The Pré-Giroud artillery fort in Vallorbe was built and used during the Second World War.
Carved out of the rock, it is now part of our military heritage.
Built between 1937 and 1939, the Pré-Giroud military fort in Vallorbe was designed to prevent foreign armies from crossing the Col de Jougne and to support the defence of the Franco-Swiss border during the Second World War.
This stopping artillery fort, dug into the rock, consists of 6 blockhouses with one casemate, linked by a network of galleries serving ammunition shops, an engine room and a barracks. It was occupied by 125 men.
Outside, three independent works, built in 1941, are surrounded by a double row of barbed wire and minefields.
Bought by the commune of Vallorbe in 1988, the Pré-Giroud fort is managed by a Foundation. It gives an idea of the living conditions of the soldiers, but also of its weapons from a bygone era.
The view of the Col de Jougne from the fort's esplanade above Vallorbe is breathtaking and magnificent. It's easy to appreciate the strategic importance of such a place.
