Construction of dread 2e moitié du XVIIe siècle (≈ 1750)
Built under Louis XIV to defend the Cotentin.
XIXe siècle
Major transformations
Major transformations XIXe siècle (≈ 1865)
Deep modifications of the original building.
14 septembre 1992
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 14 septembre 1992 (≈ 1992)
Protecting the dread and its ditches.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Redout, including its ditches, with the exception of the building inside (Case C 198, 432): inscription by order of 14 September 1992
Key figures
Louis XIV - King of France
Reign during which the dread was built.
Origin and history
Ravenoville's dread is a military building built in the second half of the seventeenth century, during the reign of Louis XIV. Located in the commune of Sainte-Mère-Église, in the department of La Manche (Normandy), it was intended to defend the coasts of Cotentin against a possible English invasion. This monument illustrates the military strategies of the Old Regime to secure the coast.
The building underwent major changes in the 19th century, partially altering its original structure. Despite these changes, the dread retains its historical interest, as evidenced by its inscription in historical monuments on 14 September 1992. This protection covers all ditches and dread, with the exception of a later interior building.
Located in the former town of Ravenoville, now attached to Sainte-Mère-Église, the dread is managed by an association. Its architecture reflects the fortification techniques of the modern era, while marking the Normandy coastal landscape. Available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) highlight its role in territorial defence under the Old Regime.
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