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History of the Fort

Before 1870 France’s defences were based on a system of fortifications designed by Vauban. After their defeat at the hands of the Prussians in 1870, the French strengthened their fortifications significantly.
General Séré de Rivières was instructed to establish two lines of defensive fortresses - the first line along the frontiers, the second around the city of Paris.
The Fort de Condé covers an area of 13 hectares on high ground near the Chemin des Dames, between Reims, Laon and Soissons. Construction took from 1877 to 1882.
The Fort de Condé is a fine example of late 19th century military architecture. It was built entirely in dressed stone, in the shape of a pentagon. From the outside it looks like a large grassy mound, covered by 3 metres of turf.
The fort was positioned such that it could bombard the Aisne and Vesle valleys and protect the flank of the Fort de la Malmaison.
The Fort de Condé was designed to house a total of 658 men: 20 officers, 38 non-commissioned officers and 600 men - Infantry, Artillery and Engineers.
Developments in artillery technology meant that the fort was decommissioned in 1912.
During the First World War the fort was used by the Germans as a hospital until the Nivelle offensive in 1917 during which the German troops were forced to abandon it.
On October 23rd 1917 Generals Pershing and Franchet d’Espérey came to the fort to observe fighting on the nearby Chemin des Dames.
The fort was recaptured by the Germans on May 28th 1918 during their May offensive on the Chemin des Dames. It was finally recaptured by the French on August 7th 1918.
In 1927 the decommissioning order of 1912 was renewed.
After this date the bunkers in the Fort de Condé were used to dismantle shells in order to salvage the metal. Over the years the fort became overgrown and its fabric slowly but surely decayed.