THE FORT
BOYARD - LOUVOIS...
Via Fort Boyard, FORT LOUVOIS, FORT FORT LUPIN ENET and you are transported back in time ...
FORT BOYARD : The Boyard fort was designed to guard the mouth of the Charente and the ports of Rochefort and Ile d’Aix , to reinforce the defense system along the coast and on Charente Maritime’s islands. It was Napoléon who launched the building work which took 30 years, 20 of which were spent on the foundations alone. The construction encountered many difficulties : storms that ruined the unfinished walls, the capsizing of boats transporting the stones and English attacks, all of which delayed the construction work. The construction was finally completed in 1859. Napoléon did not see the finished work, even when he left the Ile d’Aix for exile. But, the progress in artillery was quicker than the building work which made the fort obsolete on completion. It cost the equivalent today of two hundred million euros. It was their pride and joy at the time, so much so that a model was exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in 1867.
FORT LOUVOIS: In 1690, the Marquis de Louvois ordered its construction to cross the firing of guns with the citadel of Oleron and thus lock the southern access to the Arsenal of Rochefort. Vauban is who will build this forum. Completed in 1694, he was the last fortification Marine commissioned by Louis XIV. Do not miss the dungeon, barracks, food hall to the powder magazine and enjoy the panoramic view! Fort Louvois is connected to the mainland by a paved straight 400-meter submersible high tide. It is reached by foot at low tide, on an average amplitude of 3 hours (between 2-4 hours depending on the tides coefficients). At high tide, access is possible only by boat.
FORT ENET: Surrounded by water at high tide, is accessed by a pass Fort (1.66km), which at low tide. Inside the fort you will discover the "Chamber of soldiers," cell of the Communards, the platforms of shooting, ammunition bunkers, pillboxes, ... February: At 10h30: Saturday 20 March: At 10 am: Saturday 5 and Sunday 20Visite Tour 2h, hours depending on tides
FORT LUPIN: He locked the Charente to prevent the rise of potential enemies to the Arsenal of Rochefort. In 1685 the engineer Ferry made a first draft that will be corrected by Vauban in the same year. The simplicity of elementary volumes, makes it a superb piece of military architecture classified as historic monuments. Fort Lupin is now a private monument.
