Fort Liédot: The indestructible fort of Napoleon 1

Napoleon 1st, in 1810, decided to build a fort on the highest point of Ile d'Aix, a strategic position to prevent any enemy landings. The construction began under the command of Thuillier in 1810 and took 24 years to complete. The fort was designed as a square shape with a bastion at each corner and was 90 meters in length and 7 meters in height. The central court was 30 meters in length. It was a model for Redoute-modèle no 1. The French army used it for training in 1863.

Over the years, it served as a prison for political detainees, most notably during the Commune of Paris in 1871. Ahmed Ben Bella, the future President of Algeria, was imprisoned from March 1959 to May 1961. After the Second World War, it was transformed into a vacation colony for children. It was abandoned for several years and overgrown with vegetation before being purchased by the Conservatoire du littoral in 1989. It is classified as a historic monument since 1995.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons