2 points of interest

• 

  

  History and historical trail

  Redoute des Trois Communes

  La Redoute des Trois Communes is a French fort which was built in 1898, in the Authion mountain chain under the command of Général Séré de Rivières.

  In the 1870s, relations between France and Italy were conflictual. When the Comté de Nice became part of France (24th March 1860), it made Authion even more important as it had become a border chain, the keystone of defending the Maritime Alps. Huge fortification works began to make any possibility of the Italians breaking through impossible. Access to the chain was facilitated by several strategic roads being opened, leading to La Redoute des Trois Communes (1898) and to the forts of La Forca (1883-1890) and Mille Fourches (1883-1890).

• 

  

  History and historical trail

  12th April 1945

  L’Authion falls. At 1330 hours, the Fort of La Forca, attacked from Les Mille Fourches is taken with no losses. At 1900 hours the surrounded Fort of Plan Caval surrendered.
  La Redoute de la Pointe des Trois Communes remains to be taken: “Barely had the order been given to attack when a tank of naval fusiliers breaks ranks with the others and heads alone and with no infantry towards La Redoute... on its own initiative”. It “slowly climbed up along the hairpin bends. It stopped in front of the drawbridge. A white flag emerged from an arrow slit”.
  At 2030 hours, “the conquest of thus came to an end with the bizarre sight of a tank driven by naval fusiliers taking a stronghold at the top of a mountain at 2000m altitude!” (General Y. Gras).
  In the Escarène cemetery, a mausoleum was built in memory of the soldiers who fell during the conquest of the fortress of L'Authion.