Former Trio Fort

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Origin and history

Fort Trio is a fortification located in Matoury, French Guiana, built on the Trio Point at the mouth of the Fouillée Creek. Named in 1789, it was part of a network of coastal defences dating back to the 17th century. These fortifications were destroyed in 1817 by the Portuguese, marking a period of vulnerability for the region.

The partial reconstruction of Fort Trio took place in 1841, during the reign of Louis-Philippe, at an estimated cost of 25,000 francs. This project was intended to strengthen local defences after the destruction. However, its strategic usefulness was questioned in 1881, leading to its official decommissioning on 5 July 1882.

Disused, the fort was leased to private individuals in 1883, then ceded free of charge to the colony of Cayenne in 1902. It was not until 1995 that he was registered for historical monuments, thanks to a decree of 24 August. Between 2010 and 2013, volunteers from the Buildings Histoire et Architecture Médiévales association participated in its restoration, although no official rehabilitation project was launched in 2022.

Today, Fort Trio bears witness to Guyana's military and colonial stakes in the 18th and 19th centuries. Its architecture and history reflect the geopolitical tensions of the time, between foreign occupation, costly reconstruction and progressive abandonment in the face of the evolution of defensive strategies.

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