Visit Fort Médoc! Heritage and a beautiful view on the program

Discover Bordeaux & Gironde

Fort Médoc is located in Cussac-Fort-Medoc. It is a pleasant visit, which allows the discovery of a place with a historical past forming part of the determining " Vauban lock " in the region, while offering the attraction of a beautiful natural place on the edges of the estuary of the Gironde, in the Médoc. Fort Médoc can be discovered with the family, it is a site that offers a museography suitable for everyone. You can complete your visit with a river trip, as there is a dock at the end of the park! Follow us to Fort Médoc!

Photo © Guide Bordeaux Gironde

What is the estuary lock?

The Gironde estuary, which is one of the largest estuaries in Europe, has always been a strategic place for the territorial conquest of the region. This is where two rivers meet, or sorry, rather two rivers: the Dordogne and the Gironde (because you should know that studies have shown that they run side by side, so they are rivers. The subject is as sensitive as chocolatine and pain au chocolat here!). Bordeaux is a city of commerce, thanks in particular to this estuary which makes it possible to supply and export goods in both directions and then to the rest of the department and the region. It is therefore a sensitive place and to protect it, in the ^17th century, the good King Louis XIV asked his general commissioner for fortifications, Vauban, to greatly improve the defense of this place. It is then a real work of encircling the fragile zones which is engaged. The cannons of the time only having a range of 3km, it was necessary to ensure that the estuary could be protected from attacks from all sides: 3 structures were positioned: The Citadel of Blaye, Fort Pâté sur a sand bank and Fort Médoc on the opposite side. Today and since 2008, these 3 defensive works are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The visit will immerse you in this military and commercial past and inform you about the great engineering of this man who would become Marshal.

Read our article: The most beautiful villages along the Gironde estuary

Visit Fort Medoc

Fort Médoc (built in 1689) defends the Left Bank from the estuary. It is not placed haphazardly, its positioning is strategic, in height as well as where it is, in relation to the width of the estuary. The geology and geography of the land also come into play, since a stable foundation was needed for the construction and an unobstructed view. From the entrance we recognize the defensive character of the work: vaulted passage, portcullis (only its location remains), loopholes, second door... We recognize the coat of arms of Louis XIV (the Sun King) on the tympanum of the door . An exhibition traces the life of Sébastien le Prestre Vauban, his work, his local projects and across France and finally the specificities of Fort Médoc.

Not very far from Fort Médoc, come and visit the Phare de Richard and if you don't go all the way up, you can always take a walk to discover the "Mattes" (land reclaimed from the estuary by an intelligent drainage system in the 18th century, which will be reminiscent of Dutch techniques, etc.), by taking the dyke which offers superb views of the estuary.

We recognize Vauban's touch in the wide esplanades and grassy ramparts, the flood-prone ditches and with an ingenious system of locks to keep them in water even when the tide goes out, the rectangular shapes with marked angles, surmounted by bastions and curtain walls to observe, circulate and act in case of need….

The buildings you see were the living quarters of the garrisons in place. There are beautiful vaulted rooms, which were armories, places for storing food and ammunition. Two barracks (there are only a few stones left to guess the location) made it possible to accommodate up to 300 men, they are flanked on each side by a large esplanade. Vauban was not at his first attempt, he built more than 150 similar strongholds but of different sizes and appearance, across France.

You wonder if all this paraphernalia was used? Fort Médoc was never attacked, is this proof of its dissuasive effectivenes, its ingenious design or a stroke of luck?

The visit of Fort Médoc will allow you to understand the particularly difficult living conditions of the garrisons and soldiers in place. Whether in terms of comfort, food, access to drinking water, everything was a real challenge. For nearly 10 years, the soldiers will have very rudimentary living conditions, since they integrate the Fort even though the construction has not come to an end. Let's not forget that they are also in the heart of a swamp, with mosquitoes and the humidity that goes hand in hand with muddy conditions, accentuated by high tides. The bakery was probably the nicest place with its two bread ovens.

It was only in 1916 that Fort Médoc was disarmed! Another place to visit in the Médoc, which tells another story of defence, concrete, war: The Atlantic Wall… La Batterie des Arros near Soulac-sur-Mer. And after, we go to Charente Maritime, with the BAC, which is also great for a simple walk, the children love it.

For further

You can take a pleasant bike ride to Cussac Fort Médoc, it's a loop to see squares, marshes, and enjoy beautiful views of the estuary. You will cross part of the vineyards, which cover more than half of the town. The wine produced is from the Haut-Médoc and Saint-Julien appellations.

Good to know: Fort Médoc offers an augmented reality visit, thanks to an application that can be downloaded to a Smartphone to see what the Fort was like before. There is also a treasure hunt for children.

And why not combine this visit with a boat trip? A pontoon is located at the end of the fort, on the estuary side, to allow you to take a walk (to be booked upstream) to fully understand the very special environment that the estuary represents. The Ponton de Cussac is accessible to boaters (ask the Cussac Town Hall).

Read our articles to organize your stay in the Médoc: Enjoy the Indian summer in the Médoc ! We take you to the Sud-Médoc out of season , all year round there are things to do there, it is one of the favorite beaches of the people of Bordeaux...