First defensive battery 1679 (≈ 1679)
Installation of a battery on site.
1771-1773
Construction of the department store
Construction of the department store 1771-1773 (≈ 1772)
17th century standard powderbox.
1878-1882
New reinforced powder box
New reinforced powder box 1878-1882 (≈ 1880)
Shop for 250 tons of powder.
1993
Site closure
Site closure 1993 (≈ 1993)
End of pyrotechnic activities.
2 octobre 2015
Registration historical monument
Registration historical monument 2 octobre 2015 (≈ 2015)
First official protection.
22 juin 2023
Final classification
Final classification 22 juin 2023 (≈ 2023)
Replaces the 2015 registration.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The powder box, in full, with its enclosure wall, on parcel No. 12, shown in the cadastre of the commune section AD, as shown in red and pink on the plan annexed to the decree: classification by order of 22 June 2023
Key figures
Louis XIV - King of France
Initiator of the Rochefort arsenal.
Origin and history
Vergeroux's outside powderbox, built between 1878 and 1882, is part of a military complex linked to the French coastal defence. This powder shop, designed to store 250 tons of explosives, was connected by a railway to the nearby pyrotechnics, now disappeared. Its architectural features reflect the safety standards of the era: reinforced walls, airlocks isolated by thick windows, and solid oak shutters. The site, originally integrated into an arsenal created under Louis XIV, has evolved over the centuries from a defensive battery role to an explosive manufacturing workshop and then a de-starting centre after World War II.
Ranked a historic monument by decree of 22 June 2023 (replacing a 2015 inscription), this powderbox is now communal property, while the rest of the military site remains forbidden to the public. Its history is marked by its adaptation to technological progress, notably with the introduction of melanitis, an unstable explosive requiring extreme precautions. The building, now isolated, bears witness to the strategic importance of Vergeroux, located on a promontory overlooking the Charente estuary, the first bulwark against maritime invasions.
The decline of the site began with its closure in 1993, after more than two centuries of activity. The railway linking the powder keg to the pyrotechnics was turned into a walking trail, while the building, which had been looted, awaits a new assignment. The surrounding land, partly lotis, contrast with the abandonment of the historic heart, still owned by the state. This heritage, both technical and military, offers a unique insight into the history of explosives in France and their impact on coastal landscapes.
