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Origin and history

The Pradeau battery, known as the Fondue Tower, is a polygonal fort built around 1634 under Richelieu south of the peninsula of Giens, in the Var. This 17th-century military monument, redesigned in the 18th and 19th centuries, was used to control maritime access to Porquerolles. Armed with 2 striped cannons in 1881, he was abandoned after his decommissioning, becoming property of Port-Cros National Park in 1978.

Listed as a historical monument inventory in 1989, the Fondue Tower has been the subject of unfinished restoration campaigns since 1985. Closed to the public for security reasons since 1980, its access gateway was secured in the 2000s. In 2017, a call for regional projects relaunched its development, leading to a complete restoration between 2020 and 2022 (€2.5 million) to make it an interpretation centre for the islands of Hyères.

The name "Tour Fondue" (Tour Foundudo in Provençal) evokes its state of ruin ("tower split"). The site, opened to the public since November 2022, illustrates the history of coastal defence against barbaric piracy and the evolution of Mediterranean fortifications. Its architecture reflects the military adaptations of the 17th-18th centuries, while its strategic location makes it a starting point for the islands of Porquerolles and Port-Cros.

Funding for the restoration included the Port-Cros National Park, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, the DRAC, the DREAL, the Toulon Provence Méditerranée metropolis, the city of Hyères and the European Union. This project is part of an approach to the preservation of the military heritage and the tourist development of the Var coast.

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