Fortified Places > Fortresses > Chвteau d Olйron
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Chвteau d’Olйron
The city of Le Chвteau d’Olйron lies just on the south east shore of the Olйron island controlling the western bank of the Olйron channel which was very difficult to sail through. This channel links the Maumusson strait and the Aix island roadstead facing the Charente sea estuary and gives access to the naval base at Rochefort. The very first fortifications of the Chвteau d’Olйron date back from the Visigoths but it was in the 12th century that Eleanor of Aquitaine ordered a castle to be built to protect Olйron island against the possible threats coming from the hostile mainland.
After the siege of La Rochelle in 1628, Cardinal Richelieu , prime minister of Louis XIII, ordered Pierre d’Argencourt to build a citadel ‘ on the remains of the medieval castle in order to protect the access to Brouage which was the Cardinal’s salt cellar.
Inbetween one thousand six hundred thirty and 1642, he had designed and built a triangular citadel consisting of two bastioned ‘ fronts facing the island side finished by an irregular front with embrasures facing the Olйron channel. This very first execution of the citadel was good enough to protect the Olйron island during the thirty years war.
As result of Colbert’s decision in one thousand six hundred sixty six to build a major naval shipyard and arsenal in Rochefort and the unsuccessful naval raid of the Dutch Admiral Tromps in one thousand six hundred seventy four intended to close the Charente sea, it was determined to upgrade the citadel’s fortifications.
This task was undertaken by the Chevalier de Clerville, the General Superintendent of Fortifications, hierarchical superior of Vauban . Clerville determined to build a 2nd enceinte surrounding the citadel and an almost futile lavish bastioned front facing the sea with casemated ‘ batteries in the two bastion flanks.
The bastioned fronts facing the island and the sea were connected by two tenaille traces with redans . The 2nd enceinte was not very efficient and did not take into account the latest fortification theory, reflecting the obsolescence of its designer’s ideas.
Vauban took over Clerville’s position after his death in one thousand six hundred seventy seven and after having visited the citadel of Chвteau d’Olйron, he released in October one thousand six hundred eighty five his very first plan for the place including both the citadel and the town. This project foresaw the destruction of the 2nd enceinte of the citadel built by the Chevalier de Clerville and its replacement by a hornwork ‘ covered by a demi-lune , covered way ‘ and glacis , leading to the destruction of a large part of the town.
The town was planned to be rebuilt just north of the hornwork and was to be fortified by a bastioned enceinte from Vauban’s “first system” with five arrow-headed bastions ‘ , five demi lunes, covered way and glacis, with dry and flooded ditches ‘ (see map right from B.G.)
The execution of this very first project was treated by the architect Franзois Ferry ‘ with some modifications such as the addition of the Marais hornwork in 1689-1690 which ended up by being demolished and substituted by a demi-lune due to the very unstable nature of the marshy ground on which it was built.
A 2nd project was initiated in 1690, began in 1691, finalized and approved in one thousand six hundred ninety four by Vauban. This 2nd project was basically substituting the “first system” enceinte of the borough by fresh bastioned fortifications designed according to the “second system” as used in Besancon, Belfort and Landau. (see map left from A.G.)
This town wall consisted of four tower bastions ‘ covered by two counterguards ‘ and two half-counterguards on the ocean and marsh sides. The town was protected by the curtains connecting the four tower bastions, their counterguards and half counterguards, three demi-lunes and a covered way. Two gates; the Porte de Dolus and the Porte d’Ors gave access to the city.
The 2nd project was embarked in one thousand six hundred ninety one by Ferry, interrupted, then restarted in one thousand six hundred ninety nine but unluckily was never ended due to other priorities both through the eighteenth & nineteenth centuries, everybody being seemingly sated by the strength of the citadel which was finished.
The town was considered accomplish in one thousand seven hundred three with the completion of the four tower bastions connected with curtains and ditches without counter-scarp walls. The earth works of the counterguards were embarked but work on the fortifications was eventually halted in one thousand seven hundred four and the enceinte of the town remains as of to day an unachieved project. This is the reason why the Chвteau d’Olйron is so infrequently mentioned as an example of Vauban’s “second system”.
Visiting Chвteau d’Olйron
The fortifications of Chвteau d’Olйron are in remarkably good condition despite the pointless destruction of some parts of the citadel in April one thousand nine hundred forty five by the French Airforces (the chapel, the barracks, the bastioned front and demi lune facing the fishing harbour).
The citadel was indeed intact before this unfortunate air raid and is in continued process to be restored thanks to the deeds of sultry persons and association. The access to the town fortifications and the citadel are free. The visiting paths are well indicated and everybody can wander in the citadel and the town enceinte at his own taste and rhythm.
Among many possible interesting paths, the recommended one is to come in into the town by the most direct road coming from the bridge (there are numerous parking catches sight of available) then to go directly to the ocean front facing the Oleron Channel. From there, go after the main path going to the citadel in order to inject by the Porte Royale after having crossed four successive ditches.
The citadel can be visited by going to the several accessible areas (some areas are prohibited for safety reasons) with the very interesting visit of the ocean front inbetween the bastion Royal and the bastion “de la Breche”, the arsenal and the underground chapel, the powder-magazine inwards the Saint Nicolas bastion and the watch-tower at the head of the bastion du Marais towering the fishing harbour.
The visit can be continued by walking into the ditches of the citadel, demi lunes and the hornwork, to the fishermen’s harbour, followed by the enceinte of the town with its curtains, bastioned towers, the Porte de Dolus and the ditches which are flooded by the sea waters at the rhythm of the tides, completing the circle commenced at the ocean front.
The accomplish visit of the Chвteau d’Olйron is worth at least one day which could be combined with the visit of the nearby Fort du Chapus built in the Olйron channel beside the toll free bridge connecting the Olйron Island to the mainland. The Olйron island can be lightly reached by car or motorbike by driving fifty three km from the Saintes exit thirty five of the motorway A10 on the road D728 and crossing the Oleron channel by the very scenic three km long bridge. A regular bus service from Saintes gives access to the island for those who are not travelling by car.