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Origin and history

Balaguier Fort was built in 1636 by order of Henri de Séguiran, lieutenant of Cardinal de Richelieu, as part of a coastal defence program against the threats of Habsburg's house in the Mediterranean. It completed a network of defensive towers between Antibes and the islands of Hyères, aimed at securing access to the Toulon harbour, considered vulnerable despite the presence of the Royal Tower located at 1,350 meters.

In 1673, engineer Gombert strengthened his defences by adding two open-air batteries on the eve of the war against Holland. Vauban, during his inspections (1679, 1700), criticized his vulnerability to land attacks and proposed unrealized improvements. The fort played a key role in 1793 during the fighting between the Republican troops led by Bonaparte and the British after Toulon's surrender.

Reorganized in 1846, the fort saw its right wing elongated with a parapet on the ground, while its tower, initially threatened with destruction for security reasons, was preserved. Decommissioned in 1877, he was rearmed in 1899 before being rented to the town of La Seyne-sur-Mer in 1970, where he installed a maritime museum. Joined the Historical Monuments in 1975, he remained with the National Navy.

Architecturally, the fort combines an irregular enclosure, a truncated tower with two vaulted levels (blind and raised ground floor), and backed military buildings. The tower, dated 1636, houses shops and houses for soldiers, while the 18th and 19th century modifications (powder store, chapel, half-bastion) reflect its adaptation to strategic developments.

The site is also marked by popular culture: in 1967, a scene of the film Le Petit Baigneur, with Louis de Funès, was shot there. Today, the fort combines military heritage and museum vocation, illustrating the maritime history of the region.

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