Fort du Scex

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Fort du Scex

The Fort du Scex is a Swiss military fortress built into the Scex cliff near Saint-Maurice in Valais. It is part of Fortress Saint-Maurice, one of Switzerland’s main fortified regions in the National Redoubt. Construction began in 1911 to guard the Rhône valley and to support nearby forts Savatan and Dailly on the right bank of the river. The fort, together with Fort de Cindey, forms a rock-encased complex high above the valley.

Description
The fort sits about 10 meters from the rock face and runs along a mined gallery with side passages to observation posts and artillery positions. Inside, galleries lead to troop quarters, a command post, ammunition magazines, and utility areas. In 1935–36 a tunnel connected the Scex fort to the Grotte aux Fées, and in 1938–39 the Ermitage battery of four 75 mm guns was added, along with improved living quarters and a new gallery about 25 meters from the cliff.

Armament and role
Originally the Galerie du Scex housed four 75 mm guns (Canon 7.5 cm L/30 1903/18 Krupp-Giovanola) in double casemates, with a range of about 11 kilometers to the east. Four machine guns were placed in a caponier to sweep the cliff. The fort was expanded in the 1910s and 1930s, adding the Ermitage battery. Later, the artillery was removed; one gun was rebuilt in 2001 for display.

Deactivation and visiting
The artillery was deactivated in 1984, and the fort was converted to a command post before being fully deactivated in 1995. Supplies were originally brought in by a cableway built in 1922. Today, Fort du Scex is open to the public for summer tours, together with Fort de Cindey and the Grotte aux Fées.

Significance
Fort du Scex was the first Swiss example of a rock-face flanking battery and served as a model for similar fortifications in the Ticino canton and beyond. It sits in western Switzerland, near Saint-Maurice, with coordinates about 46.2139°N, 6.99601°E.

Visiting information
Public tours run in the summer months. The site is part of the Fortress Saint-Maurice complex and is commonly visited with nearby Fort de Cindey and the Grotte aux Fées.