I've spent the last 30 summers cycling in Switzerland. The Jura Mountain range acts as a natural border between France and Switzerland and I love exploring the area. I think it was second summer that I unexpectedly came upon something really unique so I'm returning for another look.
I was cycling along this back road when I came upon a sign up ahead.
Don't recall the tank being here back then--only the sign. What did "Fort 39-45" mean? I had no idea but headed up the mountain road.
It's a long ride up the road but it brings me here. What are we looking at behind the tent?
It looks like a typical Swiss chalet on a mountain side (actually that huge Swiss flag painted on the structure wasn't there on my first visit).
In reality, that Swiss chalet is a disguise. It's actually a concrete fort (Fort Pre Giroud).
This is the entrance. Upon entering it's 100 feet down a shaft.
When I was here (about 28 years ago) it was around 1PM and a tour group was just about to enter. I was lucky to join the group (tour took an hour and a half--in French). It was a fantastic experience!
It's self-contained inside with an industrial-size kitchen, infirmary, command center etc... with dorms capable of accommodating 125 soldiers. Thankfully I had a coat as it was cold inside (high 50's). The tunnels seem to go for miles.
Summer is over and I knew the place would be closed today but, it's still fun to see the outside again.
Closer look. The windows are all fake.
Opening for machine gun.
It's about 8:30 in the morning and the sun hadn't come up on this side. I was walking around to the back of the structure when I came upon this guy. That back area behind him is fenced in and I was blocking his escape route.
Here's the view from the fort. In the distance you can see more of the Jura Mountains. You can see a gap. That's the Jougne Pass. This isolated artillery fort was built between 1937 and 1939. The Fort Pre Giroud complex was carved into the rock. Why? Switzerland wanted to be prepared to block the pass if any foreign army invaded.
Right below the flags are fake boulders which housed artillery guns.
Some of the artillery.
Another big artillery piece.
Sentry post. Looks like a stand-up metal coffin.
That's a fake barn. A tunnel goes from the fake chalet to the barn. The cow is real.
That's another fake barn connected by tunnel to the fake chalet.
Coming down from the fort you can still see concrete blocks from World War ll. They're shaped like that to prevent tanks from clambering over.
This is the entrance. Upon entering it's 100 feet down a shaft.
Some of the artillery.
Another big artillery piece.
Sentry post. Looks like a stand-up metal coffin.
That's a fake barn. A tunnel goes from the fake chalet to the barn. The cow is real. 
That's another fake barn connected by tunnel to the fake chalet. 
Coming down from the fort you can still see concrete blocks from World War ll. They're shaped like that to prevent tanks from clambering over. 
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