Fort de Suzac

En un regard

Le château en bref

Fort de Suzac is a complex of military fortifications built on the Pointe de Suzac, in the commune of Saint-Georges-de-Didonne. The coastal defences installed in the seventeenth century were considerably strengthened under the First Empire, in order to protect the entrance to the Gironde from possible English incursions. In the second half of the nineteenth century, owing to technological advances in armaments, the fort was considered obsolete. Plans to modernise it were launched under Louis-Philippe I, resulting in the construction of a guardhouse in 1846. These deliberations continued until May–July 1877, when concrete projects were committed to paper. Finally, 100,000 francs were allocated in September 1877 for the modernisation of the fort (and of the Fort du Chay, in Royan), supplemented by a further 70,500 francs in April 1878 and an additional 150,000 francs at the end of the same month. New batteries and a casemated powder magazine (1882), which still exists, were built. The site was entirely remodelled from 1942, during the Second World War, under the direction of the Organisation Todt, tasked with protecting the coasts by building the ‘Atlantic Wall’, intended to deter the Allies from landing. Eight concrete casemates were erected. Fort de Suzac regained its full strategic importance for the duration of the conflict, notably at the time of the formation of the Royan pocket in August–September 1944.