How do you get to Fort Paté?

The fort stands on an island in the middle of the Gironde estuary and can only be reached by boat.

Who built Fort Paté?

It was built in the late 17th century under Louis XIV, as part of the defensive system designed by Vauban to protect Bordeaux.

Is Fort Paté part of a larger group of fortifications?

Yes, together with the citadel of Blaye and Fort Médoc it forms a defensive triptych, now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Is Fort Paté a listed historic monument?

It has been a classified historic monument since a 2013 decree, following an earlier listing in 1935.

Fort Paté

Blaye

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Where: Blaye

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Fort Paté stands in Blaye (Gironde), in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France. The building is listed as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: fourth quarter of the 17th century). Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

Standing on a sandbank in the middle of the Gironde estuary, Fort Paté forms part of a defensive system designed under Vauban in the late 17th century, alongside the citadel of Blaye and Fort Médoc. Its oval shape, twelve metres high, was built less for sustained combat than to discourage enemy ships sailing toward Bordeaux. Visitors find a compact structure of stone and brick, pierced with firing loopholes, with a spiral staircase and a former powder magazine. Reachable only by boat, the fort has been part of the UNESCO-listed Vauban network of sites since 2008.

Written from Fort Paté

This place also features in Vauban’s citadels and forts

What to know

The fort sits on an island in the Gironde estuary and can only be reached by boat.
It has been listed as a classified historic monument since 2013, following an initial listing in 1935.
Visiting involves climbing a spiral staircase to reach the upper floor and terrace.
The site belongs to the Vauban network inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2008.

Where this château is

Blaye · Gironde · Nouvelle-Aquitaine

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Blaye, Gironde

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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Heritage status: Listed historic monument (classé); Mérimée record PA00083153
Period of construction: fourth quarter of the 17th century

In pictures

Frequently asked

How do you get to Fort Paté?: The fort stands on an island in the middle of the Gironde estuary and can only be reached by boat.
Who built Fort Paté?: It was built in the late 17th century under Louis XIV, as part of the defensive system designed by Vauban to protect Bordeaux.
Is Fort Paté part of a larger group of fortifications?: Yes, together with the citadel of Blaye and Fort Médoc it forms a defensive triptych, now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Is Fort Paté a listed historic monument?: It has been a classified historic monument since a 2013 decree, following an earlier listing in 1935.