Fort-la-Latte, Medieval castle on Cap Fréhel peninsula, France
Fort-la-Latte sits on a granite promontory overlooking Saint-Malo Bay, protected by two drawbridges that span deep natural crevices in the rock. The complex is organized into sections including a barbican, courtyard, chapel, dungeon, and artillery area that together show how a medieval coastal defense worked.
The fortress was founded in the 13th century by the Goyon-Matignon family and later transformed between 1690 and 1715 by architect Siméon Garangeau into a specialized coastal defense post. This renovation phase modernized it to protect against naval attacks.
The fortress served as a filming location that shaped how people imagine medieval coastal castles, bringing its image to audiences worldwide. Its architecture appears regularly in travel photography and media, blending military defense with romantic medieval imagery.
The site is open daily from April through September, with guided tours covering the barbican, courtyard, chapel, dungeon, and artillery sections. Wear comfortable walking shoes since the paths cross drawbridges and traverse the castle structure.
A rare 18th-century furnace in the lower courtyard heated cannonballs to create incendiary projectiles for coastal defense. This device reveals the innovations defenders used to improve their defense capabilities.
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Brittany combines medieval architecture with natural landscapes that shape the region's character. Granite cliffs, forests, lighthouses, and fishing villages dot the coastline. Visitors discover Celtic megaliths, castles, abbeys, and museums filled with maritime history. The shoreline displays...
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I had the opportunity to visit this fort during a very nice medieval event with costumed characters, etc. Beautiful setting!
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