THE GREAT GARRISON TOWNS OF FRANCE
Paris, as capital of the Republic, first merits consideration among
the great garrison towns of France. It has the most extensive system
of fortifications in the world, and has had the doubtful privilege
of having undergone more sieges, burnings, and other military
experiments than most large cities can boast or mourn. The inner
line of fortifications was planned as far back as 1840, with a total
measurement of 22-1/2 miles, but after the war of 1870 two main
lines of detached forts were erected in addition to those already in
existence, which formed the skeleton on which the more modern plan
is built. The older forts are those of St. Denis, Aubervilliers,
Romainville, Noisy, Resny, Nogent, Vincennes, Ivry, Bicêtre, Montrouge,
Vanves, Issy, and Mont Valérien; the new forts which completed the
scheme are those of Palaiseau, Villeras, Buc, and St. Cyr, which form
the Versailles portion of the scheme, and Marly, St. Jamme, and
Aidremont, round St. Germain. On the opposite side of the Seine are
situated forts Cormeillers, Domont, Montlignon, Montmorency, Écouen,
Stains, Vaujours, Villiers, and Villeneuve St. Georges. The Chatillon
fort occupies a position between the two lines, and is placed on the
site whence German batteries bombarded Paris during the siege of
1871, forming a proof of the wisdom displayed in the German choice
of position. The double line of forts thus disposed renders Paris as
nearly impregnable to the attack of an enemy as is possible under
modern military conditions.
The total number of troops garrisoned in Paris in normal times is
about 25,000, and there are also about 4500 _gendarmerie_. Paris in
itself ranks as a separate military district of the Republic, and
is noteworthy as being the head-quarters of the Republican Guard,
practically the only body of picked men in the French military system,
and analogous with the Guards' Brigade of the British Army.
Amiens, the head-quarters of the 2nd Army Corps, is a city of nearly
100,000 inhabitants, containing a cathedral which is generally
considered the finest existing example of Gothic architecture. Situated
eighty-one miles north of Paris, it is one of the principal points of
concentration for troops in the vicinity of the northern frontier, and
forms head-quarters for the departments of Aisne, Oise, Somme, and
parts of Seine-et-Oise and Seine. Although head-quarters of an Army
Corps, Amiens does not rank among the principal fortified posts of
France.
Besançon, situated 243 miles south-east of Paris, ranks as a
first-class fortress, and is the head-quarters of the 7th Army Corps.
It is the centre of military administration for the departments of Ain,
Doubs, Haute-Marne, Haute-Saône, Jura, Belfort, and part of Rhône. It
is an ancient town containing Roman remains dating from the second
century of the Christian era, including an amphitheatre and triumphal
arch. Situated on the main line of rail from Dijon to Belfort, Besançon
is one of the centres of mobilisation for the defence of the eastern
frontier, and it is from this point that a good many of the first
line of troops were drafted to the area of recent conflict in Alsace
and Lorraine. In itself Besançon is a quiet and pleasant city on a
peninsula stretching out from the left bank of the river Doubs, and it
has a reputation as the principal watch-making centre of France.
Bordeaux, the metropolis of south-western France, is 360 miles distant
from Paris by rail, and forms the head-quarters of the 18th Army Corps.
As one of the finest cities of France, and a coastal town, it is a
popular station among the troops, and serves as head-quarters for the
departments of Charente-Inférieure, Gironde, Landes, Basses-Pyrénées,
and Hautes-Pyrénées. The military history of Bordeaux dates back
to very ancient times, for it was sacked successively by Vandals,
Visigoths, Franks, and Norsemen, and attained to a period of peace
only at the middle of the twelfth century. As centre of one of the
principal wine-growing districts of France, it is as near climatic
perfection as the conscript can expect to get, though those who serve
in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées undergo more rigorous conditions
of weather. In addition to being a port of departure for trans-Atlantic
traffic, Bordeaux is a popular pleasure resort, and thus plenty of
amusements are within reach of the troops serving at head-quarters.
Bourges, the head-quarters of the 8th Army Corps, is one of the
principal military stations of France, although not in itself a town of
very great importance. Its training establishments rank very highly in
the military life of the nation, including as they do a national cannon
foundry, very extensive engineering works, and schools of artillery and
pyrotechnics for the training of officers. Bourges is head-quarters
for the departments of Cher, Côte-d'Or, Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire, and
part of the department of Rhône. It is one of the chief arsenals of
the Republic, and occupies a position near the geographical centre
of France. The town dates back to Roman time, and had the doubtful
distinction of being destroyed by Julius Cæsar, at about the time of
his invasion of Britain.
Châlons-sur-Marne has been a centre of conflict in most of the wars in
which France has been engaged from very early times. It was destroyed
by the Vandals, by Attila and his ruthless Huns, and by the Burgundians
in mediæval times, and is situated on a plain which has always been
considered an ideal battlefield, and has served that purpose throughout
the centuries up to the present day. It is the head-quarters of the
6th Army Corps, and is the military centre for the departments of
Ardennes, Aubes, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Marne, Meuse, and Vosges. It is
107 miles east of Paris by rail, and is one of the principal brewing
centres of France, the wine trade in which it used to be engaged having
gone northward to Rheims. In the scheme under which the French Army
is constituted, Châlons is one of the centres for early mobilisation
of troops of the first line with a view to the defence of the
north-eastern frontier.
Clermont-Ferrand is head-quarters for the departments of Loire,
Haute-Loire, Allier, Cantal, Puy-de-Dôme, and part of the department
of Rhône. It is the head-quarters of the 13th Army Corps, and is a town
of about 55,000 inhabitants, situated 260 miles directly south of Paris
by rail. It may be regarded as one of the first centres of systematic
mobilisation of which France affords historical record, for at the end
of the eleventh century Peter the Hermit preached the first Crusade in
the church of Notre Dame at Clermont-Ferrand.
Grenoble, dominated by Mont Rachais, a hill rising nearly 3500
feet above sea-level, ranks as a first-class fortress, and is the
military centre for the departments of Hautes-Alpes, Drôme, Isère,
Savoie, Haute-Savoie, and part of the department of Rhône. It is the
head-quarters of the 14th Army Corps, and is one of the most beautiful
of French cities. In consequence of this it is a well patronised
tourist centre, and as such is a popular station among the conscripts.
Le Mans, the military centre for the departments of Eure-et-Loire,
Orne, Mayenne, Sarthe, and parts of the departments of Seine-et-Rise
and Seine, is situated 131 miles W.S.W. from Paris by rail, and
has historical associations with Richard Coeur de Lion and Henry
II of England, having been the birthplace of the latter. It is the
head-quarters of the 4th Array Corps, and has a population of about
65,000, including the garrison of about 5500. It was a walled city
of the Roman Empire in the third century, and has undergone sieges
by the dozen from mediæval times onward. It was one of the centres
of conflict in the internecine strife between Bendean and Republican
troops at the time of the Revolution, while in 1870 it was the scene of
a French defeat. Its cathedral contains the tomb of an English queen,
Lion-hearted Richard's consort, and the town is one of great historic
interest.
Lille, the military centre for the departments of Nord and
Pas-de-Calais, is the head-quarters of the 1st Army Corps, and is in
the centre of one of the most thickly populated manufacturing districts
of France. It is situated 153 miles north of Paris, and up to a few
years ago ranked as a first-class fortress town, but, on account of
its great commercial importance, and the manufacturing character
of the district in which it is situated, it was decided that Lille
should be regarded as an open town, and not subject to bombardment.
The nature of the country in which Lille is situated and the density
of population may be judged from the fact that it forms a military
centre for two departments only, instead of for four or five, as in the
case of other head-quarters garrison towns. The old fortifications
of Lille have been converted into boulevards; under the old scheme of
defence the works were so constructed that large areas in the vicinity
of the citadel could be placed under water, in case of attack. As
French cities go, Lille is comparatively modern, dating back only to
A.D. 1030, when Count Baldwin IV walled in the village from which the
present prosperous town of nearly 200,000 inhabitants has sprung.
Limoges, the military centre for the departments of Charente, Corrèze,
Creuse, Dordogne, and Haute-Vienne, is situated about 250 miles S.S.W.
of Paris by rail. It is the head-quarters of the 12th Army Corps, and
even at the time of the Roman conquest was a place of importance,
having contributed 10,000 men to the defence of Alesia against the
Roman invasion. During the Hundred Years' War it sustained alternate
sieges by French and English, and from the time of John of England to
that of the Black Prince it was under threat to fire and sword, to
which the Black Prince gave it up after taking the town by assault.
Remains of a Roman fountain and amphitheatre still exist in the town,
of which the present population is about 85,000.
Marseilles is the military centre for the departments of Basses-Alpes,
Alpes-Maritimes, Corse, Vaucluse, Bouches-du-Rhône, Gard, Var, and
Ardèche. It is the head-quarters of the 15th Army Corps, and is a naval
station as well. It has been a place of commercial importance from
the earliest days, and, situated as it is in one of the healthiest
districts of France, as well as being on the coast, it forms an ideal
military station. In former times it was subject to epidemic diseases
on account of the sub-tropical nature of the climate, but modern
methods of sanitation have neutralised this drawback, and Marseilles is
now as pleasant a place as any that a conscript can hope for in order
to undergo his term of service. It is the principal port of France, and
as such is strongly fortified, but its fortifications belong to the
naval administration of the Republic. Historically, Marseilles dates
back to the year 600 B.C., when the Greeks established a colony here.
It passed to Roman rule at the time of the invasion of Gaul and became
connected with, among other notable Romans, Petronius, the arbiter of
elegance at Nero's court. Throughout the Middle Ages Marseilles enjoyed
a semi-independence, and it has always played a prominent part in the
history of the Mediterranean sea-board.
Montpellier, the head-quarters of the 16th Army Corps, is the military
centre for the departments of Aude, Aveyron, Hérault, Lozère, Tarn,
and Pyrénées-Orientales. It is about 480 miles south of Paris,
and about seven miles distant from the Mediterranean, from which
it is divided by the lagoons of Perols and l'Arnel. The town is of
comparatively late formation as towns go in France, having become a
place of note only in the eighth century. It is a wine and brandy
centre, and is also engaged in silk works, and, owing to its situation,
enjoys a congenial climate. The population is upwards of 80,000.
Nantes, the head-quarters of the 11th Army Corps, is known as the
most populous town of Brittany, and is the military centre for the
departments of Finistère, Loire-Inférieure, Morbihan, and Vendée. It
is situated about 27 miles from the sea and about 250 miles from Paris
by rail. The population is about 140,000, and from an historical point
of view Nantes is one of the most interesting of French cities. Its
name is derived from its having been the chief city of the Nannetes, an
ancient Gallic tribe, and under the Romans the city became one of the
principal centres of Western Gaul, having retained its prominence up
to the present day. It has seen many sieges and assaults, and was the
last city of France to surrender to Henry IV of France, who signed here
the famous edict that gave Protestants equal rights with Catholics for
nearly a hundred years. Many notable Frenchmen owned Nantes as their
birthplace, among them Jules Verne and several famous French generals.
Unto the present day the Bretons of Nantes and the surrounding district
retain their distinct peculiarities of character, forming for France
what East Anglia forms for England, and Norman influence, combined with
Celtic origin, is evident in the people of the country. The Breton,
by the way, makes a fine soldier, having more of doggedness than the
usual Frenchman to combine with the dash and agility of body and mind
characteristic of the Latin races.
Orleans, the head-quarters of the 5th Army Corps, is the military
centre for the departments of Loiret, Loire-et-Cher, Seine-et-Marne,
Yonne, part of Seine-et-Oise and part of Seine. It is situated 75 miles
south-west of Paris by rail, and has a population of about 60,000,
including its garrison. As the capital of a separate kingdom, Orleans
enjoyed great prominence throughout the Middle Ages, and it is always
remembered for its associations with the soldier-maid of France, Jeanne
d'Arc. One of the principal artillery schools of the Army is situated
here. An ancient Celtic centre, the town was renamed in the period of
Roman occupation, and was a flourishing city as early as the fifth
century. It was vainly besieged by Attila and the Huns, taken by
Clovis, and held against the English at the time when Jeanne brought
reinforcements to the garrison and compelled the raising of the siege.
The long wars between Huguenots and Catholics brought more strife to
Orleans, and in the revolutionary period it suffered severely, while
it was occupied by the Prussians both in 1815 and in 1870, numerous
battles being fought in its vicinity during the last-mentioned war. It
is worthy of note that a Duke of Orleans, a member of the old royal
family of France, served in the British Army in the reign of Victoria.
Rennes, the ancient capital of Brittany, is the head-quarters of the
10th Army Corps, and the site of a large arsenal in addition to the
barracks, while it is the military centre for the departments of
Côtes-du-Nord, Manche, and Ille-et-Vilaine. In the early part of the
eighteenth century the town was almost destroyed by fire, a catastrophe
that is not even yet forgotten; while as the birthplace of Boulanger,
who introduced many reforms into the French Army and was largely
responsible for its efficiency in recent years, Rennes is peculiarly
connected with military matters. It may be remembered, by the way, that
the second Dreyfus trial was held here in 1899. The population of the
town is about 75,000, and it is 51 miles south-east of St. Malo and 232
miles west-south-west of Paris. Historically, Rennes was the centre of
several Roman roads which are still recognisable, and in mediæval times
it suffered greatly from the wars between French and English. In the
revolutionary period the Republican Army made Rennes their centre for
the operations against the Vendeans, but it has no later prominence in
connection with military history.
Rouen, 87 miles north-west of Paris by rail, is the head-quarters of
the 3rd Army Corps, is the ancient capital of Normandy, and military
centre for the departments of Calvados, Eure, Seine-Inférieure, and
parts of Seine-et-Oise and of Seine. It has a population of about
120,000, including the garrison, and is a town of narrow, picturesque
streets and of old-world dignity and interest. Here William the
Conqueror died and Jeanne d'Arc was burned--a statue commemorates
the latter event in the town. Although 78 miles from the sea, Rouen
is one of the principal French ports, the bed of the Seine having
been deepened from the sea to the city by an ingenious system of
embankments, which forced the river to deepen its own bed rather than
extend its width--and military labour went far toward the construction
of the embankments.
Toulouse, the head-quarters of the 17th Army Corps, is the military
centre for the departments of Ariege, Haute-Garonne, Gers, Lot,
Lot-et-Garonne, and Tarn-et-Garonne. The town is peculiarly liable to
great floods, and those of 1855, which swept away the suspension bridge
of St. Pierre, and of 1875, which destroyed 7000 houses and drowned
300 people, are still remembered in the city. It is situated 478 miles
south of Paris and 160 miles south-east from Bordeaux, and, with a
population of about 150,000, ranks as the metropolis of Southern France.
Tours, the head-quarters of the 9th Army Corps, is situated 145
miles south-west from Paris by rail, and is the military centre for
the departments of Maine-et-Loire, Indre-et-Loire, Deux-Sèvres, and
Vienne. Under the Gauls it was the capital of the Turones, from whom it
derived the name which it still bears, and traces of Roman occupation
still remain in the form of the ancient amphitheatre. After the fall
of Roman power, Tours was fortified against barbarian invasion, and
subsequently it was closely connected with the great names of French
history, notably those of Clovis, who presented rich gifts to the
church at Tours out of the spoils won from Alaric and the Goths, and
with Charlemagne, who disciplined its monasteries. Few towns surpass
Tours in historic interest, and it is noteworthy in modern times, as
the birthplace of Balzac and the two Marshals Boucicaut. In 1870 the
government of the national defence was established at Tours, and the
Third Republic may thus be said to have had its birth here.
No list of the great garrisons of France would be complete without a
reference to Verdun and Toul, the ends of the great chain of fortresses
which defend the eastern frontier. Toul, 14 miles to the west of Nancy,
is the centre of a vast network of entrenchments and defences, and the
hills surrounding the town are crowned with forts which command all the
country within range to the east. A series of forts, echeloning along
the ridge of the Meuse, connect Toul with Verdun, and forms a defensive
line which is only equalled in strength by the defences of Paris, as
far as the French military defensive system is concerned. Verdun, at
the northern end of the line of frontier defences, is surrounded by a
ring of detached forts, eleven in number, and occupying a circumference
of 25 miles. Since the loss of Metz to Germany, Verdun has been so
strengthened as to form the most formidable fortress in France.