Initial project 1796 (≈ 1796)
First mention of the battery project.
1810
Start of work
Start of work 1810 (≈ 1810)
Construction launched under Napoleon I.
1811
First phase completed
First phase completed 1811 (≈ 1811)
Completion of the first developments.
1841-1849
Extension of guard corps
Extension of guard corps 1841-1849 (≈ 1845)
Added a defensive reduction.
1875
Military decommissioning
Military decommissioning 1875 (≈ 1875)
Loss of strategic role.
20 janvier 1989
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 20 janvier 1989 (≈ 1989)
Official listing.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Battery (Case J 172): registration by order of 20 January 1989
Key figures
Napoléon Ier - Emperor of the French
Initiator of the fortification programme.
Origin and history
The Bon Renaud battery is an old military battery built on the island of Porquerolles, dependent on the town of Hyères, in the Var. Built in the first half of the 19th century, it is part of a program of coastal fortifications launched by Napoleon I to protect the Mediterranean coasts. Work began in 1810, but most of the developments, including the defensive guard corps, were carried out between 1841 and 1849, under the leadership of the Joint Coast Armaments Commission. The building, rectangular in plan, combines architectural elements such as braces and a terrace, characteristic of the fortifications of the period.
The battery was originally planned in 1796, but its construction did not begin until 1810, and was completed in 1811 in a first phase. In 1841, a commission proposed the addition of a defensive guard, whose work ended in 1849. However, the reorganization of the coastal defence in 1875 led to its military decommissioning. It is owned by the French State and is classified as a historic monument on January 20, 1989, recognizing its heritage importance. Its architecture, marked by a rectangular floor and a stone building, bears witness to the defence techniques of the 19th century.
Located on a strategic site on the island of Porquerolles, the battery reflects the geopolitical concerns of post-revolutionary and Napoleonic France. Its history is linked to tensions in the Mediterranean and the desire to control maritime access. Today, it is a remarkable vestige of coastal defensive systems, integrated with French military heritage and accessible in a preserved island setting.
Available sources, including Wikipedia and Monumentum, highlight its role in the defence system and its architectural features. The precise address, 9017 Chemin du Langoustier in Hyères, and its registration in the Merimée inventory (reference J 172) confirm its territorial and administrative anchor in the department of Var, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
