Guidebook with maps/step-by-step
1 - Seafront: Situated on the north coast of the island, Saint-Martin faces the Vendée department. On a clear day, you can see the Ars bell tower, the Baleines lighthouse and the Loix peninsula to the west. The defensive system on the seafront is simple, with soldiers standing guard along the sentry walk that runs alongside the rampart. The ramparts were lined with battlements so that cannons could be installed in the event of an attack from the sea.
This device could accommodate a battery of around a hundred guns. The rampart here is 11 m high and 2 m thick.
2 - Poterne: Passage linking the ditch to the town, measuring 20 metres in length. Planned by Vauban as early as 1685, these underground passageways were not opened until 1793.
3 - Land defence : The overhead view shows how the ground defence system was organised, comprising the glacis, the double enclosure and the half-moons. Work began in 1681 and lasted 10 years. 12,000 workers were needed to build the fortifications. The stone was brought in from the mainland by boat. As you walk up the Cours Pasteur towards the Porte des Campani, the orientation table provides a better understanding of the defensive system put in place by Vauban.
4 - Porte des Campani: Built around 1685, this is one of the town's two gates. It was preceded by a drawbridge, which became a dormant bridge at the end of the 18th century. Comprising a vaulted tunnel, it was once closed by a double wooden door studded with double leaves. The sculpted decoration consists of flags and mantling, and the pediment features a radiant sun, the symbol of King Louis XIV.
This device could accommodate a battery of around a hundred guns. The rampart here is 11 m high and 2 m thick.
2 - Poterne: Passage linking the ditch to the town, measuring 20 metres in length. Planned by Vauban as early as 1685, these underground passageways were not opened until 1793.
3 - Land defence : The overhead view shows how the ground defence system was organised, comprising the glacis, the double enclosure and the half-moons. Work began in 1681 and lasted 10 years. 12,000 workers were needed to build the fortifications. The stone was brought in from the mainland by boat. As you walk up the Cours Pasteur towards the Porte des Campani, the orientation table provides a better understanding of the defensive system put in place by Vauban.
4 - Porte des Campani: Built around 1685, this is one of the town's two gates. It was preceded by a drawbridge, which became a dormant bridge at the end of the 18th century. Comprising a vaulted tunnel, it was once closed by a double wooden door studded with double leaves. The sculpted decoration consists of flags and mantling, and the pediment features a radiant sun, the symbol of King Louis XIV.
