Lhe Eguille redoubt, in Fouras, is the largest in France and constitutes an important element of the ring of fire which protected the Rochefort Arsenal during its splendor. The fortification, built in 1672, has been the property of the municipality since 2001, the year it was listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historical Monuments. The enclosure measures 58 m by 70 m.
Specialists see it as one of the major examples of military fortification under the Ancien Régime, because, despite the various damages related to its great age, the fortified complex still has allure. So much so that the municipality is fighting today for its survival, via what is called a crystallization (fixation in its current state), in fact, a safeguard measure. The restoration stage itself will take place later, as will securing the site, a real challenge in old buildings, but which remains essential for more regular use of the place.
“A great success”
Henri Morin, deputy mayor in charge of the issue, is reasonably optimistic. “We launched the youth volunteer work camps ten years ago, which made it possible, at a lower cost, to take over many elements of the construction that were badly affected. It is a great success and we will, of course, continue in this direction.”
Obviously, a week or two or even a month of work per year is not a lot and it requires considering the future with patience. “It must ultimately be a place of artistic expression. Moreover, concerts are already given there, but very few and in very specific conditions,” says Henri Morin.
And then, the redoubt, which was the obligatory crossing point between La Fumée and the city center, will mark, in some way, the future transition towards the tip of the peninsula, currently being reclassified. The choice to establish a fortification in this location therefore still makes sense more than three centuries later.
Land to acquire
There remains one peculiarity that the elected officials could have done without. In 1948, the building was sold to a private individual. But a second owner acquired the neighboring plot. Thus, the ramparts are communal, but the foot of the northern enclosure wall is on private property, and, consequently, prohibited from access!
Henri Morin plans to approach these neighbors in the hope of convincing them to sell to the municipality. This would double the surface area of the land. Enough to see even further and bring the building and its surroundings to life.
Three construction sites per year
Since 2015, Fouras has organized each year, in partnership with the Solidarité jeunesse association, three international volunteer projects as part of the restoration of the town’s heritage. These actions have a dual objective: to consolidate the building, fix it as it is today so that it stops deteriorating, and allow young volunteers to learn masonry techniques in the morning and discover the region. the afternoon.
