▁century . ▁ ▁History ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁following ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁Mont - C enis ▁rail ▁tunnel ▁Mod ane ▁quickly ▁became ▁a ▁border ▁city . ▁The ▁Italian ▁journey ▁began ▁between ▁Italian ▁imm igration ▁and ▁trans it ▁trade ▁and ▁the ▁population ▁increased ▁significantly . ▁However , ▁the ▁increasing ly ▁stra ined ▁relations ▁between ▁France ▁and ▁Italy ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁construction ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁of ▁the ▁Fort ▁du ▁Re pl aton , ▁an ▁inter diction ▁fort ▁to ▁monitor ▁the ▁entrance ▁of ▁the ▁tunnel . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁a ▁train ▁carrying ▁some ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁French ▁troops ▁from ▁the ▁Italian ▁front ▁der ails ▁while ▁desc ending ▁a ▁ste ep ▁hill ▁in ▁Mod ane ; ▁at ▁least ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁soldiers ▁are ▁killed ▁in ▁France ' s ▁greatest ▁rail ▁dis aster . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁city ▁was ▁bom bed ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁or ▁ 1 7 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁by ▁Al lied ▁aircraft . ▁The ▁objective ▁of ▁the ▁bomb ing ▁was ▁the ▁station , ▁an ▁important ▁centre ▁of ▁trans it ▁between ▁France ▁and ▁Italy . ▁The ▁bomb ing ▁caused ▁ 6 0 ▁vict ims ▁and ▁ 1 0 0 ▁houses ▁were ▁destroyed . ▁A ▁second ▁bomb ing ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 1 0 – 1 1 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁killing ▁five ▁civ ili ans . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁the ▁city ▁turned ▁to ▁tour