At the behest of Louis XIV, Colbert proposed creating a fort on the Atlantic because the Rochefort arsenal was highly vulnerable to English raids. However, the construction of the fort was abandoned due to the cost. Napoleon I resumed the idea and completed its construction in 1859.
This fortification served as a French defense against the English before being used as a prison. Abandoned by the army in 1913 and restored at the end of the last century, it now serves as the setting for the famous TV show Fort Boyard.
A quirky walk by the miniature Atlantic, stopping at La Rochelle's tiny port lets you see the Fort Boyard model up close. The miniature Fort Boyard even features a tiger in the lookout at the top of the model! The Fort Boyard monument at France Miniature is an attraction by itself.
