It is imposing, majestic and magnificent. The citadel of Blaye can be visited during the summer period. This discovery can be made with a guide from the tourism office. His service is chargeable. You can also choose to do an independent walk. Access to the citadel is free.
– Blaye tourist office
The citadel of Blaye is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built to protect. As the estuary is wide, it was necessary to build a fortress at the height of the place.
The numbers are impressive:
- 1.5 km of ramparts
- 37 hectares of surface area to house and protect 2,500 soldiers at the time
- 4 years of construction
- Ramparts that are 5 meters thick and up to 30 meters high
The Vauban lock
The Vauban lock, located on the Gironde estuary, is made up of three fortifications: the Citadel of Blaye, Fort Pâté and Fort Médoc.
In the 17th century, Louis XIV asked Vauban to improve the existing fortifications at Blaye to protect the city of Bordeaux, located further upstream on the Garonne. However, to block the enemy’s passage to this great city, Vauban had to build two other forts. Indeed, the firing range of the guns does not cover the 3 kilometers wide of the Gironde (estuary). Thus, thanks to the construction of Fort Pâté and Fort Médoc and the improvement of the fortifications at Blaye, Vauban obtained crossfire and prevented the enemy from reaching Bordeaux. This Vauban triptych is unique in France.
– Blaye tourist office
Visit of the underground passages of the Citadel
The citadel is surprising because, under the fortress, the visitor will be able to discover passages sometimes dug in the rock. The temperature is constant, winter and summer. Sometimes you have to bend down to move forward and stalactites even end up appearing. These underground corridors were built to prevent attackers’ bullets from reaching their targets. The walls are curved (the bullet was going straight and ended up hitting the wall, rather than a soldier). 3 underground visits per day per the tourism office : 11 a.m., 2.30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Reservations are required as this tour is in high demand.
The guided tour of the citadel of Blaye begins at Place d’armes (at the foot of the flag – in the citadel). You have an appointment 5 minutes before the time indicated on the tickets. We present to you Vauban’s defense system, life in the fortress in the 17th century and in the Middle Ages and the evolution of the site since Antiquity. The guide also leads you through the secret passages of the fortress. You walk in ditches, you climb stairs…,
The guided tour takes place half outdoors and half indoors. For people with reduced mobility, we inform you that the visit route is 1.2 km and that we go up or down a hundred steps. In summer, we advise you to bring mosquito repellent. In case of rain, bring clothes and shoes suitable for this type of weather.
Getaway, visit, discovery of the Citadel of Blaye with a guide: this is HERE