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The construction of the Rochefort arsenal by Colbert in 1666 quickly necessitated the implementation of a vast defensive system around the Charente estuary. Vauban set about modernizing the stronghold of Brouage and the citadel of Château d’Oléron, then added a new element to the landscape: Fort Chapus (also known as Louvois) in the middle of the coureau.
The Citadel of Le Château
The initial construction was entrusted to Pierre d’Argencourt, engineer to King Louis XIII. In 1630, he created the citadel’s first ramparts, bastions, and underground passages. The work lasted about ten years. Later, Chevalier de Clerville added a second enclosure in 1674.
However, Vauban, who succeeded him as Commissioner General of Fortifications of France, modified the plans in 1685. He entrusted the direction of the works to engineer Ferry. Clerville’s enclosure, along with a large part of the town, was destroyed to make way for a hornwork designed to increase the citadel’s capacity. A new town was built with streets laid out in a grid pattern.
Access to the citadel is free throughout the year. Guided tours are organized there, including theatrical night tours during the summer.
Fort Louvois
To secure the southern access to the Charente estuary and prevent any enemy intrusion through the Maumusson strait, Fort Louvois was built at the end of the 17th century. Its fire was designed to cross with that of the citadel of Château d’Oléron.
A rock at the tip of Chapus, exposed only at low tide, was to serve as the foundation for the edifice. But Vauban rejected the oval fort with two tiers of cannons proposed by engineer Ferry. He preferred to impose his own model of a sea fort with a single battery of cannons and a keep. Thus, in 1694, a horseshoe-shaped fort came to secure the maritime passage on the Oléron coureau.
Fort Louvois is located in Bourcefranc-le-Chapus at the foot of the Oléron Island bridge, on the mainland. It is accessible on foot at low tide via a 400-meter submersible paved causeway; at high tide, a boat shuttle drops visitors off at the drawbridge. To visit Fort Louvois, it’s best to inquire about opening hours, as they change daily depending on the tide.
Brouage
Jacopolis sur Brouage was founded in 1555. Jacques de Pons, lord of the area, wished to create a leading port for the salt trade.
Later, its strategic location attracted the attention of Henri III, who transformed it into a royal city in 1578 and gave it the name Brouage. Richelieu tasked Pierre d’Argencourt with fortifying the site. At the end of the 17th century, Ferry, following Vauban’s instructions, modernized the bastion and the rampart walk.
Today, the sea has receded, and one can enjoy imagining the comings and goings of sailing ships that came to load salt at the foot of Brouage harbor. Guided tours offered by the tourist office help visitors understand the life of the Brouage inhabitants during the flourishing era of the salt trade.
Ranked among the Most Beautiful Villages of France®, Brouage is a lively town, especially in season, with its boutiques, art workshops, treasure hunts for children, and street performances.
