Fort de Manonviller

Located between Lunéville and Blâmont, some forty kilometers from Nancy, Fort de Manonviller is a stronghold that played a key role in halting the German advance during WW1. Without this resistance, the Germans could easily have swept through the Charmes Gap and crossed the Marne into Paris without having to fight.

It is one of the most powerful of the Séré de Rivières system. Thanks to the hard work of its volunteers, the site offers a fascinating tour of its various rooms. You'll discover its many facets and experience the fighting from the inside, thanks to authentic objects and archive documents.
Far from being abandoned, the Fort has been recognized as an LPO refuge and is set in a Natura 2000 listed area. Guided tours are available from April to October on the 4th Sunday, and every day on request (for groups of 8 or more) by calling 06 22 37 73 02 or 06 88 07 22 94.

Fort de Manonviller is a completely isolated stop fort, located around 40 km from the Moselle line and the Charmes gap that stretches from the fort of Pont Saint Vincent to the stronghold of Epinal. It is built on a narrow ridge 318 meters above sea level near the village of Manonviller, 12 km as the crow flies from the Igney-Avricourt border station and the same distance from Lunéville. Its main role was to block the Strasbourg-Nancy railroad line, forcing the enemy to make a very long diversion (45 km long) via the Marne-Rhine canal, from Réchicourt to Dombasle. It also blocked the Paris-Strasbourg Route Nationale 4, the Saint Dié-Lunéville railway line and the various roads between the Parroy forest to the north and the Mondon forest to the south. It also had to support field troops fighting in the area. A mine in the bridge piers at Marainviller completed the ban on the railroad.

Its location close to the border and its isolation soon led to controversy whenever there was talk of improving the structure, yet shortly after its construction (1879 - 1882), it received the unusual expense of installing 2 Mougin model 1876 turrets, and after the torpedo shell crisis became one of the most modernized structures.

DATAtourisme France