La Tour Fondue, Hyères, 17th-century fort in Giens Peninsula, Hyères, France
La Tour Fondue, also called the Pradeau battery, is a small polygonal fort from the 17th century at the southern end of the Giens peninsula. A rounded, light-tan masonry bastion with vertical firing slits stands beside a flat-faced wall topped by a row of evenly spaced slits and a low flat roofline. The structure rests directly on a rocky cliff above the sea.
The fortification was built in the 17th century as part of a coastal defense system against maritime invasion. It served as an important watch station at a strategically vital location for French Mediterranean defense.
The name comes from the Provençal Tour Foundudo, meaning "split or ruined tower". The fort is not a ferry terminal; the nearby port below it is where boats leave for Porquerolles. Since 12 November 2022 the restored fort has housed an interpretation centre for the Port-Cros and Porquerolles national park.
The fort itself is closed to the public for safety reasons and has been unoccupied since 1980; only the access footbridge was restored and made safe in the 2000s. A full restoration began in November 2020, funded with 2.5 million euros, and the Port-Cros and Porquerolles park interpretation centre opened there on 12 November 2022. The building stands on a rocky cliff above the sea at the southern end of the Giens peninsula.
The name "Tour Fondue" comes from the Provençal "Tour Foundudo", meaning "split or ruined tower". The fort was listed as a monument historique in 1989, became Port-Cros National Park property in 1978, and reopened on 12 November 2022 as an interpretation centre after a 2.5-million-euro restoration.
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