Fort Fermont (and Metz)

We arrive in the French city of Metz where it is still coming down in buckets. Before we continue our trip we have some time to explore the city. But first we take a look at the trainstation - made of gray sandstone and completed in 1908. We read in our travelguide that – when the city was still German - to have here 100,000 German soldiers ready in less than 24 hours if necessary.

We decide to walk towards the Saint Etienne cathedral which is world famous. It’s a pity that, most of our walk, we are with our heads down because of the rain. It’s suppose to be a stately classic city where the centre is only accesible for pedestrians. We arrive at the large Place de La Republique where behind the Moselle river flows. We turn right through the narrow streets with merchant houses, mainly built between the 14th and 16th century. And then suddenly we see at a square the most famous building in the city of which the façade alone already is breathtaking.

In my travelguide it says that it ook three centuries to create this masterpiece with all its different styles - turrets, statues and decorations. Especially the stained-glass windows are beautiful and it is a pity that we have so little time to take a better look at it. We quickly walk around the gigantic big cathedral where we also get out of the rain for a while. Back at the trainstation we decide to take the train in the direction of Longuyon where we find a reasonable good wild-camping spot for the night. 

After a night in the forest we walk back the next morning towards Longyon through some rapeseed fields, old farms and a number of offices and companies. When we are in the city itself we look for the information center which is located in an old train carriage. While my travel companion is trying out the automatic toilet outside, I hear from the lady in question that we have to go hitchiking again.

There is no public transport to our destination Fermont. First we decide to do some shopping and then we write Fort Fermont on our new cardboard and walk towards the junction near the bridge. Typical to see how "old-fashioned" and atmospheric France still is; old railway crossings, dilapidated houses and sometimes an old dog lying in his loft.

A little later we are picked up by an older gentleman who likes to drop us in front of the fort, which is not open yet. Fortunately it stopped raining finally and we wait on the corner of the parking lot from the fort. We find there a large round stone table and chairs and here we have lunch and we update our diaries in the hope that the fort will open this afternoon.

Fort Fermont: 

We see in front of us a long corridor with a rail in the concrete under us and we walk into the hallway and after a while we are asked to take place in a little carriage. This one akes us to block 4. If our guide tells us – while we are transfered – that block 4 is the furthest we will go, but that the complex is 6 blocks we understand that the fort is gigantic.

We realize that this means the underground complex is 6 football fields big. When we arrive at block 4 we see three 77mm guns with the monorail that delivered the ammunition. The ammunition used was, by means of a mono-system quickly removed. When we climb up out of the fort we see a hydraulic cannon that could be "retracted", it could turn, had air holes and a periscope. Here we enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful view over the French green fields.

Back inside the fort we take place again in the little train; we visit the actual barracks with its kitchens, sleeping places, eateries, mess, energy supply, air supply, water supply, ammunition storage etc.