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Origin and history

Port Man Fort, also known as the Port Man Battery, is a military structure built between 1635 and 1637 on the island of Port-Cros in Hyères (Var). It is part of a defensive network ordered by Richelieu to counter the Spanish threat, including the forts of the Estissac, the Moulin and the Eminence. Originally, it was a simple battery controlling the passage between the Levant and Port-Cros islands, as well as access to the harbour. Its location could correspond to an old guard tower built under Francis I.

The work was enlarged in the 18th century and redesigned in the 19th century, notably under Napoleon I in 1810 after damage caused by the English in 1793. He was officially disarmed on 21 November 1881 and then abandoned before being assigned to Port Cros National Park in 1977. In 2003, the State entrusted the restoration to the photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, as part of a concession for consideration. The fort consists of a three-level cylindrotronconic tower, a central body in the shape of a tail swallow, and ancillary buildings serving as housing and shops.

Architecturally, the fort illustrates the coastal fortifications of the seventeenth century, with defensive elements such as a ditch in front of the escarp and caponières. Its strategic role declined after 1875, losing its status as a coast battery. Today, it bears witness to Mediterranean military history and the challenges of preserving the island's heritage. The sources mention its inscription in the Historical Monuments since 1947 and its precise location on the northeast tip of Port-Cros, accessible via the National Park.

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