Fédération
La Caponnière
Belfort
Our future is now being written in the plural, through ambitious international projects
La Caponnière
40 Years in Business
1985 Creation of the Association
1987 Youth & Sports Accreditation
2010 Federation: for the safeguarding of fortified military heritage
2025 Civic Service Accreditation
New purpose: Aims to raise awareness among public and private legal entities and individuals regarding the protection, preservation, restoration, enhancement, and reuse of fortified heritage for tourism, cultural, and sporting purposes.
To carry out these actions of collective interest: Coordinate studies, initiatives, and activities; identify needs; receive delegation for the preparation of proposals; schedule and monitor interventions; maintain connections between members; and promote exchanges (national/international).
Information and communications:
Promote sites; plan youth workcamps and reintegration programs; host students (internships); conduct research, archiving, document collection, and gather testimonials.
La Caponnière
Aujourd’hui
Nathalie Dufour
Présidente
A team of 12 active members
A board of directors of 35 members
Cooperation of 15 local, regional, and national heritage associations and organizations
634 participating members, including contributing Forts
Partner institutions
Belfort: a strategic territory in European history
To understand La Caponnière, one must go back to the history of Belfort.
After the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, France launched a vast program to defend its eastern borders under the direction of General Séré de Rivières. Belfort then became one of the pillars of the first line of French defense, alongside Verdun, Toul, and Épinal.
Located in the famous "Belfort Gap," a natural passage between the Vosges and Jura mountains, the city constituted a major strategic crossroads for military and economic communications between Northern and Southern Europe.
A vast network of forts, defensive works, and artillery positions was built to protect this strategic corridor.
What is La Caponnière?
La Caponnière is a heritage federation that operates throughout the fortified territory of Belfort.
Its mission is to:
Unite and support local associations; Support the local authorities that own the forts; Coordinate preservation efforts; Promote historical research; Develop cultural and tourist activities around the fortifications; Develop European initiatives; Create events and communications.
It acts as a cooperative network, pooling skills, resources, and heritage projects.
A European dimension
The significance of La Caponnière extends far beyond the local area.
The fortifications of Belfort bear witness to:
The geopolitical tensions that marked Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries
Advances in military engineering
The evolution of European borders
The transformation of former battlegrounds into spaces of culture and cooperation
Today, these sites constitute a shared European heritage, capable of fostering dialogue between nations throughout history.
Why the name "La Caponnière"?
The term "caponier" belongs to the vocabulary of military architecture.
In modern fortifications, a caponier is a structure built within the ditches of a fort to allow for the defense of the surrounding area by flanking fire. These structures were an essential element of 19th-century fortifications and the Séré de Rivières system.
The choice of this name therefore perfectly symbolizes the association's mission: to protect and promote the heritage of French fortifications.
The actions of La Caponnière
The federation's activities are organized around several key areas:
Conservation:
restoration of military structures;
site maintenance;
protection of built heritage.
Historical research:
collection of archives;
documentation of structures;
studies on the defensive system of Belfort.
Events for the Forts
The actions of La Caponnière
Cultural mediation
Guided tours
Conferences
Exhibitions
Commemorative events
Transmission
The federation also carries out important educational work with younger generations to pass on the memory of conflicts and the history of European integration.
Apprenticeships
Hosting civic service volunteers
Collaboration with E2C (second chance school)
Our Educational Activities for Children
Each school year:
Interventions in primary schools, from CP (first grade) to CM2 (fifth grade)
Approximately 240 students per school
For membership in their own heritage
Program :
With a physical presentation on June 16th.Inter-class student presentations.
Partnership with the IUT – “Student Bonus” Program
Welcoming student volunteers as part of an initiative to promote community involvement
Approximately 40 days of activities will be offered to raise awareness of heritage among young people and involve them in the Federation's activities
Ongoing Projects Students/University
September 2026 UTBM Belfort School of Engineering
University of Technology of Belfort-Montbéliard
Project already defined with the teaching staff on May 19th
To enter the engineering curriculum, students must choose the QC-OM (Question - Create - Organize - Manage) option, which are mandatory teaching units for students.
Presentation of the Caponnière and definition of projects related to the UTBM's educational theme for the current year.
Students then register for the case study and write a report with the help and support of the fort's staff.
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Study project by a group of 5 UTBM students currently underway: Revitalization of Fort Essert
International��La Caponnière is registered →
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region Projects
BFC Tourism:
Dynamics of international and cross-border cooperation and solidarity
Tourist information system and heritage development
Culture Department:
Inventory and heritage service and heritage mission
Tourism Department:
Tourism promotion and engineering mission
European Parliament Project
Proposal for a one-day European Heritage Symposium, submitted by Mr. Grudler, Member of the European Parliament
Book Fair 2025
April 12 and 13
Belfort North Cultural and Social Center
Our Actions 2025
As part of its cultural activities and heritage awareness initiatives, La Caponnière organized a book fair open to all.
This event aimed to promote access to reading, give books a second life, and create a meeting place for history, heritage, and culture enthusiasts. Visitors were able to buy, exchange, or discover books at affordable prices, while the proceeds contributed to supporting the federation's activities in preserving and promoting fortified heritage. This initiative is fully aligned with La Caponnière's mission of knowledge transmission and cultural exchange.
Intergenerational meetings in nursing homes (Belfort)
Organizing intergenerational exchange sessions in our local retirement homes
Intangible heritage is a precious asset that must be nurtured and preserved to educate our younger generations.
Our Federation is committed to this journey of living transmission so that tomorrow's citizens can understand the world of tomorrow with the support of those who came before us.
October 4 & 5, 2025
2nd International Forum on Military Fortifications
100 Exhibitors
14 Conferences
2000 Visitors��100 Exhibitors
14 Conferences
Guided Tours
Theatrical Tours
Exhibitions
2000 Visitors
40th Anniversary Concert
April 19, 2026
A concert with the Chorège men's choir was organized at the Maison du Peuple in Belfort to celebrate the Federation's 40th anniversary.
This cultural event highlighted the association's work to the general public and strengthened its ties to the local cultural scene.
Forte cultura 2026
Congresses in Spain
From April 21 to 24
The Federation is a member of the Forte Cultura network and recently attended a congress in La Línea de la Concepción, Spain.
This meeting brought together numerous European stakeholders involved in the preservation and promotion of fortifications.
These discussions were particularly fruitful and constructive.
They provided an opportunity to discover different approaches to the management and enhancement of fortified heritage, while also fostering the creation of new contacts.
June 2-5, 2026: Organization of the Vauban Colloquium
Organization of the Vauban National Symposium for 60 seminar participants, featuring lectures, visits to the citadel and forts, and discussions about restoration projects.
This successful event strengthened cooperation with the Vauban network and highlighted the rich fortified heritage of Belfort.
Official Anniversary at Fort Bermont
June 27, 2026
Our official spring anniversary celebration will take place at Fort du Bois d’Oye in Bermont.
The public is invited.
Participation in the Belfort Book Fair
October 8 to November 1, 2026
In 2026, La Caponnière will be present at the major book fair in eastern France, in Belfort. We will be offering a carefully selected range of secondhand books.
Each sale will contribute to supporting our projects to preserve fortified heritage. Join us there to share our passion and discover these literary treasures.
Heritage days
We participate in Heritage Days every year.
At the request of the La Poudrière Association and the city of Belfort, we lead tours of Fort Hatry.
The team organizes guided tours and welcomes the public for this day of heritage sharing.
The tours, which require registration, are always fully booked.
Fort’Cooking & Beaujolais Nouveau Challenge
November 21, 2026
Organizing a convivial event in a local fort, combining gastronomy, heritage, and culinary demonstrations. This activity aims to attract new audiences and promote fortifications as places for meeting and cultural life.
Theatre project with
the Louis-Jouvet high school in Belfort
Development of a partnership to organize theatrical performances within the fortifications.
This project will promote heritage through the performing arts and involve young people in its transmission.
Similarly, the Grrranit hosted the Vauban symposium for a behind-the-scenes tour of the theater.
Forum International des fortifications 2028�
Following the success of the second Fortifications Forum in 2025, we can already count on the exhibitors who participated then.
We are now planning a third edition in 2028. This forum will be a true international platform for exchanging information on defensive techniques, heritage conservation, and new approaches to cultural mediation, but above all, for promoting other structures to the public, with a view to attracting tourism.
Our Partners: Regional and National Associations, Public and Cultural Organizations
Our Partners: Regional and National Associations, Public and Cultural Organizations
Our Partners: Regional and National Associations, Public and Cultural Organizations
Our Partners: Regional and National Associations, Public and Cultural Organizations
Our partners: Salespeople
Contact us
Mail : bureau.caponniere@gmail.com
Phone : 06/98/16/09/45
P.O Box : 10 rue de Londres, 90000 Belfort