Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The fort of the Faron Cross is a military structure located at the eastern summit of Mount Faron in Toulon, Var department. This site, marked by a cross for a long time, was occupied in 1707 by the Anglo-Savoyard troops of Duke Victor-Amédée II during their offensive against Toulon. Despite its strategic potential, no major fortification was built there at the time, due to its difficult access and remoteness, making artillery transport impractical.

The initial fortification project was developed between 1763 and 1768 by Nicolas-François Milet de Monville, director of the fortifications of Provence. He predicted a dread at the Croix-Faron, designed with the help of sub-brigadier Louis d'Aguiillon. The work, more basic than that of nearby Fort Faron, was limited to a dry stone enclosure, as confirmed by later memoirs, including that of the chief engineer of Toulon in 1841.

The masonries of the fort, made between 1872 and 1875, mainly use white limestone and squared stone. The interior walls are covered with a hydraulic lime coating, while the facades of the casemates and the entrance building incorporate bricks. These materials reflect the military construction techniques of the time, adapted to the topographical constraints of Mount Faron.

The site, although less known than Fort Faron, illustrates the evolution of defensive strategies in Toulon, between the 18th century, marked by European conflicts, and the late 19th century, a period of modernization of coastal fortifications. His story remains partially documented, relying on fragmentary sources and later testimonies.

External links