Vauban Tower and other fortifications
“The most beautiful and safest harbour in the Kingdom”
Sébastien Le Prestre, Marquis of Vauban
Vauban Tower
21 metres tall and 20 metres wide. Built during King Louis XIV’s reign for military defence purposes, it has since become an iconic landmark, not just on Tatihou but also within the Val de Saire area on the mainland. To appreciate its impressive proportions, the best thing is to see this tower for yourself! It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2008 as part of the serial property Fortifications of Vauban, which includes eleven other groups of fortified buildings throughout France. Think you know about it already? Why not let our guides surprise you with their knowledge on a guided tour!
The islet’s fort
Opposite Tatihou Island is an islet with a fort built upon it. At high tide, like its parent island, it is completely surrounded by water, but at low tide it can be reached on foot. The inside of the fort is a birds’ domain: public access is not permitted. Judging by its severe appearance, you might think that this building was once a prison, but you’d be mistaken, for this was never the case!
Powder stores
The powder stores were built between 1867 and 1881. They were intended to relieve pressure on the tower which had been used to store gunpowder before them. A series of four rooms leads to the corridor entrance accessing the powder room (4.4 x 10 metres). A ventilation corridor connects three of them. The big powder magazine is surrounded by a corridor with two exits. A window had been fitted in it for checking the condition of the powder. The powder magazines are protected by a double layer of masonry and concrete all around the storerooms. This system was supposed to cushion the shock waves from any bombings. A thick layer of earth covers the whole structure.
The fortifications trail
The inter-connecting fortifications all around Vauban Tower stand testament to centuries of construction of coastal defence structures. To understand the lives of the people who once occupied the island, a new, exquisitely illustrated interpretation trail plunges visitors back into the main chapters that have shaped Tatihou’s history.
There is an interpretation trail in the fort on Tatihou Island. This provides insight into 300 years of military fortifications, from Vauban to the Second World War. Blockhaus, Tobrouk as well as defence tower and coastal observatory: defensive techniques developed hand-in-hand with artillery and were hugely varied.