Séré de Rivières system
After the defeat of France in 1870-1871, Dijon was chosen with Langres, Besançon, Reims, Laon, and La Fère to be a "second line" of the Séré de Rivières system of defence (the first line being focused on Verdun, Toul, Epinal, and Belfort). A series of forts and military redoubts centred on Dijon city were built from 1875 to 1883: la Motte-Giron, Mont-Afrique, Hauteville, Asnières, Norges, Var, Saint-Apollinaire, and Sennecey-lès-Dijon.