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Abstract
As part of the national "Séré de Rivières" defensive system established after the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), 234 forts were constructed ex nihilo (1874-type forts). They are made of geomaterials of diverse origins and covered with massive embankments totaling tens of thousands of cubic meters, forming hybrid landforms associated with the fortifications. The two previous editions of the French Young Geomorphologists Days (2022 and 2023) highlighted the significant influence of geomorphological and geological conditions on the spatial organization and construction of these forts, as well as the morphological imprints resulting from their use during WW1. This paper operates on the premise that, while fundamentally anthropogenic structures embedded in the historical environment, these polemoforms (or war landforms) possess a geoheritage value, warranting their recognition as "polemo-geomorphosites”. Focusing on the Reims fortified belt (7 forts and 5 ancillary fortifications constructed between 1875 and 1885), this study aims to explore conservation challenges by examining the causes and processes of erasure to which these morphologies, like all landforms, are subjected. This approach draws inspiration from prior works on WW1 polemoforms, particularly the geography doctoral theses of De Matos-Machado (2018) and Taborelli (2018). To this end, microtopographic data from IGN's LiDAR HD survey (2021-2026) were processed within a Geographic Information System (GIS) to identify erasure indicators such as ruggedness indices and slope distribution analyses that can be generalized across all 12 structures. These findings were cross-referenced with archival and field data to analyze the underlying causes. The "Séré de Rivières" polemoforms demonstrate considerable complexity, encompassing hectometric scales (geofacies) and a much more elaborate internal morphological organization compared to traditionally studied polemoforms (e.g., trenches, shell craters). Despite this, the results allow for a classification of the Reims forts based on their degree of erasure, ranging from virtually intact morphologies to those attenuated or leveled by erosion (abrasion, transport, deposition). The geomorphological approach of polemo-landscapes puts emphasis on the forms, formations, and processes contributing to their genesis and destruction. This perspective supposes the use of the paradigm of geomorphological evolution applied to polemoforms not on the geological timescale, but within the Anthropocene timescale (protohistoric and historical periods) defining primitive, derived, and degraded/leveled landforms. Finally, this analysis highlights various anthropogenic and natural processes contributing to their erasure, including warfare, geomaterial reuse, and gravitational hazards.
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