Vauban was here
Sebastian le Prestre, Marquis de Vauban (1633-1707), was a French military engineer and adviser to King Louis XIV. What Kilroy was to the twentieth century, Vauban was to the seventeenth. Read More …
Tag: Vauban
Hôtel Vauban
OK, I admit it. I chose this hotel because of the name. But it turned out to be a pleasant and convenient place to stay, so I can heartily recommend Read More …
Vauban’s Citadel above Besançon
More than a hundred meters above the old town of Besançon, Vauban’s Citadel covers eleven hectares on the top of Mont Saint-Etienne. Besançon was controlled by the Spanish until 1674, Read More …
Espace Vauban
This “Space of Vauban” is located in one of the buildings in the Citadel of Besançon. It currently consists of four exhibition rooms which “explore the life and times of Read More …
Chapel in the Citadel
For each of his citadels, Vauban designed a simple chapel so the soldiers could attend Sunday mass. The one in Besançon is dedicated to Saint Étienne (Saint Stephen), in memory Read More …
Museum of Time in Besançon
Palais Granvelle is a sixteenth century Renaissance palace was built from 1534 and 1547 on the Grand Rue, the main street in the center of Besançon. At that time the Read More …
Fort Griffon
This fort is on a hill at the northwest end of Besançon, on the opposite side of the city from the Citadel. It was named after an Italian engineer and Read More …
Bookshops in Toulouse
At 3 rue du Taur, just off of Place du Capitole, there is a Gibert Joseph bookshop. This is one of a chain of bookshops that can be found in Read More …
Vauban and the Canal du Midi
When you come out of the Toulouse-Matabiau railway station, the first thing you see is the Canal du Midi — unless you just cross the bridge without even noticing it. Read More …
Fort du Hâ
In the center of Bordeaux there is an old fortress called the Fort du Hâ, also known as the Château du Hâ or, as Vauban called it, the “Chasteau du Haa”. Read More …