The Forts des Perches were unique among the first group in their re-use of older sites.

The fort's official name was derived from François-Christophe Kellermann, Duke of Valmy and Marshal of France.

A dry-masonry fort was built at the Basses Perches location in 1870 by Colonel Pierre Denfert-Rochereau during his defense of Belfort, at an elevation of 425 m.[1] The present Fort des Basses Perches was built on this site, as it had proven to be a strategically important part of the southern defenses of Belfort during the Franco-Prussian War.

The roughly rectangular fort is notable for its early use of counterscarps in place of caponiers, which had been more popular until then.

[2] The Fort des Basses Perches is small compared to others in the Belfort defensive array.