Didn’t someone say, “A fort is only as strong as the stories it holds?” The Fort de Nogent stands before us. It is a key part of Paris’s fortifications. But it’s not in Nogent-sur-Marne. It’s in Fontenay-sous-Bois. This naming quirk comes from the tradition of naming forts after the city they defend.
Construction of the Fort de Nogent occurred between 1841 and 1848. It was part of a series of sixteen forts. They were built to protect Paris. This was according to the instructions of Adolphe Thiers. Guillaume Dode de la Brunerie oversaw the construction.
The Fort de Nogent features a bastion rampart. It measures 200 meters per side. Its design drew inspiration from Vauban. The main entrance faces Boulevard du 25-août-1944. Another entrance exists on Boulevard de Strasbourg.
During the Siege of Paris in 1870, Commandant Pistoulet commanded the fort. Chef d’escadron David led the artillery. Chef de bataillon Revin commanded the engineering corps. Médecin Major de la Marine Aude was in charge of medical services.
The infantry consisted of men from the 31st, 61st, and 77th line companies. There were also soldiers from the 11th battalion. Two companies from the 13th battalion of the Seine mobiles joined them. In total, this force comprised 1,704 men and 38 officers.
The fort’s artillery included various cannons and mortars. These ranged from 24-pounder rifled cannons to 27-pounder mortars. The fort possessed hundreds of thousands of cartridges. In 1870 breakthrough attempts occurred. French troops sought to break the encirclement at Champigny-sur-Marne and nearby areas. These efforts failed. Prussian cannons bombarded the Fort de Nogent. The fort was not well-equipped to withstand heavy shelling. The barracks became untenable. The Fort de Nogent did not fall. It was handed over to the Prussians upon the city’s surrender.
In 1944, fierce battles took place here. Soldiers of the Feldgendarmerie occupied the fort. Members of the Resistance fought them. The occupiers were driven out. However, 30 Fontenaysians died in the fighting. Before leaving, the Germans bombed the freight station.
For a few months in 1958, the Fort de Nogent housed Algerians. They were sought by the FLN. They had chosen to side with France. Following the Algerian War, the fort became an internment center. In 1961, nearly 200 officers involved in a failed coup. They were placed under “fortress arrest.” They awaited trial or reassignment. Their internment lasted almost two months.
From the winter of 2009-2010 to the winter of 2014-2015. The fort housed an emergency shelter. It was run by the Salvation Army. It operated from early December to late March. In 2015, the army reclaimed the 160 shelter spaces. They housed soldiers mobilized for the Vigipirate plan.
Today, the Groupement du Recrutement de la Légion Étrangère occupies the fort. The French Foreign Legion uses it as a recruitment center.
The Fort de Nogent stands as a testament to Paris’s defenses. It has witnessed sieges, battles, and periods of refuge. It now serves as a gateway. Men and women seek to join the ranks of the French Foreign Legion. Its walls echo with stories of conflict and service. It stands as a monument to French military history.