Off the coast of France, in the Bay of Biscay, the famous Fort Boyard is located. The history of its creation was longer than the intended life. However, the fort still found the owner, who not only stopped the destruction process, but also made him famous throughout the world.
The idea of creating a fort
For the first time they thought about the construction in the seventeenth century. At this time, military shipyards were built in the city of Rochefort. It was important to protect them from the British fleet, which could penetrate the territory of the Bay of Biscay. Louis the Fourteenth thought about creating Fort Boyard in the middle of the strait. The history of this project remained in the thoughts of the monarch, since no one dared to undertake the implementation of the plan.
The second time the idea of creating a fort arose in the nineteenth century, during the reign of Napoleon the First. Relations between France and Great Britain were very tense, so the need to control the Bay of Biscay revived . The sandbank in the right channel was marked on the map. In 1801, the first work began.
Construction
Serious problems arose with the start of construction. Stone blocks, which were to become the foundation, were installed on the seabed. This led to the fact that they fell into the ground under the weight of their own weight. Blocks warped and parted.
Construction was stopped in 1809. Work resumed only in 1837, during the time of Louis Philippe the First. The reason for this was the same tense situation in relations with Britain.
They completed the construction of the fortress in 1857, creating a rather impressive structure. It was sixty-eight meters long and thirty-one meters wide. The height of the walls reached twenty meters.
Fort use
Fort Boyard, whose construction history spanned more than fifty years, had lost its relevance by the time it was discovered. The fact is that during this time the range of artillery guns has noticeably increased. From opposite shores, they could independently defend the strait from the invasion of enemy ships.
In the fortress was a garrison consisting of two hundred and fifty people. The construction, although it was already useless, but remained subordinate to the War Department.
Due to its remoteness from the mainland and its impressive appearance, the fortress was well suited for keeping prisoners. Initially, it housed the Austrians and Prussians captured in the late nineteenth century. Later it contained political prisoners.
However, prisoners soon found another place. It turned out to be the island of New Caledonia. Then the fort became the location of the French Navy. The department stayed there until 1913.
During the Second World War, the fortress was seriously destroyed. This was due to the fact that the Germans trained in shooting at it. After that, birds settled in it, which brought the walls damaged by shelling into an even more unsightly appearance.
In the second half of the twentieth century, the government decided to transfer the fort to private hands. Bidding was held. Who became the owner of the naval fortress of France?
Owners of the fort
In 1962, the fate of one of the fortresses of France was decided at auction. The initial cost was seven and a half thousand francs. Two applicants showed particular excitement in the fight - dentist Eric Ert and a representative of the fort defense society. The dentist from Avorie turned out to be three thousand francs more. He became the new owner of the fortress, paying twenty-eight thousand francs for it.
Ert had neither the means nor the desire to rebuild the fort. Therefore, the structure was destroyed. The reason for this was not only external factors in the form of winds, rains and birds, but also human influence. Tourists pulled the walls over the stones as souvenirs.
In 1989, the owner decided to get rid of the fort and put it up for sale, increasing the cost to one and a half million francs. It was bought by producer Jacques Antoine, who specialized in conducting television games, paying a nominal sum of 1 franc to the General Council of the Charente-Maritime Department, who risked and bought the fortification from the dentist. Since that time, the reconstruction of the structure began.
Fort reconstruction
After the acquisition of the fortress, Jacques Antoine began its reconstruction. To begin with, twenty-five meters from it was built a platform that served as a pier. The huge building was cleaned from guano, which covered everything around. The thickness of the decomposed bird droppings reached fifty centimeters.
To launch the television game, which was supervised by the producer, in 1996 the necessary facilities were prepared. Subsequent reconstructions took place in 1998 and in 2003-2004. During this time, the external walls were cleaned, the terrace was sealed, and the central courtyard was restored.
Popular Adventure TV Show
The game "Fort Boyard" first appeared on the screens of French television in 1990. The essence of the project is that the team, which consists of six people, must pass a series of tests of the physical and intellectual plan. For their correct execution, players receive keys and tips with which you can pick up the treasures of the fort at the end of the game.
The game that made Bay of Biscay famous (it is not difficult to find it on the map) has its own legend. According to the plot, the evil, but wise old man Fura has been living in the fort for two centuries. He was engaged in robberies, collecting everything in his fortress. People cursed the treacherous old man, and he lost the ability to cunning. You can pick up prey from him by collecting the right number of keys, which are scattered in secret rooms. Each room has traps. Having coped with all the obstacles, you can get rich.
The plot of the game is played out by professional actors who also make sure that its rules are not violated.
The main characters of the game and their powers:
- La Boule - beats the tambourine at the beginning and end of the game, accompanies the captured participants in their cells.
- Passepartout - directs players to rooms.
- Tamer Felinda - with the help of her wards (tigers) guards the treasury.
The current rules of the game
During its existence, the Fort Boyard game has changed the rules several times depending on the participating country and the vision of the organizers. The goal remained the same - treasure hunt. Since 2015, the French version includes six stages.
- "Tests." In fifty minutes the team needs to get the keys that will open the gates of the treasury. You can get the keys by successfully passing seven tests.
- "Courtroom". The team is sent here if it could not collect the required number of keys or has at least one captive. The participant must pass a mini-game, otherwise he will go to the fort prison.
- "Adventures". For thirty minutes, the team participates in several adventures. For victory in each of them, participants receive a cartridge with a hint inside. If the test is not completed after the set time has elapsed, the tip will burn out inside the cartridge.
- "Jail break". The captive can escape from prison, overcoming obstacles in a minute and a half. If the attempt fails, the team loses this time, and this is a minus in the total number of precious minutes spent in the treasury.
- "The Council of Shadows." This is an opportunity to extend the time spent in the treasury. Three participants undergo mini-tests and, if successful, add ten to thirty seconds to the total time (two minutes).
- "Treasure chest". When the team inserts all the keys into the goal, Felinda leads the tigers away. The host gives the participants ammunition with tips and starts the countdown. Players must solve the keyword at the prompts and indicate the answer, placing their bodies and cannonballs in the letters that are shown on the treasury floor. If the situation is correct, the team gains access to the money, but time is limited for their removal. If it fails, the team receives a consolation prize of three thousand euros.
Fort and Cinema
Fort Boyard, whose history began in the nineteenth century, was used in cinema. So, in the film "Adventurers" directed by Robert Enrico, which was released in 1967, there is a battle scene lasting fifteen minutes. Filming was carried out over three weeks. And by the end of the work, a strong storm began, so the crew had to evacuate by helicopter.
Interesting Facts
Only Fort Boyard participants can enter the fortress territory. Tours for tourists are limited to views of the structure from the sea.
The television game has gained popularity around the world. Representatives of more than thirty states, including Russia and Ukraine, visited the stone fort.