The military road to Fort de la Redoute

Fort de la Redoute is a high mountain fort at an elevation of 2.346m (7,696ft) above the sea level, located in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France, near the Italian border.

Set high in the Cottian Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps, the road to the summit is an old military track. It’s totally unpaved and impassable in winters due the snow. It’s a trail only for 4x4 or Enduro. After rain it’s impassable. The Fort was built in 1630 by the House of Savoy (an important European dynasty) and was named 'Fort Traverset'. Following the annexation of Savoy by France in 1860, a new fort was built in 1892 to protect the area from Italian attack. Because of its strategic cross-border position, the fort was the setting for many fierce battles during the Second World War. Access to the fort is actually prohibited because the danger of collapse. The unpaved climb is very ride-able, with stunning views, and some history at the summit.
Pic: Radovan Podmanický

 

• A hairpinned steep road to Parking des Millefonts
• Travel guide to the top of Col des Annes