Le Fort Lapin
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It was in 1690 under the reign of Louis XIV that a fortified site was built on the coast. It was an advanced post of Fort Nieulay, a powerful fortress west of Calais. The engineer Vauban therefore ordered the construction of a stone fort, armed with 4 cannons and around ten men.
Two centuries later, in 1860, Fort Lapin was enlarged. The armament was more substantial to the point of housing a garrison of around thirty men.
In May 1940, he actively contributed to the defense of Calais against the German advance. During the Occupation, the fort was reinforced and partially concreted. It was part of the Atlantic Wall.
Fort Lapin has been demilitarized for decades, left somewhat abandoned before undergoing restoration in the 2010s. Today, it is a curiosity to see during a walk in the Blériot-Plage dune cordon. Moreover, the hiking trail "La Plage, la dune, M.Louis Blériot" (8 km) passes by Fort Lapin.
