Photo : Eric Gaba (Sting - fr:Sting) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Fort du Guesclin
Built on the remains of an older fortress, Fort du Guesclin, at Saint-Coulomb in the Ille-et-Vilaine, is cut off on its island as soon as the tide rises. Its name comes from the builder of the first structure, Bertrand Du Guesclin, ancestor of the warrior of the same name. The first fortress, built in 1160 and occupied by the family for three generations, changed hands in August 1234 when King Louis granted it to Henry d'Avaugour.
The original fortress on the island deteriorated over the years and was eventually dismantled and razed. Based on defensive systems designed by Vauban, the present fort was built in 1758 to defend the coast against English attacks. Long demilitarised, it is now occupied by private residents; it was once the home of the singer Léo Ferré.
