Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The compound of Granville, also known as the Upper Town Precinct, is a fortified complex located on Cape Lihou, a rocky peninsula west of Granville (Manche, Normandy). It protects a 500-metre perimeter around the Haute-Ville, integrating reconstructed elements after successive destruction. Its origins date back to 1439, when the English, led by Thomas de Scales, built the first ramparts and a central citadel, before being expelled in 1442 by Louis d'Estouteville. Charles VII then completed the fortifications.

The 15th century ramparts were demolished in 1689 on the orders of Louis XIV's minister Louvois. Around 1695, a dread was built on the Roc according to Vauban's plans, for fear of an English attack. The present enclosure was raised between 1727 and 1749, and then revised from 1815 to 1840. Today, medieval fortifications remain only remains such as the Grand-Porte (with its drawbridge and the Logis du Roi, residence of the governor) and the Saint John Gate. The central citadel and its church Notre-Dame, a 150-metre square, disappeared, their foundations being rediscovered in 1835.

The main enclosure was partially razed in 1911 to facilitate access to the Casino beach. The elements protected by historical monuments include the town gate (classified in 1931) and the enclosure as a whole (registered in 2004). The site illustrates the successive defensive strategies, from the English-French conflicts of the 15th century to the adaptations of the 17th and 18th centuries, marked by the influence of Vauban.

Gomboust's plan (1650) and Vauban's descriptions (1686) document a double or even triple, pregnant to the west, with ditches and covered paths. These developments reflect the strategic importance of Granville, a Norman port exposed to English lusts. The unfortified western tip of the rock contrasts with the eastern defences, where a deep trench isolates the plateau.

The destructions of the 17th century (including Vauban's "quiet fortification" and the chalk) served to bridge the large gap. The Granville Art and History Museum retains elements related to this heritage, while the current, though fragmentary, remains bear witness to nearly four centuries of military and urban history.

External links