The Grand Saint-Antoine fort is located in the commune of Toulon, in the Var department.
It was built from 1845 to plans by Captain Noël. It then integrates a network of fortifications established on Mount Faron intended to protect the city and its harbor against possible foreign incursions, succeeding only the sites formerly fortified by Vauban (protecting the arsenal).
Located on the “western” foothills of the mountain, the primary purpose of the fort is to control the outlet of the Dardennes valley. It thus prevents Mont Faron from being “bypassed”…
Built with materials extracted from the local underground, accessible via a drawbridge and an arched passage framed by two guardhouses, the The building is protected from the plunging views of the summit of Faron by a 10 m curtain wall. To the east, this curtain wall is pierced with rifle slots.
The general layout is pentagonal and the artillery occupies an earthen mound in the center of the fort. The barracks could accommodate 150 men, and the complex included stores, a cistern (collecting rainwater) and a powder magazine.
Long owned by the State, the fort until recently housed Navy archives. Now listed in the Inventory, it was sold to a businessman and could eventually be opened to the public.
For now, it is possible to observe it from the outside during a discovery (on foot or by car) of Mount Faron and to enjoy, from its surroundings, a breathtaking view of the city and the harbor of Toulon.
Information on +33 4 94 18 53 00.
