Fort-les-Bains

History and description

Situated on a hill that dominates the confluence of the Tech and the Montdony, the fort-les-Bains was constructed from 1670 on the orders of the Count of Chamilly to defend the town of Amélie-les-Bains and the road of Prats-de-Mollo. The tour des Bains, of medieval origin, was demolished to make room for this fort. The engineer Saint Hillaire designed the plans and ensured follow-up of the construction. This fort was constructed in a square shape with a bastion at each angle. The covered way was added in 1674, during the war of Holland, which saw its construction interrupted following a Spanish siege. During his second passing through the Pyrénées in 1679, Vauban made some improvements but did not consider the complex to be a top priority.
A project was set out in 1888 to improve the defences but remained on the drawing board.