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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Fort du Réduit, now replaced by the Place du Réduit in Bayonne, was a fortified structure designed as part of the city's fortifications. Designed by Vauban in 1680, it was built at the end of the seventeenth century by order of Louis XIV, at the same time as the citadel of Bayonne. This project was part of a royal desire to strengthen the defences of this strategic city, close to the Spanish border. The French gate, a landmark of the fort, was completed around 1760 in a classical style, with ancient columns and a niche housing a statue of Louis XV until the Revolution.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the fort lost its military utility. In June 1907, President Armand Fallières signed a law decommissioning the stronghold, allowing its partial destruction. The then municipality, led by Léo Pouzac, welcomed this decision, arguing that it would improve traffic in Bayonne. The gate of France was dismantled in the same year, and its stones re-used to raise the esplanade hosting the statue of Cardinal Lavigerie, inaugurated in July 1909. Another iconic element, the echauduette, collapsed in the Adour in February 1937.

In the twenty-first century, conservation efforts were carried out in 2006, while part of the Reduit Gate was relocated to the Poterno in 1993. The remaining remains, which bear witness to Bayonnaise military history, were finally listed as historical monuments in 2013, ensuring their protection and enhancement for future generations.

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