Blaye

On the site of a roman fort and later a medieval castle, the citadel of Blaye was constructed by Vauban in 1689. It formed the third part of a barrier across the Gironde estuary designed by Vauban to protect Bordeaux from naval incursions. The other two fortifications were Fort Pâté (on an island in the middle of the Gironde) and Fort Médoc on the opposite bank.

These three fortifications prevented ships from going any farther up the estuary. If they tried to sail up the western side of the Gironde they would be caught in a crossfire between Fort Pâté and Fort Médoc and if they tried to sail up the eastern side, between Fort Pâté and Blaye citadel.

The fortifications take the form of a large semi-circle backing onto the river. There are four arrow-headed bastions and three demi-lunes. The defences are surrounded by a large ditch, which is cut out of the rock in places, and there are also seaward defences.

The defences are layered in places, with the large bastions on the lower wall, and smaller bastions above them on the inner, higher wall. Another unusual feature is the tower-like structure that is forms the flank of a bastion, but rises above the bastion and has embrasures giving out onto the bastion itself (see picture left).

Vauban himself said that of all his work, he was most satisfied with the fortifications at Blaye, which is impressive in itself especially so as Vauban worked on over 160 fortifications in his life! He seems justified, for Blaye is very strong, with its four monumental bastions, its protective demi-lunes and its layered defence, not to mention the deep, wide ditch.

Visiting Blaye

There is no station at Blaye, so buses are the only way of getting there if you don't have a car with you. Bus route 201 runs from Bordeaux to Blaye, taking about an hour and a half and costing around €10 each way.

Blaye is in wine growing country (in fact one of the bastions contains a vineyard!), and I have been told by people with more taste than me in this area that the region is worth visiting to get cheap, quality wine.

The fortress is in excellent condition for the most part, although the covered way has been sadly neglected. One of the demi-lunes in the north has been partly demolished to make room for a cricket pitch, and there are some strange constructions and a burnt-out shed in the ditch in the north, but other than that the fortifications are as they were when Vauban built them. Blaye is a good example of a well-preserved fortress with arrow headed bastions, typical of Vauban's early work.