Batterie de la Convention, guardhouse on Sainte-Marguerite Island, Cannes, France

The Batterie de la Convention is a guardhouse on Sainte-Marguerite Island, near Cannes, France. It consists of a long building with a rough grey stone facade, lighter stone quoins at the corners, and a row of brick sections along the top, each with small openings and supported by pale stone corbels; a round-arched doorway with a dark metal gate and a white rope across it sits in the centre, with smaller arched and rectangular openings to the sides.

The Spanish built a redoubt with a cannon battery at water level on this spot before 1637. The guardhouse itself was added in 1862, and the site was decommissioned in 1889 after the annexation of Nice County made many border defences unnecessary.

The name of the battery recalls the revolutionary period, when the site was occupied by forces of the Convention. Today, the building stands as a visible marker of that era, and its rough masonry and simple form give a sense of how military posts were built and used on the island.

The site is on an island, so plan your visit around the boat crossing and allow time to walk from the landing point. The ground in front is uneven and bare, so wear shoes that can handle rough surfaces and watch your step near the openings.

During World War II, German troops added two casemates armed with 75 mm cannons just in front of the battery. These additions are easy to miss, but they show how the site was reused long after its original purpose had ended.