FORT DU ROULON

Bastion of the stronghold of Épinal, designed by General Séré de Rivières, it guards at 445 m altitude, the southern accesses of the defense system installed after the 1870 war. Built in masonry from 1879 to 1881, it is the only one to have a two-story barracks and its internal defense system with a double caponier is particularly well preserved. It is now privately owned. After the war of 1870 and the amputation of a part of the North-East of its territory, France had to rethink its defense with new fortifications based on the Toul-Epinal-Belfort line. The entrenched camp of Epinal with its 15 "detached" forts was thus created between 1878 and 1886. Those of Girancourt and Roulon were the guardians facing south. Nearly 400 defenders could be garrisoned there. The change of strategy in favor of the offensive to the detriment of a "static" defense system and the progress of artillery with the high explosive lead France in 1886 to the obligation to concrete the forts to maintain their possible usefulness. Although envisaged, the modernization of the Fort du Roulon was not realized. During the 1914-1918 war, it was even disarmed like many others and was only used as a training site and equipment depot until its alienation in 1969. It then became private property. It has never been bombed - it is too far from the front during the First World War and it was not armed during the German attack of June 18, 1940 coming from Bains to Epinal - it has kept its original character and is particularly well maintained by the current owner who built his house there in 1991. The fort of Roulon is a private property, its visit is thus subjected to the authorization of its owner.