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Origin and history

Laiguade Vauban, also known as Belle Fontaine, is a tank located in Le Palais, on the north coast of Belle-Île-en-Mer, about 2 km southeast of the centre-bourg. Built in the 17th century, it is attributed to Vauban, a famous military engineer, and was used to supply fresh water to the French fleet. Its strategic location, near the guard corps at Fort Larron, strengthened its logistical and defensive role.

The building, with a rectangular plan (25 × 11 m), is built in rubble and covered with an earthy roof. Its vaulted tank, with a capacity of about 900 m3, was powered by stone ducts connected to a terrace below. This terrace, raised above sea level, served as a supply platform and dock for small boats, facilitating the filling of the barrels.

Ranked a historic monument in 1990, the Aiguade illustrates the ingenuity of Vauban's military installations. Its system combined water storage, defence (masonry wall) and naval logistics, reflecting Belle-Île's strategic stakes under the Ancien Régime. The cistern, encircled by a fence wall, remains a rare testimony of the 17th century harbour infrastructure in Brittany.

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