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Origin and history

The Marie-Thérèse dread is part of the Esseillon barrier, a set of five fortifications built between 1819 and 1834 on the communes of Aussois and Avrieux in Savoy. These forts, financed by the French compensations after the Vienna Congress of 1815, were intended to defend the Kingdom of Sardinia against a possible French invasion. They protected access to the Mont-Cenis pass, a strategic point towards Piedmont.

The Marie-Thérèse dread, located on the left bank of the Arc, is isolated and accessible by the Diable Bridge or the departmental road 1006. It housed houses and artillery stores. Unlike the other forts, it was never destroyed after the annexation of Savoy by France in 1860. It has been a historic monument since December 30, 1991 and now houses a centre for the interpretation of fortified works.

Designed according to Montalembert's model, these forts protected each other by crossfire. Although they never had a fight, they were partially reused during World War II, including as a prisoner camp in 1943. After being abandoned by the army in 1967, voluntary associations began their restoration in the 1970s.

The Marie-Thérèse dread, in the form of horseshoe, is now a tourist and cultural place. It offers exhibitions and a guard corps connected by an underground. Its historical role, linked to the defense of the Sardinian kingdom, makes it a unique architectural testimony of this period.

English painter William Turner represented these fortifications in an 1830s watercolour, illustrating their strategic importance and integration into the mountainous landscape. These works, inspired by engravings of the time, show the forts as key elements of the Savoyard landscape.

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