Fouras#Vauban Fortress

{{Infobox French commune

|name = Fouras

|commune status = Commune

|image coat of arms = Blason ville fr Fouras.svg

|image = FourasVille.JPG

|caption = A general view of Fouras

|arrondissement = Rochefort

|canton = Châtelaillon-Plage

|INSEE = 17168

|postal code = 17450

|mayor = Daniel Coirier{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/en/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=9 August 2021|language=fr}}

|term = 2021–2026

|intercommunality = CA Rochefort Océan

|coordinates = {{coord|45.9878|-1.0931|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

|elevation min m = 0

|elevation max m = 21

|area km2 = 9.51

|population = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}

|population date = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}

|population demonym = Fourasin·e{{efn|Demonym pronunciation: {{IPA|fr|fuʁazɛ̃|}}, {{IPA|fr|fuʁazin|}}}}

|population footnotes = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}

}}

Fouras, also known as Fouras-les-Bains ({{IPA|fr|fuʁa le bɛ̃}}), is a commune in the French department of Charente-Maritime, administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Poitou-Charentes). It lies 34 km south of La Rochelle.

Geography

Fouras is on a peninsula. It is bordered by five beaches and a forest named "Bois Vert" ("Green Wood" in English) which covers 20% of its surface area.

There is a causeway linking Fouras to Fort Énet, which is walkable at low tide, in the direction of Île-d'Aix. The pier for the island of Aix is also located in the territory of the commune.

The south coast of the peninsula of Fouras forms the northern side of the mouth of the river Charente. A little further south is the Île d'Oléron. Off the island between Aix and the Oleron Island is Fort Boyard, which was made famous by the French and U.K. TV game shows of the same name and whose character "Père Fouras" ({{IPA|fr|pɛʁ fuʁa|}}, also incorrectly pronounced {{IPA|fr|pɛʁ fuʁas|}}) increased the celebrity of the town.

Population

{{Historical populations

|align = none

|cols = 2

|percentages = pagr

|source = EHESS{{Cassini-Ehess|14529|Fouras}} and INSEE (1968-2017)[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-17168#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE

|1793 |615

|1800 |638

|1806 |645

|1821 |736

|1831 |860

|1836 |843

|1841 |800

|1846 |833

|1851 |823

|1856 |870

|1861 |926

|1866 |1028

|1872 |1138

|1876 |1256

|1881 |1679

|1886 |1877

|1891 |1887

|1896 |1989

|1901 |2171

|1906 |2461

|1911 |2499

|1921 |2399

|1926 |2322

|1931 |2166

|1936 |2474

|1946 |3013

|1954 |4068

|1962 |4121

|1968 |3634

|1975 |3612

|1982 |3295

|1990 |3238

|1999 |3835

|2007 |4056

|2012 |4083

|2017 |4006

}}

Vauban Fortress

The "Vauban Fortress" ({{Langx|fr|fort Vauban|link=no}}, {{IPA|fr|fɔʁ vobɑ̃|}}) was initially a strategic fortification established by Philip the Fair, circa 1300. The donjon was rebuilt in 1480-1490 by Jehan II de Brosse. In 1689, Ferry reinforced the walls of the Donjon to set up a battery of 9 canons and a signaling point. In 1693 a lower circular battery was set up to control access to the river Charente. The donjon received a signal station from 1889 to World War II.Local notice