Hiers-Brouage, Fortified citadel in Charente-Maritime, France
Hiers-Brouage is a fortified citadel with a square layout measuring 400 meters on each side, surrounded by high stone walls, bastions, and watchtowers. Two monumental gates serve as the main entrances to this geometric fortress.
The citadel was founded in 1555 by Jacques de Pons as a salt trading port that supplied much of Europe. It was later transformed into a major military fortress under Cardinal Richelieu to protect this strategic coastal position.
The church here displays stained glass windows from Quebec and New Brunswick that honor key figures who shaped New France. These windows tell stories of people who lived between two worlds and left their mark on the colonial settlement.
You can walk along a 2-kilometer path at about 8 meters height on the ramparts that looks out over the salt marshes below. This elevated walkway lets you see the islands of Oléron and Aix across the water while getting a sense of the fortress from different angles.
Hidden beneath the fortress walls lies an underground port where ships could safely load and unload cargo away from attacks. The site also contained a 4-meter deep ice well that stored winter ice for making frozen desserts during the warmer months.
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