Completed in 1694, this fortification built on a rock is a must in Charente-Maritime. Built according to Vauban's plans, Fort Louvois (named after Louis XIV's minister of war) was part of the Rochefort naval arsenal in the 17th century. Today, it can be visited all year round to the delight of apprentice pirates.
Connected to the mainland by a 400-meter paved causeway, only accessible at low tide, this monument built between 1691 and 1694 has an amazing horseshoe-shaped plan. Also called Fort du Chapus (name of the rock on which it sits majestically), Fort Louvois is today a tourist attraction after having been a defensive site whose purpose was to prevent the incursion of enemy ships into the strait separating the Arvert peninsula from the island of Oleron. With its strategic location south of Rochefort, it also locked the access to the city which, in the 17th century, had the largest maritime and military arsenal in the kingdom of France.
The last maritime fortification ordered by the Sun King, this fortress, which was armed with cannons and howitzers until the 19th century, has since lived several lives: bombed during the Second World War, classified as a historical monument in 1929 and rehabilitated in the 1960s, it has housed the Oyster Museum since 1972.
With its central keep protected by a drawbridge and a moat, Fort Louvois is reminiscent of the castles of the Middle Ages and, despite significant damage suffered during the storm of 1999 and a flood during Xynthia in 2010, it is in very good condition. During the visit, you can see a barracks (living quarters of the garrison), a food hall, a powder magazine and a guardhouse.
At the top of the tower, 24-pound cannons and orientation tables can be seen at the same time as the panoramic view of the Oleron coast. Inside, a permanent exhibition allows you to discover its history through, in particular, a relief plan presenting the fortifications of the coastline, from the Gironde to the Charente
To learn more and prepare your visit to this little brother of Fort Boyard, go here.
Valerie from Comme des Français
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