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Origin and history

The ramparts of Brouage are a fortified complex built in the 17th century around the town of Brouage, in the present town of Marennes-Hiers-Brouage (Charente-Maritime). Commanded by Cardinal de Richelieu between 1628 and 1633, they illustrate the pre-vaubian military architecture, with a quadrilateral of 2,080 metres of perimeter reinforced by eight bastions. Their structure combines facade-cut stone, lime-linked bellows, and upper bricks to facilitate repairs after cannon fire. Vauban brought reinforcements in 1689, but most of their design dates back to the richer part of the country.

Classified as a historic monument in 1886, these ramparts are one of the few unspoilt examples of a 17th-century plain city in France. Their layout as an interior checker, bordered by low houses of the 17th and 18th centuries, reflects rigorous urban planning. The stones of the bastions, cramped by hooks of iron, and the scallops overtaking each angle reflect the defensive techniques of the era. Brouage, founded ex nihilo by Richelieu, initially served as a strategic place to control the Atlantic coast.

The enclosure, owned by the commune, today retains its integrity despite centuries. Its hybrid architecture (stone, brick, bellows) met both military requirements – resistance to assaults – and economical – reduced cost of repairs. The ramparts also symbolize the transition between medieval fortifications and the bastioned systems systematized later by Vauban. Their preservation allows us to study defensive strategies before the era of modern military engineers.

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