The Battle of the Feneau Bridge

In November 1627, on the Ile de Ré, the Battle of the Feneau Bridge marked a major turning point in the history of European conflicts. This confrontation between the French army and Anglo-Protestant troops led by the Duke of Buckingham shook the shores of the island, sealing the fate of several thousand soldiers and influencing the Thirty Years’ War. Find out more about this historic battle, its context and its major consequences.

We are in a complex European period of the XVIIᵉ century, where the Thirty Years War pits many states against each other. France was seeking to assert itself in this conflict while securing its predominantly Catholic territory. The Edict of Nantes (1598) had legalised Protestantism under certain conditions.

Under the reign of Louis XIII and at the instigation of Richelieu, the Crown kept a watchful eye on Protestant towns such as La Rochelle. The Ile de Ré thus became a strategic point opposite La Rochelle.

English troops disembarked in 1625 in an attempt to take the island, but encountered considerable resistance, particularly at the Battle of Ars. This first confrontation (September 1625) ended in defeat for the Protestants and the English, with around 1,550 deaths.

It was only the beginning…

The Battle of Feneau took place in 1627. To bypass the French defences, British troops led by the Duke of Buckingham landed at Sablanceaux, on the south-eastern tip of the island. The expedition got off to a bad start, with soldiers drowned and equipment lost. The Anglo-Protestant army, supported by Benjamin de Rohan (Baron de Soubise), took Fort La Prée and then laid siege to Saint-Martin-de-Ré.

The village held out, thanks to Henri de Schomberg and Jean de Saint-Bonnet de Toiras. French reinforcements arrived from Fort La Prée.

When the siege failed, the Anglo-Protestants tried to flee towards Loix, but the French caught up with them near the Feneau bridge, a narrow wooden bridge built on boats.

On 8 November 1627, a confrontation broke out. Some of the soldiers tried to retreat to a building in the marshes – La Davière. But the retreat was blocked. A gun carriage overturned by the French cut off the escape. Mired in the mud, the British soldiers were killed en masse despite their pleas.

Several officers, including Buckingham, managed to make it back to Loix to embark. Baron de Soubise was abandoned by the English. Once they had fled, the bridge was set on fire. The battle was eventually forgotten.

This French victory paved the way for greater French involvement in the Thirty Years’ War. England suffered a major setback. The Duke of Buckingham was assassinated shortly afterwards by John Felton, one of his officers.

On a national level, La Rochelle, the last major Protestant stronghold, had already been under siege since September 1627, but found itself isolated and capitulated the following year. This episode marked a severe blow to the Wars of Religion.

Locally, the impact was terrible, with around 3,000 British dead. Some of the marshes at Loix are said to have been nicknamed “the English pit”, because so many bodies were found there. Two centuries later, bones were still buried near the old bridge.

Even on the Ile de Ré, this battle is gradually fading from the collective memory.

Today, the Ile de Ré is a popular destination for its heritage, nature and charming villages, but it remains scarred by these events of the XVIIᵉ century. The island is home to many historic sites, perfect for understanding its role in the Wars of Religion, French maritime strategy and local history.

Today, the Battle of the Feneau Bridge occupies a singular place in the history of the Ile de Ré. Although less well known than other military episodes, it sheds light on the geopolitical issues of the XVIIᵉ century and French defensive strategy in the face of England. The Feneau site and the surrounding marshes, accessible by foot, still allow us to imagine the intensity of the battle and explore a little-known but essential part of the island’s heritage.

The Battle of the Feneau Bridge has been brought back to light thanks to research by the Ile de Ré Patrimoine association, which is helping to document this little-known page in thehistory of the Ile de Ré.