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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The fort of Fouras, often wrongly called "Fort Vauban", rises on the remains of a 11th century castle. His history began with the construction of the dungeon between 1480 and 1490 by Jehan II de Brosse, Lord of L-Aigle, marking the end of the Hundred Years War. The site, strategic to control the mouth of the Charente, was spared by Louis XIII during the destruction of the strongholds after the capture of La Rochelle (1628), thanks to its key role in the wars of Religion.

In the 17th century, under Louis XIV, the fort became a bulwark against maritime attacks. Between 1689 and 1693, engineer François Ferry, supervised by Vauban, transformed the old feudal residence into a fortress "at the sea": thickening of the walls of the dungeon, creation of a cannon platform 36 meters above the sea, and construction of a falsification to carry artillery. The 30-metre-high dungeon was used as a semaphore to monitor naval movements, in connection with the Rochefort arsenal founded in 1666.

The citadel, organized in three parts (central dungeon, U-strong, and Vaubanian ditches), houses a garrison of 300 to 600 men and 50 cannons spread over three levels. Its structure evokes a warship, with a horse iron bow and terraced ramparts. Despite tensions with England and Holland, the fort would never shoot, even during the British incursions of 1757 and 1809. It remained in service until the closure of the Rochefort arsenal in 1927.

Ranked a historic monument in 1987, the site illustrates the evolution of coastal fortifications from the Middle Ages to the modern era. The 15th century dungeon, the oldest part, coexisted with the 17th century layouts (courtesy, massive towers on top of the sea), characteristic of Vauban's military architecture. Today, the fort houses a paying museum, while the enclosure remains freely accessible.

The medieval remains disappeared, with the exception of the dungeon and the southern wall of the first enclosure. The basement of the dungeon preserves two vaulted pieces in cradle, while the ditches and south flanks, designed by Vauban, complement the defensive device. The property, transferred to the commune, recalls the strategic importance of Fouras in protecting the Atlantic coast, from the Romans (castrum of the 1st century BC) to modern conflicts.

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