Fort de la Prée

English translation

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History

A crucial element of fortification in the 17th century on the island of Ré. It prevented entry to the island and passage through the Breton strait. Dated 1625 and built by the architect d'Argencourt, it is also the oldest fort constructed in Charente-Maritime. The fort was built with the vestiges of the Romanesque abbey of Les Châteliers. In 1628, some modifications were made to it: addition of bastions and redans in front of what would become the safety enceinte or keep. The knight de Clerville undertakes a covered way with inward-facing places of arms. Blondel carries out a new project while retaining the old elements, adding a lower defence (counter-guards, demi-lunes, new covered way, sea front). To prevent the sea from entering the fort and silting up the harbour, a safety enceinte is created, with a redan in the very centre. On this glacis a barracks building is to be constructed. The following modifications will be carried out by Vauban who asks Ferry to level all the outworks of the fort, the sea front being preserved. A battery is added at the extremity, allowing to rake and cross fire with the citadel of Saint-Martin and coastal citadels, to completely deny the Breton strait to the enemy. In 1878-1880, construction of shelter traverses and a new powder magazine. The building is decommissioned around 1900.