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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Meroux building is a military fortification of the Séré de Rivières type, integrated into the fortified Belfort Square. Built between 1906 and 1913, it represents the culmination of French defensive techniques before the First World War. Fully made of reinforced concrete, it was designed to accommodate 425 soldiers and included turrets, battled observatories and cannons.

Located 380 metres above sea level in the commune of Méroux-Moval, the building is located in a 200 x 100 metres rectangle, surrounded by a six-metre cliff wall and a ditch. He completed the local defences alongside the Vézelois Fort and the Fougerais. His armament in 1914 included a 75 mm turret, machine guns and 12 and 37 mm guns.

During World War II, it was probably stripped of its battled equipment. Ranked a historic monument in 1995, it also received the "Twentieth Century Heritage" label in 2004. Today, it reflects the evolution of the French fortifications and their adaptation to the technological advances of the time.

It is owned by the commune of Meroux and is one of the last examples of fortifications designed before the conflict of 1914-1918. Its architecture and history make it a remarkable site for studying the defensive strategies of the Third Republic.

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