This fort was built between 1874 and 1877 to protect the new border with Germany. Its mission was to control one of the main communication nodes in the gap that extended from the Vosges mountains to Switzerland It kept watch over the communication routes leading to Montbéliard and the areas between the Salbert, Lachaux and Bois d’Oye forts. Located at 525 m above sea level, it extends over more than 5 hectares. It could accommodation 700 men who were able to live autonomously for 5 months and had up to 50 cannons.

Its armament was also reinforced by a four artillery batteries. In 1885, the torpedo shell crisis raised questions about the Séré de Rivières system. Fort du Mont-Vaudois had to be modernised with the addition of barracks and a cavern-casemate. From 1893, the fort was linked to other forts around Belfort by a strategic railway. It was also equipped with an optical post that enabled it to communicate with the Belfort Citadel and the neighbouring forts of Salbert, Lachaux and Mont Bart. The fort underwent various modifications until 1915. It was abandoned in the 1980s, it was later acquired by the town of Héricourt.

Since 2003, the Fort du Mont Vaudois Association has been working daily to restore, maintain and promote the fort. As well as offering tours, Fort du Mont-Vaudois hosts numerous events throughout the year, the most well-known being its traditional bread festival.