Ouvrage de Saint-Gobain
Alpine Maginot Line works in the Maurienne, restored by an association: 250-metre galleries, barracks and technical rooms, open for free visits.
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About the museum
Construction of Fort Saint-Gobain began in 1933, in the first wave of Maginot Line works. It is part of a defence system protecting the railway and the Maurienne national road, together with another works, Fort Saint-Antoine. Its name comes from the site where a Saint-Gobain group factory once stood.
After the drawbridge, the sliding armoured door and the pressurisation airlock, you enter a 250-metre main gallery with a railway on which hand-pushed wagons ran. This gallery leads to technical rooms and living quarters: ventilation plant, generators, kitchen and dormitories.
The crew numbered 5 officers and 149 non-commissioned officers and men, largely from the 71st Alpine Fortress Battalion. Men worked in three shifts, so there were only two beds for every three people. The fort had technical features advanced for its time, such as heating and a ventilation system that filtered the air.
The fort now belongs to the Musée de la Traversée des Alpes association, founded in 1989, which restored it with its members and opens it to the public as a fortification museum. The association also manages Fort du Replaton and the monumental entrance to the Mont Cenis railway tunnel. Night visits and demonstrations are offered in summer and during the European Heritage Days.
Highlights
- 250-metre main gallery with railway for wagons
- Drawbridge, armoured door and pressurisation airlock
- Dormitories, kitchen and original ventilation plant
- Outdoor route around the combat blocks
- Orientation table and picnic area
Permanent exhibition
- Visite du fort Saint-Gobain – Self-guided route through the galleries, dormitories, kitchen and ventilation plant of the Maginot works, with an outdoor route around the blocks.
- Founded
- 1991
- Operated by
- Association du Musée de la Traversée des Alpes (MTA)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 9 · €5 for children aged 10 to 15; free for children under 10. |
| Groups (15+ people) | €6 per personPrice per adult for groups of 15 or more; booking recommended. |
| Children’s group (30 children) | €100Package per group |
Tickets are sold in the association’s online shop.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Visits to the fort are limited for people with reduced mobility and for pushchairs. Toilets on site are free.
Kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 9 |
- Stroller-friendly: not available
Visits to the fort are limited for pushchairs.
Getting there & parking
By car
Free parking
Free parking on site.
The fort lies between Modane and Le Bourget, in the commune of Villarodin-Bourget.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Souvenir and book shop, picnic area, orientation table and free toilets.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | Visits are self-guided, with explanatory panels in French, Italian and English. Allow about one hour for the interior and 20 minutes for the outdoor route. The interior temperature is about 12 °C, so warm clothing is advised. Backpacks, large handbags and animals are not allowed in the fort. |
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