Ouvrage Mont Agel
| Ouvrage Mont Agel | |
|---|---|
| Part of Maginot Line, Alpine Line | |
| near Nice | |
 Ouvrage Mont Agel
|
|
| Coordinates | 43°46′16.56″N 7°25′12.29″E / 43.7712667°N 7.4200806°E |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | France |
| Open to the public |
No |
| Condition | Occupied |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1930 |
| Built by | CORF |
| Materials | Concrete, steel, rock excavation |
| Battles/wars | Italian invasion of France, Operation Dragoon |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | French Air Force |
| Ouvrage Mont Agel | |
|---|---|
| Type of work: | Large artillery work (Gros ouvrage) |
|
sector └─sub-sector |
Fortified Sector of the Maritime Alps └─Corniches, Quartier Sainte-Agnès |
| Work number: | EO 11 |
| Regiment: | 58th DBAF, 157th RAP |
| Number of blocks: | 8 |
| Strength: | 7 officers, 194 men |
Ouvrage Mont Agel is a work (gros ouvrage) of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line, also called the Little Maginot Line. The 1930s ouvrage was built in and around the earlier mountaintop Fortress of Mont Agel. The ouvrage forms a backup to the main curtain of Alpine Line forts, and was not initially planned as part of the Alpine Line proper. Its intended function was primarily to provide heavy, long-range artillery support from a location well to the rear of the line. However, the planned 145mm heavy guns were never installed. Its site on Mont Agel, at an altitude of 1,118 metres (3,668 ft), is the highest point in the vcinity of Nice and Menton and commands the entire coastline, as well as the approaches from Sospel to the north. The site is now occupied by Base Aérienne 943 of the French Air Force and functions as an air defense control station.
The ouvrage consists of three entry blocks (including a terminal for an aerial tram) with a guard block, one infantry block, two artillery blocks and one observation block facing Italy. The mountaintop position is unusual in having two 75mm gun turrets: due to restricted fields of fire, most Alpine ouvrages had their guns in casemates. Mont Agel, with its commanding site, could make appropriate use of turreted guns. A 145mm gun turret was planned, but not built.
The Maginot blocks are concentrated in a relatively small area on the west side of the summit plateau, to the north of the Séré de Rivières reduit. They are not used by the French Air Force installation.
The observatory Mont-Gros de Roquebrune 43°45′58″N 7°26′35″E / 43.76611°N 7.44306°E is an observation block intended to spot the fall of shot for Ouvrage Mont Agel. Located near Roquebrune, the post is at a lower altitude and closer to the sea than Mont Agel, and affords a clear view of the coast and sea at times when Mont Agel is in or above the clouds. The post has two blocks: an entry block with a machine gun port and the observation block with one machine gun/observation cloche.
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Wikipedia