Fort de Montmorency

About

The Fort de Montmorency was built following the Franco-Prussian War to defend Paris. Located to the north of Paris in Montmorency, the fort was part of an outer ring of fortifications built in response to improvements in the range and effectiveness of artillery since the construction of the Thiers fortifications of the 1840s. It was built between 1875 and 1879 in accordance with improved principles of fortification developed for the Séré de Rivières system.

The fort defended its neighbors, the Fort de Domont and the Fort de Montlignon, as well as the town of Saint-Denis. The fort saw no action in the first or second world wars, but its prominent height made it ideal for use as a telecommunications relay station. In 1947 the French Air Force occupied the site, and by 1952 communication cables were installed to link the fort to the national air defense communications system. In 1956 the Fort de Montmorency became the national headquarters for Air Force communications. The fort was designated Base aerienne 285.