Citadel of Blaye (Citadelle de Blaye)

The ruins of a number of buildings are inside the fortress, including the 12th-century Rudel Castle, the 12th-century Liverneuf Gate, and the 15th-century Éguillette Tower. The entire area covers about 94 acres (38 hectares). Many visitors come here independently, but you can also request to stop at the citadel as part of a customizable Bordeaux tour, and it’s worth exploring with a guide to learn about the fort’s strategic history.

• The Citadel of Blaye is a must-see for history fans.
• There is no fee to visit the citadel.
• The fort is best explored on foot and is not wheelchair accessible.
• Most of the citadel’s ruins are outside, so wear sunscreen or a jacket depending on the season, plus comfortable footwear.

The Citadel is located in Blaye, a small community situated an hour's drive north of Bordeaux (or five hours southwest of Paris) in the Gironde department of France. Public transportation options in the area are dismal, and Blaye is best reached by car from Bordeaux, which is connected to many major French cities by rail and air.

The Citadel of Blaye is open daily throughout the year, but as it's mostly outdoors, you're best off visiting from May through September, when the temperatures are pleasantly warm. Winters here can be chilly and rainy, but rarely get too cold; just make sure to bring a good rain jacket if you are visiting from November through April.

At the time when the Citadel of Blaye was built, the range of available cannons was not long enough to cover two miles from one side of the river to the other. Vauban built two more forts, Fort Paté and Fort Médoc, so that the three together could set up cross-fires to prevent enemies from reaching Bordeaux. They are part of a larger UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Fortifications of Vauban.