Guided tour: «Le Fort Saint-André dans la tourmente 1939-1945»

At Fort Saint-André in Villeneuve-lez-Avignon, the guided tour «Le Fort Saint-André dans la tourmente 1939-1945» is led by Sapper Joly of the 7th Engineers, dressed in uniform, who brings the Second World War back to life.

Sapper Joly describes the daily routine and duties of the civilians and soldiers who passed through the fort during the conflict. Visitors step into a sapper’s boots and handle the tools of these soldiers, who were given highly specific tasks. They also act as a lookout for the Défense Passive (civil air defence), keeping the people of Villeneuve safe from danger coming from the skies.

The tour looks at how the monument was used during this “troubled period”, up to the Liberation in 1944. The fort served as a prison, as an air-raid shelter for civilians, and as an anti-aircraft firing platform for the German military air force. The sapper also shows the equipment and uniforms of the time, and everyone can pick them up. The outing suits families and groups of friends alike. Admission is €7, and the tour is free for anyone under 26.