanterie Alpin (RIA) ) Alpine Fortress Battalion (Battaillon Alpin de Forteresse (BAF) ) Alpine Hunter Battalion (Bataillon des Chasseurs Alpins (BCA) )

These formations were supplemented by Position Artillery Regiments (Régiments d'Artillerie de Position) (RAP) ), which provided mobile artillery support. A demi-brigade was similar to a large regiment, with three demi-brigades equivalent to four regiments.Mary, Tome 4, pp. 108–109

Command The Dauphiné sector was under the overall command of the French Army of the Alps, headquartered at Valence, under the command of General René Olry. Subordinate to the Army of the Alps was the 14th Army Corps under General Beynet. The SF Dauphiné itself was commanded by General Cyvoct at Gap and La-Roche-de-Rame. The interval troops, the army formation that was to provide the mobile defense for the sector, to support and be supported by the fixed defenses, was the 64th Infantry Division. Artillery support for the sector was provided by the 154th and 162nd Position Artillery Regiments (Régiment d'Artillerie de Position (RAP)), which controlled both fixed and mobile artillery, commanded by Lt. Colonel Maury and Chef d'Escadron Jarrix, respectively. The 64th ID was made up of Class B reservists, not suited for sustained combat, under General de Saint-Vincent at Embrun.Mary, Tome 5, pp. 23-44

Description The sector includes, in order from west to east, the following major fortified positions, together with the most significant casemates and infantry shelters in each sub-sector:

Briançonnais district The direct command of the Briançon valley remained with General Cyvoct, with a command post at La Roche-du-Rame, and a forward command post at the Fort du Randouillet.

Sub-sector Haute-Clarée-Guisane 82nd Alpine Fortress Battalion (82e Bataillon Alpin de Forteresse (BAF)), Lt. Colonel Perdreau, command post at the Bois du Villar

Quartier Chardonnet Command post at Chardonnet, elements of the 24th BIL

Quartier Bufère-Granon Command post at the Col de Cristol, elements of the 82nd BAF Ouvrage Col de Buffère, petit ouvrage of three combat blocks, incomplete (CORF/MOM) Ouvrage Col du Granon, petit ouvrage of four combat blocks, incomplete (CORF/MOM)

Quartier Peyrolles Command post at the Bois du Villar, 95th Alpine Cavalry Battalion (95e Bataillon des Chasseurs Alpins (BCA)) Fort de l'Olive, pre-1914 fort near the Col de Granon at Blockhaus des Acles, at the Col des Acles on the Italian border, pre-1914 Blockhaus de la Cleyda, pre-1914 Blockhaus de Lenlon, pre-1914 Avant-poste de Plampinet, single gallery, incomplete (MOM)

Sub-sector Haute Durance-Cerveyrette 72nd Alpine Fortress Battalion (72e Bataillon Alpin de Forteresse (BAF)), Lt. Colonel Brasset, in charge of the defense of Briançon, command post at Randouillet.

Quartier Vachette-Janus Command post at La Lame, 91st Alpine Cavalry Battalion (91e Bataillon des Chasseurs Alpins (BCA)) Ouvrage Janus, gros ouvrage of seven combat blocks and an entrance (CORF) Avant-poste du Chenaillet, incomplete gallery system (MOM) Fort du Randouillet, pre-1914 Fort des Trois-Têtes, pre-1914 Fort de la Croix-de-Bretagne, Séré de Rivières system Fort de l'Infernet, Séré de Rivières system Barrage du Pont-de-la-Vachette, anti-tank barrier Barrage de Montgenèvre (Clot Enjaime), anti-tank barrier (CORF) Observatiore/Batterie de la Croix-de-Toulouse, observation post reporting to Janus, with a prepared location for an artillery battery Abri de la Lame, abri-caverne, command post Blockhaus de la Grand-Maye Blockhaus de la Lausette, pre-1914 Ouvrage la Vachette was started 20 March 1940, no substantial progress made before war broke out. A stop line of about 25 smaller fortifications was constructed in the area. These fortifications have been cleaned up and may be visited.

Quartier Gondran-Aittes Command post at La Seyte, elements of the 72nd BAF Ouvrage Gondran (Gondran E, Godran Est), petit ouvrage of five blocks (CORF) Ouvrage Les Aittes, petit ouvrage of four blocks (CORF) Gondran C, old fort Gondran D, old fort

Barracks for peacetime: Casernement de Briançon Casernement du Fort du Randouillet Casernement du Fort des Têtes Baraquement du Col du Granon Baraquement de Clôt-Enjaime

A number of concrete emplacements were built by the Main d'Oeuvre Militaire (MOM) in the quarter.

Vallée du Queyras region The Queyras valley was commanded by Lt. Colonel Bonnet of the 45th DBCA, with a command post at Guillestre, and a forward command post at Villargaudin.

Sub-sector Guil 45th Alpine Cavalry Demi-Brigade (45e Demi-Brigade des Chasseurs Alpins (DBCA)), Lt. Colonel Martin, command post at the Villargaudin.

Quartier Péas No fixed positions, 107th Alpine Cavalry Battalion (107e Bataillon des Chasseurs Alpins (BCA)), command post at Fort Queyras.

Quartier Queyras No fixed positions, 87th Alpine Cavalry Battalion (87e Bataillon des Chasseurs Alpins (BCA)) and elements of the 92nd BAF, command post at La Motte Tremblante. Pont-du-Roi, anti-tank barricade

Quartier Sommet-Bucher Five small avants postes, manned by the 1st and 3rd companies of the 92nd BAF and a company of the 87th BCA., command post at Sommet-Bucher.

Quartier Ceillac 102nd Alpine Fortress Battalion (102e Bataillon Alpin de Forterresse (BAF)), command post at the Col de Bramousse.

A number of concrete emplacements were built by the MOM in the quarter.

Vallée de l'Ubaye district Colonel Dessaux, command post at either Jausiers or Batterie XII at Tournoux.

Sub-sector /Ubaye-Ubayette 83rd Alpine Fortress Battalion (83e Bataillon Alpin de Forterresse (BAF)), command post at the Fort Moyen at Tournoux.

Quartier Saint-Paul Command post at Grande=Serrenne Ouvrage Plate Lombard (PL), petit ouvrage of four blocks (MOM)

Quartier Meyronnes

Ouvrage Saint Ours Haut (SOH), petit ouvrage of five blocks (CORF) Ouvrage Nord-Est de Saint-Ours (NESO), petit ouvrage of two blocks (CORF) Ouvrage Nord-Ouest de Fontvive (NOF), petit ouvrage of two blocks (CORF) Ouvrage Saint Ours Bas (SOB), petit ouvrage, single block (CORF) Ouvrage Roche-la-Croix (RLC), gros ouvrage of five blocks built into a pre-1914 fort (CORF) Ouvrage Ancien Camp (AC), petit ouvrage or abri passif of two blocks (MOM) Fort de Tournoux, an elaborate series of pre-1914 fortifications Batterie XII at valley level with four casemates Fort Grouchy at an intermediate level Fort Supérieure on the heights Batterie du Claus des Caures Batterie du Vallon Claous Fortin de Serre de Laut, anti-aircraft battery Fort de Viraysse, pre-1914 at Avant-post de Larche (L), of six blocks (MOM) Batterie du Roche-la-Croix Supérieure, pre-1914 artillery battery Observatoire de la Duyère, series of observation points Observatoire des Challances, observation point Observatoire de Serre-la-Plate (SLP), two-block observation post (MOM) Abri Nord-Est de Saint-Ours (NESO) Barrage du Cimitière de Larche Blockhaus du Colombier MOM Rocher

Sub-sector Jausiers 157th Alpine Fortress Demi-Brigade (157e Demi-Brigade Alpin de Forteresse (DBAF)) and 73rd BAF

Quartier Sagnes First company of the 73rd BAF. Ouvrage des Sagnes was proposed but not built.

Quartier Restefond Second company of the 73rd BAF. Ouvrage Col de Restefond (RD), petit ouvrage of three blocks (CORF) Ouvrage Restefond (RE), gros ouvrage of six blocks (CORF) Ouvrage Granges Communes (GC), petit ouvrage of two blocks (CORF) Avant-poste des Fourches (FO), six blocks watching the Col des Fourches (MOM)

Quartier Rougna

Ouvrage La Moutière (MO), petit ouvrage of four blocks (CORF) Abri de la Moutière with four entries (MOM) Avant-poste du Pra (LP), five blocks to watch the Pra valley (MOM) Casernement de Jausiers Casernement de Barcelonette Casernement de Restefond Baraquement de Viraysse Baraquement des Fourches

Additionally, 36 concrete shelters were built by MOM in 1939 in the area.

History