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France has an abundant and varied heritage of military architecture, handed down from over 2,000 years of military history. Over and above its architectural, cultural and historical interest, this built heritage has permeated the physiognomy and spatial organisation of its host cities. It has born constant witness to the presence of the military in the heart of the city. The importance of military architecture in the structuring of the city and in the collective memory appears patently obvious today, but its value as heritage has only recently been recognised. Moreover, the rediscovery of this ancient heritage goes hand-in-hand with the military institution’s growing awareness of the importance of contemporary military architecture as a tool for gaining fresh visibility in the urban landscape.