Built in the 18th century, the Hôtel de Brienne had several owners before it was purchased by the State in 1817. Today it is home to the Ministry of Defence. In 1725 a reputable businessman called François Duret bought some land, which is now situated between rue Saint-Dominique and rue de l'Université, on behalf of the Marquess of Prie, the mistress of the Duke of Bourbon, who wanted to have a large mansion house built there. After the Duke of Bourbon was disgraced in 1726, the Marquess of Prie gave up the idea of living in the hôtel that was under construction and it was then sold to Françoise de Mailly, the widow of the marquis of La Vrillière. In 1733 she sold the building to Louise-Elisabeth of Bourbon, princess of Conti, who had some major changes made to the interior decoration under the supervision of the architect Simonnet. Just before her death in 1775, the princess of Conti donated the hôtel to her grandson, Louis-François-Joseph of Bourbon, the Count of La Marche. He then sold it the following year to Louis-Marie-Athanase of Loménie, the Count of Brienne, who was named Secretary of State for War in 1787. L'hôtel de Conti thus took the name of the Hôtel de Brienne, which it retains to this day and was home for the first time in its history to a minister of war.

The day after the death of the Count of Brienne, guillotined in May 1794, the building was confiscated by the revolutionary administration, who installed the commission for commerce and provisions there. Returned to the Countess of Brienne in 1795, the hôtel was sold in 1798 to the wife of François Séguy, a general businessman in military subsistence, who had a lot of refurbishment work carried out under the supervision of the architect Lavoyepierre. The Séguys were to fall victim to financial difficulties and soon had to be parted from their new acquisition. In 1800, the hôtel was sold at auction by the civil court of first instance in the Seine département to Joseph Lanfrey, an employee at the office of military subsistence, who rented it to the then interior minister, Lucien Bonaparte. In 1802, Lucien Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, bought it and rearranged the interior of the building and the furniture, before reselling it in 1805 to his mother, Laetizia Bonaparte, née Ramolino. The building thus became "the Palace of Madame Bonaparte, the Mother of the Emperor". Bought back from Madame Bonaparte by the State in 1817, the Hôtel de Brienne from then onwards became the customary residence of the Minister for War. Because of this, the building has been witness to some great political events. It was here that Clémenceau organised the victory in 1917. It was also here that General de Gaulle had his headquarters, first of all as Secretary of State for War in June 1940 and then as head of the temporary government from the 25th August 1944 until the 26th January 1946. This site is not open to the public, except on Heritage Days.
This historic monument, allocated to the Ministry of Defence, comes under the umbrella of a Defence and Culture protocol signed on the 17th September 2005. Click here to see the list of other buildings ...
Ministry of Defence General Secretary for Administration Department of Remembrance, Heritage and Archives Office of cultural and museographic activities 14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr

In 1603, Henri IV decided to found a college and donated his Château de La Flèche to the Jesuits. The college grew and was reorganised as a cadet school in 1764. It was during this period that it took on its military mission before the Prytanée de Saint-Cyr was transferred here in 1808. It contains a remarkable library.

In September 1603, Henri IV decided to found a college to “instruct young people and get them to love sciences, honour and virtue, to be able to serve the public...” and donated his Château de La Flèche to the Jesuits, a château that his grandmother had had built in the 16^th century. One of its first students, René Descartes, who stayed there from 1607 to 1615, told, notably in the first part of the Discourse on Method, the story of the education he received there.

The college was then expanded: a vast church and large buildings were constructed. The main structure of the Church of Saint-Louis was built between 1607 and 1621. Its Baroque interior decoration was completed in 1693. Three components of the décor are of particular notice: the large retable by Pierre Corbineau (1633), the organ and its tribune (1640) and the royal cenotaphs containing the hearts of Henri IV and Marie de Medici.

In 1764, two years after the expulsion of the Jesuits, Louis XV and Choiseul reorganised the college as a “École de Cadets ou École militaire préparatoire à l'École militaire du Champ de Mars” (Cadet School or Military School preparing for admission to the Champ de Mars Military School). It was during this period that it took on its true military mission.

In 1808, Napoleon I decided to transfer the Prytanée de Saint-Cyr to La Flèche. It is located in two quarters.

The historic quarter (16 ha / 40 acres), located in the centre of La Flèche, is home to the command, preparatory classes for admission to the military “Grandes écoles”, the medical centre, workshops, etc.

The Gallieni quarter (13 ha / 32 acres) is on the edge of the town. Originally, it comprised the La Tour d'Auvergne barracks, built in 1876 for the 117^th Infantry Regiment. In 1921, it became the secondary school quarter.

The present school infrastructure was put in place starting in the 1950s. The library, in the shape of a long, vaulted vessel decorated with two frescos depicting Calliope and Urania, holds over 30,000 encyclopaedic volumes. It notably has over a thousand books from the old Jesuit collection. The oldest book is an incunable of “The City of God” by Saint Augustine dating from 1470. Amongst its other treasures, there is a Homer and a Virgil from the 16^th century, a multilingual Bible from 1645 and the Encyclopédie by Diderot and d'Alembert.

All of the buildings are classified or listed in the inventory of historic monuments. Today, the Prytanée National Militaire is one of six military high schools around the country under the authority of the Ministry of Defence. It is also at the crossroads of the Ministries of Education and Culture. Furthermore, it is the heir to the Prytanée established by Napoleon as of 1800 and transferred to the town in the Sarthe department in 1808. Since then, it has pursued the same educational mission and, since 1982, has the dual vocation of assisting families for the secondary school and assisting in the recruitment of officers for the preparatory classes.

The Prytanée covers a total surface area of 29 hectares (72 acres). It is located in two quarters, Henri IV and Gallieni.

The Henri IV quarter

The Henri IV quarter, covering 16 hectares (40 acres), is located in the centre of La Flèche.

Today, this quarter is home to:

• The Prytanée command (staff headquarters and academic administration).

• Preparatory classes for admission to the military “Grandes écoles”, with some 300 students in an academic environment (dormitories, cafeteria service and recreation rooms).

• Support to ensure the establishment’s proper operations.

• Library and documentation centre.

• Saint-Louis Church.

• Several sports facilities (swimming pool, military equestrian section, gymnasium and sports fields).

The Gallieni quarter

The Gallieni quarter is 800 metres as the crow flies from the Henri IV quarter. It covers 13 hectares (32 acres) on the edge of the town of La Flèche. Originally, it comprised the “La Tour d'Auvergne” barracks, built in 1876 for the 117^th Infantry Regiment.

Today, this quarter is home to:

• The 3 years of high school classes, with some 450 students in an academic environment (dormitories, cafeteria service and recreation rooms and clubs).

• A documentation centre.

• A sports complex.

This historic monument, entrusted to the Ministry of Defence, is part of a Defence Culture protocol signed on 17 September 2005.

.
Prytanée National Militaire

22, rue du Collège 72208 La Flèche Cedex

Ministry of Defence

Secrétariat Général pour l'Administration Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives

(Secretary General for Administration, Department of Remembrance, Heritage and Archives)

14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées

E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr

Around 1610, the Lord of Boisgeffroi, André Barrin, built a double corps de logis. This structure, which was renovated, converted and redesigned by its various owners, would go on to become the current Command Post of the North West region.

Until its sale in December 1702 by André Barrin's daughter, the mansion remained in the possession of this rich family.

The new owner was René Le Prestre, seigneur of Lézonnet, and the mansion was renamed de Lézonnet in 1731, before becoming the Hôtel de Châteaugiron in 1733, since René Le Prestre had acquired the domain of Châteaugiron among others. He converted the original structure, giving it its current appearance.

In 1797, the mansion was sold when the de Lézonnet family left Rennes. Throughout the first half of the 19th century, the mansion was owned by the Comtesse de Martel and her son-in-law Alexandre Roznyvinen de Piré, who lived in half of the building, with tenants occupying the rest.

In 1860, Princess Napoléone Élisa Bacciochi, Napoleon's niece, bought the hotel and restored it to a single residence in its original splendour. It is her we have to thank for the sumptuous inlaid floors and the chandeliers as well as the staircase and pedimented canopy on the facade. Before her death in 1869, she bequeathed the mansion on the rue de Corbin to the imperial prince.

A military property

Under Napoléon III, the War Department bought the Hôtel de Châteaugiron on the 31st July 1869.

At the fall of the Second Empire, the mansion became the headquarters of the 16th infantry division and later of the 10th Army Corps and the 10th Regional Division.

From 1871 up to the modern day, the mansion has continuously been the headquarters and residence of successive generals, except for the period where the property was occupied by the German authorities (20th June 1940 - 4th August 1944).

After the Liberation, the mansion was the headquarters of the 3rd Regional Division and then of the Defence of Rennes Military Authorities.

In 2000, it became the command post of the North West Region.
 

This historical monument, administered by the Ministry of Defence, is part of a Defence Culture Protocol, signed on 17th September 2005.

Ministère de la défense

Secrétariat Général pour l'Administration

Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives

14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées

E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr

In Landrethun-le-nord, in a place called "Mimoyecques", a secret base was built underground. It was intended to launch hundreds of V3 missiles per day on London. It was destroyed on 6 July 1944 with Tallboy bombs.

Excavations have uncovered an entrance, and some of the shafts can be visited. The V-3 (Vergeltungswaffen) was planned to bombard England, and more precisely London, its only target. But the lack of mobility of this kind of weapon made it extremely vulnerable to bombarding and air raids. This is why it had to be contained in a fortified system.

Five of these shafts were constructed in Mimoyecques, in the commune of Marquise in the Pas-de-Calais, along with an entire network of service shafts, tunnels and rooms on several levels, essential for troops staying there and for the many technical departments. An interior railway line was even built to provide transport from one end to the other. On the surface, a particularly vulnerable zone, angled drifts opened onto a reinforced concrete slab 5.5 metres thick. The openings in the slab were protected by 20 cm thick steel plate.

The site was chosen due to its proximity to the target (168 km from London), and also to it being set back from the coastline, to avoid any naval attacks. The site also had to be near to a railway line to transport the gun's spare parts and the heavy material necessary for it to work, to evacuate rubble and to provide munitions and explosives, and also had to be near a power line to supply this underground city. The Germans requested 5,000 kilowatts from the North-West electrical power station. 5,000 workers and 120,000 m3 were required for this installation.

Fortress of Mimoyecques

Landrethum-le-Nord 62250 Marquise

Tel.: +33 3.21.87.10.34

Fax: +33 3.21.83.33.10

E-mail: Mimoyecques@wanadoo.fr

Opening times From 18 April to 18 October, from 9 am to 6 pm. In July and August, from 10 am to 7 pm. Groups can visit from 9 am to 7 pm subject to booking.

Prices Adults: €5.50. Children: €4.00. Group of at least 15 persons - Adults: €4.50. Children: €3.35. School groups: €3.35

The site is south of Calais on the D249 between Leubringhen and Landrethum le Nord.

Sound projection in 3 languages: French, English and Dutch. The visit lasts around one hour. It is chilly inside, so bring a warm item of clothing. Constant temperature around 8°C

Base V3 - Mimoyecques

Quizz : Forts and citadels

From the 17th century to the present day, this abbey has enjoyed a rich and eventful history. It is currently home to Ministry of Defence departments. History Pentemont Abbey was founded in 1217 at Beauvais, by Philippe de Dreux. Transferred to Paris in 1672, at the wishes of King Louis XIV, the Abbey then settled in the former buildings of the Order of the Word Incarnate; on the site of what is now 104 rue de Grenelle. In 1745, Abbess Marie-Catherine Béthisy de Mézières entrusted the reconstruction of the Abbey to Constant d'Ivry, architect to the Duc d'Orléans and known for his work on the Palais-Royal. The buildings were completed in 1783, but a lack of finance prevented their decoration. Later, in 1835, the building of the extension to rue de Bellechasse meant the demolition of part of the buildings. Up until the Revolution, Pentemont Abbey served as a convent for nuns, as well as an educational establishment for the daughters of nobility. Some apartments were also reserved for ladies of good standing seeking rest. This was the case when Joséphine de Beauharnais stayed here, while the case of her separation from her husband was heard.

After the Revolution, the building was used for military purposes. The abbey buildings housed the National Guard, then the Imperial Guard under the First Empire, before becoming the barracks for the Cent Gardes under the Second Empire. In 1915, Pentemont Abbey was put at the disposal of the Pensions Department of the Ministry of War, which became the Ministry of War Pensions, Bonuses and Benefits in 1920. The building still houses Ministry of Defence departments to this day. Main courtyard The buildings to the left and at the far end of the main courtyard were built in the 19th century, for military purposes. Today they house Ministry of Defence departments. The building on the right, from the 17th century, was the main building of Pentemont Abbey. The first-floor windows at the centre of the facade, used to open into the Abbess's salon. The monumental entrance on the ground floor, which used to lead directly to the Abbey chapel, was converted into the grand salon between the wars.
War memorial and commemorative plaques The war memorial bears the inscription "From veterans to their comrades who gave their lives for their country. In memoriam". It is accompanied by a stele, dedicated to Ministry of Veterans' staff and the victims of war who died for France. Four commemorative plaques to députés and Veterans' Ministers (André Maginot, Robert Lasalle, Albert Aubry and Henri Frenay) are mounted on the building at the far end of the courtyard. There is also a plaque to the victims of the attack on the UTA DC 10 on 19th September 1989. This site is closed to the public, except on heritage days. This historical monument, under the administration of the Ministry for Defence, is part of a Defence Culture protocol, signed on 17th September 2005. Click here to see the list of other buildings included ...
Ministère de la défense Secrétariat Général pour l'Administration Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives Bureau des actions culturelles et muséographiques 14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées E-mail: [email=dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr]dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr[/email

In the 16th century, the harbour of Toulon was surrounded by a system of defences designed to protect its access, firstly by sea and then by land, as offensive artillery gradually increased its range. Constructed between 1672 and 1680, at the end of the 17th century this fort provided effective protection for the port of Toulon as well as for the shores of the Seyne. The name Eguillette seems to come from the presence in the area of soft water lakes (ayguades), where ships would come to take on fresh supplies. Unlike the round structures of the forts of Balaguier and the Royal Tower, the Eguillette Tower is square and flanked by two oblique wings: a corridor and an open air battery with parapets and embrasures, behind which 22 canons commanded the harbour with their grazing fire. The Fort de l'Eguillette is a fort with a low battery: at the time when the navy used sailboats, it was used to fire on the hulls of the ships. With the advances in artillery during the middle of the 19th century, the right-hand battery was casemated with stone vaults. The left-hand battery, which could be turned against the arsenal in the event of seizure of the fort, was filled in. The Fort de l'Eguillette is now rented by the town of Seyne-sur-Mer.

Ministry of Defence General Secretariat for Administration "Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives" (Management of Remembrance, Heritage and Archives) 14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr Toulon Tourist Information Office Place Raimu 83000 Toulon Tel.: +33 (0) 4 94 18 53 00

Following an inspection by Vauban in Toulon in 1679, the fort des Vignettes was constructed between 1692 and 1697 to prevent landings on the beach and keep any sailboats likely to try to drop anchor in the harbour at a distance. Destroyed in 1707, it was rebuilt, almost identically, in 1708 under the name of Fort Saint-Louis.

During the siege of 1707, the fort, under the command of Captain Daillon, was seized in an attack by Austro-Savoyard batteries positioned on the hills. After nine days, the state of ruin of the fort forced its defenders to retreat to the Great Tower (Royal Tower) after having set fire to the powder stores. The fort was rebuilt almost identically in 1708 under the name of Fort Saint-Louis. In 1743, it was armed with nine 24-pound canons. In 1847, it was armed with three 30-pound canons and three 22 cm howitzers, positioned behind an earth parapet encompassing the stone parapet. Developments in artillery led to the disarming of the fort at the end of the 19th century, as it was impossible to site large calibre canons there. It then housed an observation and command post for the detonation of the electrical mines that formed a barricade of the large harbour. It later became the headquarters of the officers' nautical club until 2001. It has appeared on the secondary list of historic monuments since 1948.
The fort is in the form of a semi-circular battery, whose gorge is closed by a casemated tower forming a redoubt and capable of bearing canons. Access to the fort is via an elevated gate, with a drawbridge in front. The aim of this device was to make invasion by foot soldiers difficult. Next to the entrance gate, a plaque affixed to the ramparts tells of the heroic conduct of the defenders of the fort in 1707. The plan of the battery is almost semi-circular. It is about fifty metres in diameter. Nine canon embrasures pierce the parapet, directed towards the sea. The embrasures are finished in brick so as not to splinter into dangerous shrapnel in the event of an enemy strike. In the middle of the 19th century, the parapet was incorporated into a solid earth parapet. It was returned to its original state during the 20th century. The back of the platform is protected by two walls forming a parados to mask the battery from blows from the land-side. The plan of the tower is asymmetrical. On the land-side, it is in the form of a flat bastion to flank the fort with parallel fire from the ramparts. On the coast-side, it is semi-circular so that artillery positioned on the terrace could comb a wide sector. The tower has two vaulted levels. The underground level held a water tank and a store. On the upper floor, a large vaulted chamber was used as accommodation for 24 men. You can still see the edge of the water tank. Access onto the terrace is via a spiral staircase.
Fort Saint Louis is not open to the public. This historic monument, managed by the Ministry of Defence, is covered by a Culture and Defence protocol signed on the 17th September 2005. Click here to see the list of other buildings...
Ministry of Defence General Secretariat for Administration Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives( Management of Remembrance, Heritage and Archives) 14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr Toulon Tourist Information Office Place Raimu 83000 Toulon

Montmorency Fort's high elevation made it a choice site for transmissions. The 19th-century fort is noteworthy for having housed the first station of Hertzian cables.

Fort de Montmorency

Quartier des Champeaux Rue du Fort

95160 Montmorency

Tel: +33 (0)1 30 40 64 75

E-mail : op@ba921.air.defense.gouv.fr

Secrétariat Général pour l'Administration Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives

14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées

E-mail : dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr

Ville de Montmorency

Quizz : Forts et citadelles

In the 16th century, Toulon harbour was surrounded by a system of defences designed primarily to protect access to it by sea and then - as the range of artillery increased - by land. After 1524, the commercial port of Toulon was protected by the "Big Tower" or Royal Tower. In 1634, Richelieu convinced Louis XIII to build another tower on Balaguier Point, opposite the Royal Tower, thus enabling the harbour entrance to be effectively locked. The aim was still to protect Toulon harbour, but more particularly, a small arsenal founded under Henri IV and which Richelieu, First Minister of the Navy, believed would grow in size. In 1679, Vauban was appointed to the Board for Fortifications.

The arsenal left the galley base at Marseilles and moved to the heart of the new dock. As part of the new design for fortifications, the canon tower of Balaguier was equipped with the ramparts, walls, accommodation and powder stores which give the fort its current appearance. In late August 1793, when the English entered Toulon, Balaguier became the target for the observers. Initially a refuge for sailors refusing to accept the English occupation, Balaguier went on to be occupied by coalition troops. The young republican artillery commander, Napoleon Bonaparte, understood the strategic importance of the location of the second element of the harbour protection. After two months of inconclusive fighting, his plan was finally accepted and, leading his troops into the attack by land, he took Balaguier Fort on 17th December 1793. The republican canons were then turned on the English fleet, which withdrew. After the Fachoda crisis, Balaguier Fort was rearmed one last time. Then, no longer of use, it was rented privately between the wars. Occupied by the Germans in 1942, it was liberated in 1944. After restoration, it has been a museum of maritime and local history since 1970.
Since 17 March 1975 it has been on the inventory of additional historical monuments. Balaguier Tower, or the "Little Tower" as opposed to the Royal or "Big Tower" was designed according to Richelieu's plans. The structure originally included a 19.5 m diameter canon tower. The basement contained a water cistern and magazines for powder and provisions. Access to the outside was via a drawbridge. This level consists of a vaulted room providing quarters for around forty men. The upper section of the tower was equipped with a canon platform protecting the harbour entrance from eight embrasures and a covered walkway whose parapet was broken by firing positions for close defence. On either side of the tower itself, batteries were built to provide grazing fire from parapets equipped with embrasures.
This building has been entrusted to the Ministry of Defence. France's Defence and Culture ministries signed an agreement to restore it, on 17 September 2005.
Ministère de la défense(Ministry of Defence) Secrétariat Général pour l'Administration (General Bureau for Administration) Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives (Remembrance, Heritage and Archives Department) 14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr