of the
French National Navy Museum.
Origins (17th–18th centuries) The construction of the fort was first considered during a build-up of the French armed forces undertaken by
Louis XIV between 1661 and 1667. The
Pertuis d'Antioche was a frequent site of naval engagements between the navies of France and
England during this time, and France had already established fortifications on nearby islands and peninsulae to fend off incursions from the English
Royal Navy. With the limited range of artillery in the 17th century, there was an unprotected gap between the
fields of fire of the fortifications on the islands of Aix and Oléron; a fort on Boyard bank, roughly midway between the two, would have filled that gap. Fort Boyard was to form a line of fortifications with artillery stationed on Oléron (to the west), Fort de la Rade (on
Île-d'Aix to the east), and
Fort Énet (on a tidal island even further to the east) to protect the port and arsenal at
Rochefort. In 1692 the French engineer Descombs began planning the construction of the fort; however, once it became clear how expensive it would be the scheme was abandoned.
Vauban, Louis XIV's leading
military engineer, famously advised against it, saying "Your Majesty, it would be easier to seize the moon with your teeth than to attempt such an undertaking in such a place". The project was suspended in 1809.
Mid 19th century construction restart and completion Construction resumed in 1837, under
Louis Philippe I, following renewed tensions with the United Kingdom. The fortifications were completed in 1857.
Operational period and decline Designed to house up to 250–260 men, it became operational around 1859 with sufficient room for a garrison of 250 men; however, by this time the range of artillery cannons had significantly increased, covering the hitherto unprotected gap and making the fort unnecessary. After 1871, Fort Boyard was briefly used as a military prison, and abandoned in 1913, after which the unmaintained fort slowly deteriorated and crumbled into the sea.
Later use and restoration In 1950 it was made a listed building, and in 1961 was sold to
Charente Maritime Regional Council. Sold in 1962 at auction to a Belgian dentist, it attracted attention as a location for filming
The Last Adventure, starring
Alain Delon,
Lino Ventura and
Joanna Shimkus in 1967 and again in 1981 for TV game show
La Chasse aux Trésors. Acquired in 1988 by producer
Jacques Antoine, it was transferred to the Charente-Maritime département for €1 under the condition of financed restoration in order to host the new game show
Fort Boyard. It has been used as the location for the filming of both the French and international versions of the
TV game show of the same name each year since 1990. In 1989, the reconstruction of the fort began in preparation for hosting the game show. An access platform for the berth of ships was built 25 metres from it (the old fort pier was destroyed long ago). The fort was completely cleared of a huge layer of
guano (50 cm thick). In 1996, artillery platforms were also restored. However, the fort was still exposed to damage from the sea. Therefore, in 1998, additional restoration work was carried out. The outer walls were completely cleaned and the sealing of the terrace completed. The final stage was the restoration of a central courtyard, which was completed in early 2004. As of 2025, there has been work on restoring the original protective features on the fortress which were lost during the 1900’s. In 2020 there was reports of the deterioration of the fort that could cause major losses to the fort. As part of the restoration project an investment of €36.6 million for the fort repairs and to add the following features. The reconstruction of the spur to the north aims to protect the fort from swell and sea currents, while avoiding any transmission of mechanical forces to the structure itself. The reconstruction of the southern landing stage aims to protect the rear of the fort and its foundations from the action of the swell, while allowing, when nautical conditions permit, direct access to the fort. The purpose of the berm restoration is to limit the effects of erosion and scouring generated by currents and waves. Protecting the entire perimeter of the fort is essential to maintain the stability of its foundation. The replacement of protective blocks helps dissipate some of the wave energy upstream of the structures, thus acting as a first barrier before the waves reach the reconstructed structures, then the fort. With the intent to also allow people to freely access the fortress by 2028. ==References==