Published: 12:46 p.m. – Modified: 12:51 p.m. by Luka PAMBOUR
Fort Boyard
Credit : Department of Charente Maritime
Known to young and old alike thanks to the France 2 program, Fort Boyard is under threat. Built in 1857, the building has been damaged by wind, sea and waves. The Charente-Maritime department is launching a safeguard plan, notably by launching a pot on the Heritage Foundation. A project which amounts to nearly 40 million euros.
We must save Fort Boyard! The Fort located in the bay of Ile d'Aix near La Rochelle is almost 170 years old, and the site needs a makeover and especially repairs. An extraordinary project costing 36 million euros, 70% financed by Charente-Maritime and the State. The department is calling for patronage, and launched a pot at the beginning of December on the Heritage Foundation, to collect the missing 30%, or some 9 million euros.
The building located in the open sea is very damaged by climatic and marine hazards, recalls Sylvie Marcilly, the president of the department. “It needs to find its original protections by recreating a spur which will break the swell, and break the force of the waves which come crashing down on the fort.
It is not at all protected against attacks from the sea.
At the rear, the docking port needs to be rebuilt. This is a place through which we will access the Fort… The disappearance of these protective elements makes it really vulnerable. Today what we see is that the storms, more and more frequent and stronger, come to “beat” on the fort, and without these protections, it is not at all protected against the assaults of the sea.”
Credit : Luka Pambour
Protective blocks will also be put in place all around the base of the fort to mitigate swells. The prize pool is approaching 90,000 euros but we are still far from the 9 million requested.
Credit: ETPO Group
Charente Maritime assumes a huge part of this construction cost
“Every euro counts! Obviously, the department that I chair assumes a huge part of this construction cost but since it is a public building, I think that everyone can feel concerned by this rescue and what I hope is that in 2028, when it will be completely back on its feet in terms of protection, my dearest wish is to open it to the public so that young and old can go inside of the fort.“
This work, spread over three years, is necessary for the survival of the show.Fort Boyard“. Since 1990, the legendary show of trials and adventures has kept the fort alive, and despite the work, you will find Olivier Mine and Passe-partout every summer on France 2.
The show's production company will help us financially to save the fort.
“Obviously, we are going to organize ourselves to combine the two: the filming of the show and the construction of the protection elements. We will make sure that everything can happen and I would like to say that the production company of the show will help us financially… It will be a first-rate technical adventure in a hostile environment that is the sea. A perilous project to follow… This reconstruction is a historic gesture.”
At the end of the work in 2028, Fort Boyard will open to the public. You will be able to discover some rooms of the show, the treasure room or even the lookout of Father Fouras…
You can participate in its renovation and make a donation of €10 by SMS to 92 892, or make a free donation on the Heritage Foundation website.
