Fort de l'Éguillette

Fort l'Éguillette is a military structure located in the commune of La Seyne-sur-Mer (Var, France) on the Bonaparte cornice. It is part of a complex of fortifications built to protect the roadstead of Toulon. It was constructed between 1674 and 1685, protecting the roadstead from the intrusion of enemy ships and also the Seyne coastline. Unlike the round shapes of the Tour Royale or Fort Balaguier, the fort has a square architecture with a tower and two oblique wings originally consisting of a parapet and open-air embrasures equipped with 22 cannons. As a low battery, it allowed for grazing fire intended to hit the wooden hulls of ships of the era. A shot furnace is mentioned in 1775. In the mid-19th century, the left battery was casemated to cope with advances in artillery, while the right one, which risked firing on the arsenal if the fort were captured, was backfilled. The fort was decommissioned on February 5, 1877, and then served as barracks for Marine infantry troops. It was ceded to the French Navy on August 10, 1924, which used it to house workshops and submarine defense stores. In 1997, a major restoration operation was launched, and the fort, still owned by the navy, is now used for exhibitions and cultural events. The name l'Éguillette seems to come from the Provençal word "ayguade," which designates a freshwater point used for supplying ships.