Studies and declaration of public utility 1873-1874 (≈ 1874)
DUP of April 16, 1874 for four forts.
1875-1879
Initial construction
Initial construction 1875-1879 (≈ 1877)
Work entrusted to Morel.
1885
Urgent modernization
Urgent modernization 1885 (≈ 1885)
Adaptation to melinite shells.
1888 et 1890
Concrete reinforcements
Concrete reinforcements 1888 et 1890 (≈ 1890)
Addition of barracks and leatherwork.
1912-1914
155 mm battery unfinished
155 mm battery unfinished 1912-1914 (≈ 1913)
Works interrupted by war.
1973
Site classification
Site classification 1973 (≈ 1973)
Registered site (21 hectares).
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Entreprise Morel - Principal constructor
Director of Works (1875-1879).
Origin and history
Villey-le-Sec Fort is a 19th-century military structure built into the Séré de Rivières system, designed after the French defeat of 1871. Located in Villey-le-Sec en Meurthe-et-Moselle, it is the only example of a fortified enclosure surrounding an existing village, preserved as far away from World War I fighting. Its construction, decided in 1874, aimed to lock the south-east access of Toul, within the framework of the cut-off camp protecting the Meuse Highs.
Built between 1875 and 1879 by Morel, the fort extends over 40,000 m2 and was modernized in 1888 and between 1903 and 1914. The evolution of the shells (melinite) in 1885 made its stone walls obsolete, requiring reinforcements in concrete and metal. Four special concrete barracks were added in 1890, and a 155 mm battled battery with turrets was started in 1912, but was not completed before the war.
During World War I, the fort, although close to the stabilized front in 1914 (St.Mihiel–Nancy sector), was not damaged. The population was evacuated, leaving only the garrison. After 1918, he lost his strategic interest with the connection of Alsace-Moselle. During World War II, the Germans recovered its metal elements.
Today, the fort is classified site registered since 1973 and managed by the association La Citadelle, which organizes visits from May to September. Its 20 hectares are maintained by highland cattle. The reduced, the southern battery (example of initial stone architecture), and the Bois-sous-Roche powder shop (now a natural reserve for bats) illustrate its technical evolution.
The fort also included ancillary works: Chaudeney's dread (1889), batteries scattered on the plateau, and a Péchot railway (0.6 m track) for refuelling. This partially reconstituted network is now used for tourist visits. The whole reflects 40 years of military innovation, from 1875 to the beginnings of the Great War.
