Fortifications of Saint-Martin-de-Ré

In 1674, Louis XIV ordered Vauban to build a stronghold at Saint-Martin-de-Ré to protect the royal arsenal at Rochefort, created in 1666 by Colbert, from the English. The fortifications at Saint-Martin were strategic: it was a place of refuge for the inhabitants of the island of Ré in the event of a siege. Vauban designed a 7km wall, lined with a moat, surrounding the town and linking it to the Citadelle, now a prison. Two gates, the Toiras gate and the Campani gate, provided access to the...