Casemate 76

Patrimoine Militaire:

François Dallemagne and Jean Mouly. HB, 326pp. 6 maps, 388 colour and 6 b/w photographs. French text. ISBN 2.86656.293.2. €46.00. Published by Editions SCALA (Ministre de la Défence, République Française, 2002.)

This is a considerable book, full of excellent photographs. There are two contents pages, confusing as they lack page numbers, listing a wide cross section of places fortes which include Brest, Cherbourg, Simserhof, Besançon and Saint-Tropez (citadel), among very many others. The first chapter (unnumbered) is entitled Un Patrimoine Occulté (secret). The first, unnamed, photograph sets the tone; subjects are unidentified and undated, as are maps which are also old. With a reasonable command of French however, it is usually possible to overcome all this. Chapter 1 looks at the symbolism of power by focusing on the symbolic decoration of military buildings and Chapter 2 deals with the defence of territory, divided into three parts, the marches, the mountains and the seaports. Again there are many photographs, some of poor quality.
There are four more chapters, more outstanding illustrations, and the occasional plan of a place forte.
A short bibliography is followed by 65 further sites, listed by region with a map and brief details. There are also a brief but useful glossary and a chronology running from pre-Roman Gaul to the Nuclear Age.

What is this book for? With its fine collection of sites across the whole range of French military architecture, it is an evocation of our fascination with forts. Wonderful to peruse during the off-season, it is an incitement to make plans to go and see them in La Belle France.

Keith Phillips.